ACC Basketball Tournament 2011 Bracket Predictions: Duke Heavily Favored

Throughout the 2010-11 Atlantic Coast Conference season, dominance was the name of the game. And that dominance was all about two college basketball powerhouses: Duke and North Carolina.

The defending national champs will start their trek to the conference tournament title Thursday, along with Florida State, Clemson and conference champion North Carolina.

Will the two Tobacco Road titans meet Sunday in the season's rubber match, with an NCAA tournament bid, and potential No. 1 seed, on the line? Or will an unexpected squad take out one of the league's top two schools?

Let's take a look at all 11 games in the ACC tournament, starting with the game to decide who will challenge the Tar Heels Thursday in Greensboro, N.C.

First Round: (8) Virginia Vs. (9) Miami

Miami won the only battle between these two programs this season, 70-68, in overtime on Feb. 5. Many could argue it was mental mistakes that Virginia home losers.

Poor free-throw shooting, along with fouls on back-to-back three-point attempts by Miami in the final minute of regulation, gave the Hurricanes the victory.

The Cavaliers will have to put together a better offensive showing to move on, while the Hurricanes will have to be equally up to task. Tony Bennett's team should learn from the mistakes made in the season's earlier meeting.

Miami has been erratic as of late, while Virginia finished the season strong, winning four of five. Look for the Cavaliers to eke out a win, and a measure of revenge, on the Hurricanes.

The Pick: Virginia 65, Miami 60

First Round: (5) Boston College Vs. (12) Wake Forest

For the second time in four days, Boston College and Wake Forest will face each other on the basketball court.

And for the second time in four days, the game is Boston College's to lose.

While no game in a conference tournament should be taken lightly, this is a must-win for the Eagles. Boston College is sitting on the outer edge of the NCAA tournament field at this point, and would surely find themselves headed to the NIT with a loss to Wake Forest.

A loss likely won't be the case, as the Demon Deacons will be on the wrong end of the scoreline for the 16th time in ACC play this season.

The Pick: Boston College 78, Wake Forest 64

First Round: (7) Maryland Vs. (10) NC State

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CHAPEL HILL, NC - FEBRUARY 27: Head coach Gary Williams of the Maryland Terrapins watches on from the bench against the North Carolina Tar Heels during their game at the Dean E. Smith Center on February 27, 2011 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by

The winner of this game has the unenviable task of taking on the defending national champions, Duke, in the quarterfinals.

Both teams have been heading in the wrong direction of late. Maryland has lost five of seven, and NC State has lost four of five.

The good news for Maryland? One of those two wins came against the Wolf Pack.

Life without Greivis Vasquez has been tough on the Terps, but all has not been lost. Sophomore Jordan Williams has been a bright spot for Maryland, averaging almost 17 points and 12 rebounds a game. His presence won't be enough, however, as NC State will use a late run to power past Maryland.

The Pick: NC State 82, Maryland 80

First Round: (6) Virginia Tech Vs. (11) Georgia Tech

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GREENSBORO, NC - MARCH 12: Seth Greenberg, head coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies on the sidelines against the University of Miami Hurricanes in their quarterfinal game in the 2010 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum on March 12, 2

Seth Greenberg's Virginia Tech squad has been the model of inconsistency, both this season and in seasons past.

After beating then-No.1 Duke Feb. 26, the Hokies dropped back-to-back games, to Boston College and Clemson. The losses sent Virginia Tech back to their unofficial March home, the NCAA tournament bubble.

It's now or never for the Hokies. They are one of Joe Lunardi's last four in on his latest Bracketology projection on ESPN.com, and an early loss to the Yellow Jackets will likely keep Virginia Tech out of the NCAA tourney once again.

The Hokies are fully aware of the stakes of this game, and will respond accordingly.

The Pick: Virginia Tech 71, Georgia Tech 63

Quarterfinals: (1) North Carolina Vs. (8) Virginia

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CHAPEL HILL, NC - MARCH 05: Harrison Barnes #40 of the North Carolina Tar Heels celebrates winning the ACC Regular Season Championship as they defeated the Duke Blue Devils 81-67 at the Dean E. Smith Center on March 5, 2011 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

The seventh-ranked Tar Heels are looking to make a statement in the ACC tournament in hopes of garnering a No. 1 seed. A victory over Duke in the tourney final Sunday may get them there.

But North Carolina needs to win two games before they get that far.

The first of those two come against Virginia, who gave the Heels all they could handle in a 62-56 UNC victory Jan. 8. Tony Bennett will likely point to that game in motivating his team to knock off the reigning conference champions.

Unfortunately for Bennett and company, it just won't be enough. The Heels are running on all cylinders, and may be a quiet threat for the national championship. That doesn't bode well for the Cavaliers.

The Pick: North Carolina 90, Virginia 70

Quarterfinals: (4) Clemson Vs. (5) Boston College

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BUFFALO, NY - MARCH 19: Demontez Stitt #2 of the Clemson Tigers handles the ball against the Missouri Tigers during the first round of the 2010 NCAA men's basketball tournament at HSBC Arena on March 19, 2010 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Rick Stewart

This game may be looked at as a de facto play-in game to the NCAA tournament. The winner will likely lock in a spot in the field of 68, while the loser will have a nervous evening Sunday.

The Tigers will look to replicate their victory over Boston College last month, but that will be no small task. The Eagles have been playing strong recently, winning their last three games by an average of nearly 17 points.

Look for a hard-fought game, with the winner headed to a massive semi-final match-up with North Carolina.

The Pick: Boston College 74, Clemson 70

Quarterfinals: (2) Duke Vs. (10) NC State

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CHAPEL HILL, NC - MARCH 05: Nolan Smith #2 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts to a call against the North Carolina Tar Heels during their game at the Dean E. Smith Center on March 5, 2011 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Nolan Smith and Duke are going to be fired up. When they had a chance to take the conference championship from rival North Carolina, they couldn't do it.

Hello, motivation.

The Wolf Pack will be little more than a stepping stone for the Blue Devils, who are much too talented to fall to NC State in Greensboro.

The Pick: Duke 86, NC State 62

Quaterfinals: (3) Florida State Vs. (6) Virginia Tech

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COLLEGE PARK, MD - FEBRUARY 23: Luke Loucks #3 of the Florida State Seminoles drives to the basket against the Maryland Terrapins at the Comast Center on February 23, 2011 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

The Seminoles had plenty of problems with Virginia Tech this season, losing by 12 to the Hokies in Blacksburg. To solidify their seed in the NCAA tournament, they'll need to reverse that outcome.

A win for the Hokies likely locks them in to the NCAA tournament. It would be some much-needed peace of mind for a Virginia Tech team that has spent all too much time wondering what their NCAA tournament fate would be as of late.

Malcolm Delaney is the type of player that can make all the difference in a tournament, whether it be a conference tournament or the Big Dance. Delaney will pair with Jeff Allen to send the 'Noles home early, and punch a ticket to the NCAA tournament.

Finally.

The Pick: Virginia Tech 71, Florida State 66

Semifinals: (1) North Carolina Vs. (5) Boston College

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CHAPEL HILL, NC - MARCH 05: The mascot of the North Carolina Tar Heels crowd surfs during their game against the Duke Blue Devils at the Dean E. Smith Center on March 5, 2011 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Sooner or later, reality sets in during any type of college basketball tournament played in March.

The reality is that it is going to take quite an effort to take down the Tar Heels, both in Greensboro and wherever the ACC regular season champs play in the NCAA tournament.

Boston College will not bring that type of effort Saturday.

Harrison Barnes and Tyler Zeller have been the leaders for the Tar Heels all season. That season included 14 conference wins, including two over Boston College.

They say it's hard to beat a team three times in a season, no matter what the sport, but North Carolina will do it.

The Pick: North Carolina 77, Boston College 67

Semifinals: (2) Duke Vs. (6) Virginia Tech

We all know what happened the last time Virginia Tech and Duke got together on the basketball court.

64-60, Hokies.

The scene in Blacksburg was a jubilant one, ripe with NCAA tournament dreams and elation after taking down the nation's top team.

Mike Krzyzewski hasn't let his team forget that. As if they could.

They say revenge is a dish best served cold. While the weather in Greensboro will be warm Saturday, the Dukies won't be. Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler won't stand to have their final ACC tournament game be a semifinal loss.

The Pick: Duke 83, Virginia Tech 70

ACC Tournament Final: (1) North Carolina Vs. (2) Duke

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CHAPEL HILL, NC - MARCH 05: Mason Plumlee #5 of the Duke Blue Devils shoots over Tyler Zeller #44 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during their game at the Dean E. Smith Center on March 5, 2011 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Get

North Carolina versus Duke, round three. Winner take all.

Isn't this the way it was meant to be?

North Carolina held leads on the Blue Devils in both meetings. At Cameron Indoor Stadium, the home team came back to grab the 79-73 victory. The Dean Dome favored the home team as well, when the Tar Heels ran to an 81-67 victory and the outright ACC championship.

When it comes to big games in tournaments, I always side with experience. Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler have been just about everywhere a collegiate athlete can be on a basketball court, topped by last year's national title.

If Harrison Barnes and Tyler Zeller stick around Chapel Hill for another year, the Heels will be tough to beat. This year, however, the ACC tournament crown belongs to Duke.

The Pick: Duke 76, North Carolina 72