ACC Tournament 2016: TV Schedule and Early Bracket Predictions

As crazy as the 2015-16 college basketball season has been, a loaded event like the ACC tournament is certain to be entertaining. 

While you can debate which conference is the best in the nation from top to bottom, this one arguably has the most talent at the top. At least five teams could have realistic aspirations of reaching the Final Four, with another one (Louisville) having the ability but not the opportunity after self-imposing a postseason ban.

Additionally, pretty much anyone besides Boston College and Wake Forest (sorry, guys) can pull off some major upsets and make a deep run in the ACC tournament. With the event finally leaving the state of North Carolina and headed to neutral ground in Washington, D.C., there could be more parity than ever.

Make sure to follow along through all five days of this exciting event. 

Date	Game No.	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV
March 8	1	No. 13 seed vs. No. 12 seed	12 p.m.	ESPN2
March 8	2	No. 14 seed vs. No. 11 seed	2 p.m.	ESPN2
March 9	3	No. 9 seed vs. No. 8 seed	12 p.m.	ESPN
March 9	4	Game 1 winner vs. No. 5 seed	2 p.m.	ESPN
March 9	5	No. 10 seed vs. No. 7 seed	7 p.m.	ESPN2
March 9	6	Game 2 winner vs. No. 6 seed	9 p.m.	ESPN2
March 10	7	Game 3 winner vs. No. 1 seed	12 p.m.	ESPN
March 10	8	Game 4 winner vs. No. 4 seed	2 p.m.	ESPN
March 10	9	Game 5 winner vs. No. 2 seed	7 p.m.	ESPN
March 10	10	Game 6 winner vs. No. 3 seed	9 p.m.	ESPN
March 11	11	Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner	7 p.m.	ESPN/ESPN2
March 11	12	Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner	9 p.m.	ESPN/ESPN2
March 12	13	Championship Game	9 p.m.	ESPN

Favorite: North Carolina

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

On first glance, North Carolina has failed to live up to expectations this year as a team that was expected to dominate the ACC and contend for a national championship. However, even with a few slip-ups, this group remains in great shape to bring home a regular-season conference title.

With a narrow win over Syracuse Monday, North Carolina moved to 13-4 and a half-game ahead of Miami for the best record in the league. The even better news is this team destroyed the Hurricanes the only time they played each other.

Brice Johnson leads a deep roster full of scorers that can be even better if Marcus Paige finds his shooting stroke and lives up to his potential. Even without him, there are a number of players who can step up and produce on a given night, from Justin Jackson to Joel Berry to Kennedy Meeks. 

Even after recent losses to Duke and Virginia, the Tar Heels are the team to beat in the ACC.

Sleeper: Duke

Gerry Broome/Associated Press

In most seasons, Duke doesn't qualify as a sleeper. Even this year, the inconsistent team isn't going to sneak up on too many people. However, some bad performances have the squad potentially outside the top four spots in the ACC tournament.

Winning without the benefit of a double-bye is not easy, relegating the Blue Devils to "sleeper" status.

Of course, the talent is still there for them to be a serious threat throughout the postseason. Grayson Allen has turned into a heel for his extracurricular activities, but there is no denying his ability as an offensive presence, averaging 20.9 points and 3.6 assists per game. Meanwhile, Brandon Ingram has put himself in the discussion for the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA draft with his scoring ability both inside and out.

There are obvious issues defensively with this team as well as a lack of depth, but when the Blue Devils are hitting shots, they are as dangerous as anyone in the country. If they are hot in D.C., they will take home yet another conference title.

Needs It Most: Pittsburgh

Michael Hickey/Getty Images

While this had been a solid year for Pittsburgh, the squad lacked the signature win it needed to secure a spot in the NCAA tournament. That was, until an impressive performance against Duke on Sunday, which featured the intensity necessary for the moment, per Seth Davis of CBS Sports:

The strong play continued for 40 minutes, and the Panthers left with a 14-point win over the Blue Devils. Although an at-large bid is far from guaranteed, the latest victory will go a long way toward being on the right side of the bubble.

Still, the last two games of the regular season are against inferior opponents, meaning the projected wins over Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech won't be impressive, but a loss could be extremely damaging. This means the only real chance to impress the selection committee will come in the ACC tournament.

Whether the Panthers can earn another noteworthy win or just avoid a bad loss, the pressure will certainly be on this club.

Predicted Winner: Virginia

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Although North Carolina might have the most offensive talent and Miami has the best balance on offense and defense, Virginia is still the scariest team in the field.

Malcolm Brogdon has arguably been the best player in the conference this season with his contributions on both ends of the court, and the senior believes this team is set up for a deep postseason run, per ESPN's C.L. Brown:

"

I definitely think we’re better equipped, we have a more mature, experienced team. We have a team that’s evolved and learned from past experiences having a great regular season, and then relaxing in the postseason and not being as successful as we should have been. 

"

The Cavaliers had some struggles earlier in the year, but they are back to having one of the best defenses in college basketball with an offense that is as efficient as ever. London Perrantes has become a lights-out shooter from the perimeter, while Brogdon and Anthony Gill remain a tough inside-outside tandem to defend.

Considering the chemistry these players have developed over the past few years playing together, Virginia is in great shape to keep winning this postseason. 

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