All signs point to a UNC-Duke final because they were clearly the two best teams in the ACC.
North Carolina finished two games ahead of Duke in the regular-season standings. Duke was two games above the third-place Virginia Cavaliers.
Virginia could be the most desperate ACC team in Washington, D.C. because it needs a quality win to feel safe about its NCAA tournament prospects.
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi listed the Cavaliers on the “Last Four In” line in his Sunday bracket update.
The potential addition of the Indiana State Sycamores to the bubble conversation and one or two bid stealers could put the Cavaliers’ spot in the field of 68 in peril.
Tony Bennett’s team is in this position because it went 3-4 in its last seven games, a run that included double-digit losses to Carolina and Duke.
The Clemson Tigers beat UNC and lost to Duke by one point in two of their three meetings with the top two seeds this season. They might be better positioned to meet Duke in the semifinal, but to get there, the No. 6 seed needs to win twice.
It is difficult for a team to win three or four games in three or four days. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons need a run like that to get into the field of 68.
Wake’s likely quarterfinal showdown with the Pittsburgh Panthers will be a bubble elimination game. Both teams are on Lunardi’s “Next Four Out” line.
A meeting with UNC awaits the Wake-Pitt winner, who will likely be drained from the bubble battle.
Upsets could happen in Washington, D.C., but it will be difficult for any team to topple UNC and Duke on short rest, especially given the caliber of play in the conference this season.
The Tar Heels scored 177 points in their two wins against Duke and they could be motivated by landing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament on Saturday.
Duke needs to find a way to slow down UNC’s offense in order to repeat as ACC tournament champion.
Prediction: North Carolina over Duke
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