Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball

Last updated

The Atlantic Coast Conference (founded in 1953) is one of the premier college basketball conferences in NCAA Division I. The current ACC champions are the NC State Wolfpack.

Contents

Members

InstitutionNicknameLocationFoundedYears in the ACCSchool TypeEnrollment
Boston College Eagles Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 18632005presentPrivate/Catholic (Jesuit)14,500
Clemson Tigers Clemson, South Carolina 18891953presentPublic24,951
Duke Blue Devils Durham, North Carolina 18381953presentPrivate/Nonsectarian15,892
Florida State Seminoles Tallahassee, Florida 18511991presentPublic (State University System of Florida)38,886
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Atlanta, Georgia 18851978presentPublic (University System of Georgia)32,718
Louisville Cardinals Louisville, Kentucky 17982014presentPublic23,262
Miami Hurricanes Coral Gables, Florida 19252004presentPrivate/Nonsectarian15,520
North Carolina Tar Heels Chapel Hill, North Carolina 17891953presentPublic (University of North Carolina)26,878
NC State Wolfpack Raleigh, North Carolina 18871953presentPublic (University of North Carolina)29,957
Notre Dame Fighting Irish South Bend, Indiana 18422013–presentPrivate/Catholic (Congregation of Holy Cross)11,733
Pittsburgh Panthers Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 17872013–present State-related/Nonsectarian28,664
Syracuse Orange Syracuse, New York 18702013–presentPrivate/Nonsectarian22,850
Virginia Cavaliers Charlottesville, Virginia 18191953presentPublic20,399
Virginia Tech Hokies Blacksburg, Virginia 18722004presentPublic28,000
Wake Forest Demon Deacons Winston-Salem, North Carolina 18341953presentPrivate/Nonsectarian8,116

[1] [2]

History

The early roots of ACC basketball began primarily thanks to two men: Everett Case and Frank McGuire. Case had been a successful high school coach in Indiana who accepted the head coaching job at North Carolina State at a time that the school's athletic department had decided to focus on competing in football on a level with Duke, then a national power in college football. Case's North Carolina State teams dominated the early years of the ACC with a modern, fast-paced style of play. He became the fastest college basketball coach to reach many "games won" milestones.

Case eventually became known as The Father of ACC Basketball. Despite his success on the court, he may have been even a better promoter off-the-court. Case realized the need to sell his program and university. State had originally started construction on Reynolds Coliseum in 1941, but stopped construction during the war. It was originally slated to seat 10,000 people, but Case persuaded school officials to expand the arena to 12,400 people. It opened as the new home court for his team in 1949; at the time, it was the largest on-campus arena in the South. As such, it was used as the host site for many Southern Conference tournaments, ACC tournaments, and the Dixie Classic , an annual event involving the four ACC teams from North Carolina as well as four other prominent programs from across the nation. The Dixie Classic brought in large revenues for all schools involved and soon became one of the premier sporting events in the South.

Partly to counter Case's personality, as well as the dominant success of his program, North Carolina convinced St. John's head coach Frank McGuire to come to Chapel Hill in 1952. McGuire knew that largely due to Case's influence, basketball was now the major high school athletic event of the region, unlike football in the South. He not only tapped the growing market of high school talent in North Carolina, but also brought several recruits from his home territory in New York City as well. Case and McGuire literally invented a rivalry. Both men realized the benefits created through a rivalry between them. It brought more national attention to both of their programs and increased fan support on both sides. For this reason, they often exchanged verbal jabs at each other in public, while maintaining a secret working relationship in private.

After State was slapped with crippling NCAA sanctions before the 1956–57 season, McGuire's North Carolina team stepped into the breach and delivered the ACC its first national championship. During the Tar Heels' championship run, Greensboro entrepreneur Castleman D. Chesley noticed the popularity that it generated. He hastily cobbled together a five-station television network to broadcast the Final Four. That network began broadcasting regular season ACC games the following season. From that point on, ACC basketball gained large popularity. Chesley's network continued until Metrosports took it over in 1981, handing it to Raycom Sports took it over in 1982; it was the direct ancestor of today's ACC Network.

Scheduling partners

The table below lists each school's permanent men's basketball only scheduling partners after expansion in 2013 and the replacement of Maryland by Louisville in 2014.

SchoolPartner 1 [3] Partner 2 [3]
Boston CollegeNotre DameSyracuse
ClemsonFlorida StateGeorgia Tech
DukeNorth CarolinaWake Forest
Florida StateClemsonMiami
Georgia TechClemsonNotre Dame
LouisvillePittsburghVirginia
MiamiFlorida StateVirginia Tech
North CarolinaDukeNorth Carolina State
North Carolina StateNorth CarolinaWake Forest
Notre DameBoston CollegeGeorgia Tech
PittsburghLouisvilleSyracuse
SyracuseBoston CollegePittsburgh
VirginiaLouisvilleVirginia Tech
Virginia TechMiamiVirginia
Wake ForestDukeNorth Carolina State

Men's basketball titles by school

As explained in the main article about the league, the ACC does not recognize any team other than the conference tournament winner as the champion for a given season. Accordingly, this table sorts the schools primarily by number of tournament wins, using first-place regular season finishes and NCAA championships as tiebreakers where needed.

Team Regular season first-place finishes ACC tournament championships NCAA Championships
Duke 20225
North Carolina 32186
NC State 7112
Wake Forest 440
Georgia Tech 240
Virginia 1131
Maryland 531
Miami 210
Florida State 110
South Carolina 110
Notre Dame 010
Virginia Tech 010
Clemson 100
Louisville 003 [lower-alpha 1]
Syracuse 001
Boston College 000
Pittsburgh 000
  1. The third national title, in 2013, was ordered vacated by the NCAA due to sanctions stemming from a NCAA decision.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlantic Coast Conference</span> American collegiate athletics conference

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division I. ACC football teams compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The ACC sponsors competition in twenty-seven sports with many of its member institutions held in high regard nationally. Current members of the conference are: Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobacco Road (rivalry)</span> College athletics team rivalry in North Carolina, United States

Tobacco Road is a term used in college sports, mainly basketball, for the four rival universities of North Carolina that play in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The term refers to the area's history as a major tobacco producer. The Tobacco Road teams represent the following universities:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everett Case</span> American basketball player and coach

Everett Norris Case, nicknamed the "Old Gray Fox", was a basketball coach most notable for his tenure at North Carolina State University, from 1946 to 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank McGuire</span> American basketball coach (1913–94)

Frank Joseph McGuire was an American basketball coach. At the collegiate level, he was head coach for three major programs: St. John's, North Carolina, and South Carolina, winning over a hundred games at each.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dixie Classic (basketball tournament)</span> Defunct college basketball tournament

The Dixie Classic was an annual college basketball tournament played from 1949 to 1960 in Reynolds Coliseum. The field consisted of the "Big Four" North Carolina schools, the host NC State Wolfpack, Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels, and Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and four teams from across the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryland Terrapins</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of the University of Maryland

The Maryland Terrapins, commonly referred to as the Terps, consist of 19 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Maryland, College Park in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I competition. Maryland was a founding member of the Southern Conference in 1921, a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1952, and a member of the Big Ten Conference since 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina Gamecocks</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of the University of South Carolina

The South Carolina Gamecocks represent the University of South Carolina in the NCAA Division I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NC State Wolfpack</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of North Carolina State University

The NC State Wolfpack is the nickname of the athletic teams representing North Carolina State University. The Wolfpack competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for all sports since the 1953–54 season. The athletic teams of the Wolfpack compete in 22 intercollegiate varsity sports. NC State is a founding member of the ACC and has won eleven national championships: five NCAA championships, two AIAW championships, and four titles under other sanctioning bodies. Most NC State fans and athletes recognize the rivalry with the North Carolina Tar Heels as their biggest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina–NC State rivalry</span> American college sports rivalry

The North Carolina–NC State rivalry, also known as the State-Carolina game, Carolina–State Game, North Carolina–NC State game, NCSU–UNC game, and other similar permutations, is an ongoing series of athletic competitions between the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels and North Carolina State University Wolfpack. The intensity of the game is driven by the universities' similar sizes, the fact the schools are separated by only 25 miles, and the large number of alumni that live within the state's borders. Both are charter members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and are part of the Tobacco Road schools. The most popular games between the two are in football, basketball, and baseball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NC State Wolfpack men's basketball</span> NCAA Division I basketball program representing North Carolina State University

The NC State Wolfpack men's basketball team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. NC State is one of the seven founding members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Prior to joining the ACC in 1954, the Wolfpack were members of the Southern Conference, where they won seven conference championships. As a member of the ACC, the Wolfpack has won eleven conference championships, as well as two national championships in 1974 and 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina Tar Heels</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The North Carolina Tar Heels are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The name Tar Heel is a nickname used to refer to individuals from the state of North Carolina, the Tar Heel State. The campus at Chapel Hill is referred to as the University of North Carolina for the purposes of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Since the school fostered the oldest collegiate team in the Carolinas, the school took on the nickname Carolina, especially in athletics. The Tar Heels are also referred to as UNC or The Heels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball</span> Intercollegiate basketball team of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The North Carolina Tar Heels Men's basketball program is a college basketball team of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels have won six NCAA championships in addition to a 1924 Helms Athletic Foundation title (retroactive). North Carolina has won a record 133 NCAA tournament matchups while advancing to 31 Sweet Sixteen berths, a record 21 Final Fours, and 12 title games. It is the only school to have an active streak of reaching the National Championship game for nine straight decades and at least two Final Fours for six straight decades, all while averaging more wins per season played (20.7) than any other program in college basketball. In 2012, ESPN ranked North Carolina No. 1 on its list of the 50 most successful programs of the past fifty years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryland Terrapins men's basketball</span> Mens basketball team of the University of Maryland

The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition. Maryland, a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), left the ACC in 2014 to join the Big Ten Conference. Gary Williams, who coached the Terrapins from 1989 to 2011, led the program to its greatest success, including two consecutive Final Fours in 2001 and 2002, which culminated in the 2002 NCAA National Championship. Maryland has appeared in 30 NCAA tournaments and won their conference tournament 4 times. The Terrapins have competed in 100 seasons, accumulating an overall record of 1,641–1,086 as of the 2022–23 season. Maryland is currently coached by Kevin Willard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball</span> University basketball team

The South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball team represents the University of South Carolina and competes in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Gamecocks won Southern Conference titles in 1927, 1933, 1934, and 1945, and then they gained national attention under hall of fame coach Frank McGuire, posting a 205–65 record from 1967 to 1976, which included the 1970 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship, the 1971 ACC Tournament title, and four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances from 1971 to 1974. The program also won the 1997 SEC championship, National Invitation Tournament (NIT) titles in 2005 and 2006, and a share of the 2009 SEC East division title. Most recently, the Gamecocks won the 2017 NCAA East Regional Championship, reaching the Final Four for the first time in school history. Lamont Paris is the current head coach, and the team plays at the 18,000-seat Colonial Life Arena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clemson Tigers men's basketball</span> Mens basketball team of Clemson University

The Clemson Tigers men's basketball team is a college basketball program that represents Clemson University and competes in the NCAA Division I. Clemson is a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

<i>College Basketball on NBC Sports</i> American TV series or program

College Basketball on NBC Sports is the de facto branding used for broadcasts of NCAA Division I men's college basketball games produced by NBC Sports, the sports division of the NBC television network in the United States. The NBC network broadcast college basketball games in some shape or form between 1969 and 1998. From 1969 to 1981, NBC covered the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. It became the first major network to broadcast the championship game, at a cost of more than US$500,000 in 1969.

The 1961–62 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team was Dean Smith's first as the head coach at North Carolina. The 1961–62 team finished with an 8–9 overall record, despite a young and inexperienced roster. They tied for fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 7–7 record. Their season ended with a first round loss in the ACC Tournament to South Carolina. This was Dean Smith's only losing season as a head coach at North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duke Blue Devils men's lacrosse</span> Lacrosse team of Duke University

The Duke Blue Devils men's lacrosse team represents Duke University in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's lacrosse. Duke currently competes as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and plays its home games at Koskinen Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. The principal rivalry of Duke is their all-sports nemesis North Carolina.

The Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball Coach of the Year is a basketball award given to head coaches in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The award is granted to the head coach voted to be the most successful that season by members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association, and since the 2012–13 season has also been awarded in separate voting by the league's coaches. The award was first given following the 1953–54 season, the first year of the conference's existence, to Everett Case of NC State. The first winner of the coaches' award was Jim Larrañaga of Miami (FL)a in 2013.

References

  1. Official Website of the Atlantic Coast Conference
  2. Archived 2010-03-04 at the Wayback Machine About the University of South Carolina
  3. 1 2 "ACC Announces Future Scheduling Formats and Policies - the Official Athletic Site of the Atlantic Coast Conference". Archived from the original on November 23, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2015.