ACC Tournament semifinals live updates: UNC strives for league title, No. 1 NCAA seed
Even before the ACC Tournament semifinals tipped off on Friday night, North Carolina’s chances for a top seed in the NCAA Tournament improved greatly.
The Tar Heels, the ACC regular-season champion ranked No. 4 nationally, saw No. 5-ranked Tennessee suffer a 73-56 loss to Mississippi State at the SEC Tournament on Friday.
While No. 1-ranked Houston (29-3), No. 2 Connecticut (29-3), and No. 3 Purdue (29-3) and are considered likely top seeds in three of the NCAA Tournament’s four regions, the final spot is more up for grabs with UNC (27-6), Tennessee (24-8) and, perhaps, Arizona (25-7) vying to fill it.
With the Volunteers finished playing until the NCAA Tournament, the Tar Heels further strengthened their case with a 72-65 win over Pittsburgh Friday night. UNC can add on in Saturday night’s ACC championship game against either Virginia or N.C. State.
Tar Heels headed to final
Behind 25 points from ACC player of the year RJ Davis and 19 more from Armando Bacot, No. 1-seeded UNC pulled away late to beat No. 4 seed Pitt, 72-65, in Friday night’s first semifinal.
After Pitt led 35-33 at halftime, the score was tied 62-all before Davis drilled a 3-pointer with 4:06 to play. That triggered a 10-3 run by the Tar Heels to close the game and send them to the championship game.
UNC seeks its first ACC championship since 2016, when it beat Virginia in the final, which was also played in Washington’s Capital One Arena.
Jacobs honored
Barry Jacobs, who wrote columns for the N&O among several publications over the last 50 years, received the Skeeter Francis Award during a ceremony Friday night at Capital One Arena. The award, given annually by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association, recognizes an individual “for distinguished service to, or coverage of, the ACC.”
A 1972 Duke graduate, Jacobs is also the author of five books, all on various ACC subjects. He also edited the ACC Tournament record book for nine years and, for 14 years, published Barry Jacobs’ Fan’s Guide to ACC Basketball.
An Orange County Commissioner for 20 years, Jacobs lives in Hillsborough.
The award is named for former Wake Forest sports information director Marvin ‘Skeeter’ Francis.
Tuesday’s results
No. 12 Notre Dame 84, No. 13 Georgia Tech 80
No. 10 N.C. State 94, No. 15 Louisville 85
No. 11 Boston College 81, No. 14 Miami 65
Wednesday’s results
No. 9 Florida State 86, No. 8 Virginia Tech 75
No. 5 Wake Forest 72, No. 12 Notre Dame 59
No. 10 NC State 83, No. 7 Syracuse 65
No. 11 Boston College 76, No. 6 Clemson 55
Thursday’s results
No. 1 UNC 92, No. 9 Florida State 67
No. 4 Pittsburgh 81, No. 5 Wake Forest 69
No. 10 NC State 74, No. 2 Duke 69
No. 3 Virginia 66, No. 11 Boston College 60, OT
Friday’s semifinals
No. 1 North Carolina 72, No. 4 Pitt 65
No. 10 N.C. State, 73, No. 3 Virginia, 65, OT
Saturday’s championship
No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 10 N.C. State, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
This story was originally published March 15, 2024 at 4:04 PM.
