ACC Tournament 2018: Schedule and Bracket Predictions for Conference Tourney

The ACC tournament is traditionally where the best teams in the conference improve their respective resumes in pursuit of the highest-possible seed in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

The 2018 edition at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, should feature much of the same, as Virginia, Duke and North Carolina jockey for position on Selection Sunday.

Further down the pecking order in the ACC, a few teams have the opportunity to better their chances of making the Big Dance by knocking off one of the ranked powers.

The five-day competition starts Tuesday with a trio of first-round games, but the real excitement in doesn't begin until Wednesday, when the bubble teams take the court for the first time.

ACC Tournament Schedule

All times ET.

Tuesday

1st Round

No. 12 seed vs. No. 13 seed (Noon)

No. 10 seed vs. No. 15 seed (approximately 2 p.m.)

No. 11 seed vs. No. 14 seed (7 p.m.)

Wednesday

2nd Round

No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed (Noon)

No. 5 seed vs. winner of No. 12 seed vs. No. 13 seed (approximately 2 p.m.)

No. 7 seed vs. winner of No. 10 seed vs. No. 15 seed (7 p.m.)

No. 6 seed vs. winner of No. 11 seed vs. No. 14 seed (approximately 9 p.m.)

Thursday

Quarterfinals

No. 1 seed vs. winner of No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed (Noon)

No. 4 seed vs. winner of No. 5 seed vs. No. 12/No.13 seed (approximately 2 p.m.)

No. 2 seed vs. winner of No. 7 seed vs. No. 10/No. 15 seed (7 p.m.)

No. 3 seed vs. winner of No. 6 seed vs. No. 11/No. 14 seed (approximately 9 p.m.)

Friday, March 9

Semifinals

Winner of No. 1 vs. No. 8 or No. 9 vs. winner of No. 4 vs. No. 5 or No. 12/No. 13 (7 p.m.)

Winner of No. 2 vs. No. 7 or No. 10/No. 15 vs. winner of No. 3 vs. No. 6 or No. 11/No. 14 (approximately 9 p.m.)

Saturday, March 10

Final

Winner of semifinal No. 1 vs. winner of semifinal No. 2 (8:30 p.m.)

Predictions

Seeds

1. Virginia

2. Duke

3. Clemson

4. NC State

5. North Carolina

6. Miami

7. Virginia Tech

8. Louisville

9. Notre Dame

10. Florida State

11. Boston College

12. Syracuse

13. Georgia Tech

14. Wake Forest

15. Pittsburgh

1st-Round Predictions

No. 10 Florida State def. No. 15 Pittsburgh

No. 11 Boston College def. No. 14 Wake Forest

No. 12 Syracuse def. No. 13 Georgia Tech

2nd-Round Predictions

No. 9 Notre Dame def. No. 8 Louisville

No. 5 North Carolina def. No. 12 Syracuse

No. 7 Virginia Tech def. No. 10 Florida State

No. 6 Miami def. No. 11 Boston College

Quarterfinals Predictions

No. 1 Virginia def. No. 9 Notre Dame

No. 5 North Carolina def. No. 4 NC State

No. 2 Duke def. No. 7 Virginia Tech

No. 6 Miami def. No. 3 Clemson

Semifinals Predictions

No. 1 Virginia def. No. 5 North Carolina

No. 2 Duke def. No. 6 Miami

Final Prediction

No. 1 Virginia def. No. 2 Duke

Duke, North Carolina Attempting to Make Push For No. 1 Seed

The ACC is guaranteed one No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament thanks to Virginia's dominance, and there's a good chance the Cavaliers end up as the No. 1 overall seed on Selection Sunday.

There's also a chance the ACC could end up with two No. 1 seeds depending on what Duke and North Carolina do at Barclays Center.

Duke seems to have the better chance of the two teams that could join Virginia as a the top seed, but that could all change if North Carolina wins its game against the Blue Devils on Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

The difference between each team's hunt for a top seed could come down to its head-to-head battle with Michigan State, which is in contention for a No. 1 seed as well.

Duke defeated Michigan State at the Champions Classic, while North Carolina fell to the Spartans at the PK80 Invitational.

If Duke finds a way to beat Virginia in the ACC tournament final, it has a case to claim one of the four top seeds over Michigan State, Xavier or Kansas.

North Carolina's path to a No. 1 seed is a little more difficult since it has two more losses than Duke, but if the Tar Heels win the ACC tournament, they would be in the middle of the discussion on Selection Sunday.

Louisville, Notre Dame Could Be Involved in Elimination Game on the Bubble

The biggest question surrounding ACC teams at the NCAA tournament revolves around Louisville and Notre Dame.

Louisville deserves credit for even being in a situation to secure a berth in the field of 68 after all the off-the-court drama that consumed the program.

The Cardinals have lost three of their past four games, including a heartbreaking defeat to Virginia at the buzzer Thursday.

Timothy D. Easley/Associated Press

Notre Dame, which plays Virginia Saturday, is looking to make a late push for the tournament with a healthy Bonzie Colson.

Given the way the final day of the regular season is expected to play out, the pair of bubble teams could be on a collision course for an elimination game in the second round.

The teams could meet in either the No. 7 vs. No. 10 or No. 8 vs. No. 9 game, handing the winner an opportunity to beat a ranked foe in the quarterfinals.

Regardless of which program advances in this hypothetical bubble showdown, the winner needs a quality win, as the teams possess a combined 2-11 record against AP Top 25 teams.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.