ACC Basketball Schedule Shakeup Breaks 104-Year N.C. State-UNC Chapel Hill Tradition
For the first time since 1919, N.C. State won’t step onto Chapel Hill’s court. The ACC cut its men’s basketball schedule from 20 to 18 games, aiming to boost its…
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 16: A view of the ACC logo with confetti after the Championship Game of the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 16, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
(Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)For the first time since 1919, N.C. State won't step onto Chapel Hill's court. The ACC cut its men's basketball schedule from 20 to 18 games, aiming to boost its teams' chances at March Madness spots.
"The stated purpose of all of these changes is to maximize the ACC's chances of getting more teams into the NCAA tournament," said Luke DeCock to The News & Observer.
The shake-up hits hard. N.C. State misses their trip to Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke and Miami won't meet at all this year.
Under the new system, "secondary partners" now shape the matchups. Notre Dame picked Stanford, while North Carolina ditched its old rival for two games against Syracuse.
Recent stats tell a stark story. While Triangle schools claimed 10 of the ACC's past 14 Final Four spots, the conference took a beating in the ACC-SEC Challenge, winning just 2 of 16 games.
Some ties stayed strong. Boston College kept Miami on the schedule, a nod to their Big East days. Notre Dame and Stanford stuck close, their football bond intact.
The ripples spread wide. Georgia Tech now faces California twice. Clemson and Pittsburgh must square off in both venues.
Teams can now skip one opponent completely in conference play. This twist makes space for the new partner setup, changing decades of tradition.
As the changes take hold this season, the ACC banks on this bold move to put more teams in the big dance come March.
