ACC Tournament 2020: Bracket, TV Schedule, Dates and Predictions
For the first time in program history, Florida State is the ACC regular-season champion. The Seminoles, as a result, will hold the No. 1 seed in what should be an exciting 2020 ACC tournament.
Florida State edged Virginia, Louisville and Duke in the final standings thanks to a victory over Boston College. Virginia earned the No. 2 seed thanks to a win over Louisville, which checks in at No. 3 ahead of Duke at No. 4.
This year, the tournament will return to its popular destination of Greensboro, North Carolina. It will be the 27th time the Greensboro Coliseum hosts the event.
Georgia Tech will not participate in the 2020 tournament while it serves a one-year postseason ban. The winner of the tournament will automatically qualify for the 68-team March Madness field.
Bracket
Full Schedule
*denotes approximate start time and all times Eastern
First Round (Tuesday, March 10)
Game 1: No. 13 Pitt vs. No. 12 Wake Forest, 4:30 p.m. (ACC Network)
G2: No. 14 North Carolina vs. No. 11 Virginia Tech, 7 p.m.* (ACC Network)
Second Round (Wednesday, March 11)
G3: No. 9 Miami vs. No. 8 Clemson, Noon (ESPN)
G4: Game 1 winner vs. No. 5 NC State, 2:30 p.m.* (ESPN)
G5: No. 10 Boston College vs. No. 7 Notre Dame, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
G6: Game 2 winner vs. No. 6 Syracuse, 9:30 p.m.* (ESPN2)
Quarterfinals (Thursday, March 12)
G7: Game 3 winner vs. No. 1 Florida State, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2)
G8: Game 4 winner vs. No. 4 Duke, 3 p.m.* (ESPN/ESPN2)
G9: Game 5 winner vs. No. 2 Virginia, 7 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2)
G10: Game 6 winner vs. No. 3 Louisville, 9:30 p.m.* (ESPN/ESPN2)
Semifinals (Friday, March 13)
G11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 7 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2)
G12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 9:30 p.m.* (ESPN/ESPN2)
Championship (Saturday, March 14)
G13: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Predictions
"Hey, let's throw a dart!" probably isn't a professional option. Much like the narrative of the 2019-20 season as a whole, though, the ACC has a wide-open outlook.
Florida State is the most consistent team, while Virginia is the hottest. Duke has the most talent, as usual. Jordan Nwora makes Louisville a contender. Syracuse has the conference's leading scorer in Elijah Hughes, and the list goes on.
Oh, North Carolina has Cole Anthony! Why not the Heels?
That's the long version of saying you can justify any number of predictions. In a season as volatile as this, it'd be foolish to discount a lower seed making a run at the ACC tournament title.
Nevertheless, we're picking a pair of favorites.
Virginia is about as aesthetically displeasing as possible, playing at the nation's absolute slowest tempo, per KenPom.com. And unlike last season when the Cavaliers ranked among the leaders in three-point percentage, they're a dismal 313th.
Yet here they are, entering the ACC tourney with an eight-game winning streak and 11-1 record since Jan. 26. That stretch includes a 3-1 combined record against FSU, Louisville and Duke.
"I just think guys have just moved the needle a little bit and it's been enough. We know what our lifeline is, trying to be as good as we can defensively," Virginia coach Tony Bennett told reporters recently.
It's safe to assume Virginia's defensive prowess will continue. The offense is less predictable, but playing on Louisville's half of the bracket is at least favorable compared to Florida State and Duke. That side will be especially fascinating to watch.
Both the Seminoles and Blue Devils utilize a deep rotation that should propel them through the quarterfinals. We're lean on Tre Jones and Vernon Carey Jr. to carry Duke in that potential semifinals matchup and to a clash with Virginia.
Late in February, the Hoos clipped Duke 52-50. On a neutral floor this time around, we'll take the Blue Devils based on the expectation of a three-point shooting night UVA fails to match.
Still, if the regular season taught us anything, it's to be prepared for surprises. And hopefully the ACC tournament has a few more in store.
Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
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