2022 ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament Preview

Story posted March 8, 2022 in CommRadio, Sports by Daniel Maiorana

With March Madness right around the corner, the leadup to selection Sunday starts with some conference tournament play.

The ACC tournament is set to get underway Tuesday, Mar. 8 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Here’s a look at this year’s favorites as well as some sleepers that can make a meaningful tournament run.

Duke Blue Devils

Last year, Duke struggled to produce in games with its young roster consisting of many freshmen.

Duke is considered a one-and-done school for basketball athletes going to the NBA, so Coach Krzyzewski always hopes to bring in a talented recruiting class every year.

The underclassmen for Duke have flipped the script from last year’s below .500 record to a current 25-4 mark.

The No. 4 team in the country is led by freshman Paolo Banchero who leads the team in points and rebounds. Duke is the clear favorite to win the tournament.

North Carolina Tar Heels

North Carolina started the year with a shaky 12-6 start but turned things around closing the campaign with an 11-2 run.

Big wins over Duke and Virginia Tech as of late have made the Tar Heels an underdog in the tournament.

Star big-man Armando Bacot has accumulated 23 double-doubles on the year. Brady Manek, the team’s main offensive weapon, shoots 40 percent from three and averages 14.4 points per game.

Turnovers are what keep the Tar Heels out of close games down the stretch, so it must hone down on protecting the ball to make a run in the tournament.

Sophomore guards R.J. Davis and Caleb Love both average over 13 points and three assists per game. If the guards can step up their offensive efficiency to complement the work of the big men, North Carolina can live up to the task of defeating Duke again.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Wake Forest ranks top three in offensive and defensive efficiency in the ACC, meaning it will not be the team to crumble in the early rounds of the tournament.

One of the conference’s best players is guard Alondes Williams. Williams averages 19.3 points and 6.6 assists per game.

A transfer from Oklahoma, Williams has had an immediate impact in the ACC leading Wake Forest to a 23-8 record, giving in the third-best odds to win the tournament.

The conference leader in points, assists and field goals looks to get Wake Forest on the right track after losing three of its last six games.

Tournament Prediction

Teams such as Wake Forest, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Miami are all in the same boat; beat Duke.

Duke is 16-3 in conference games which gives them the head-to-head edge over all these teams.

Every other team in the ACC has struggled to see success, but it seems that North Carolina has the best chance. Coach K knows what he is up against, and he knows to take it one game at a time and not cruise through the tournament.

All eyes are set on the ACC tournament for the “second-tier” teams in the conference because most teams need a strong performance to get a spot in the bracket.

Duke knows it will be a top seed so a conference championship will only raise its chances of winning the National Championship.

Daniel Maiorana is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email dkm5903@psu.edu.