There’s so much on the line at the 2025 men’s ACC tournament.
The ACC has had a down year by its own standards in men’s college basketball. Historically one of the strongest conferences in the sport, this year’s version of the ACC ranks as the fifth-toughest league according to KenPom, and is only projected to send three teams to the 2025 NCAA tournament by our bracketologist Chris Dobbertean heading into conference tournament season.
We know the ACC has an absolute juggernaut in Duke. A reborn Louisville team will be going dancing this year behind first-year head coach Pat Kelsey, while Clemson is already becoming a chic sleeper pick to make a deep run. Will any other ACC teams join them in March Madness? It’s going to require a run in the 2025 ACC tournament, starting Tuesday from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte.
The big question heading into the ACC tournament is if the North Carolina Tar Heels can get themselves on the right side of the bubble. UNC has been one of the most disappointing teams in the country, and is currently projected as one of the first teams out, but it still has a shot to go dancing if it wins a two or three games in the conference tournament. Wake Forest also could also make a strong push for an at-large bid for a run. North Carolina and Wake Forest would be slated to meet in the quarterfinals if the seeding holds.
A Cinderella was born in the ACC tournament just last year. NC State had no shot of getting an at-large bid until it somehow won five games in five days to earn the auto-bid to the NCAA tournament. From there, the Wolfpack went all the way to the Final Four. NC State’s run is a premium example of the magic of March, and why this is the best postseason out of any American sport.
Here’s the full schedule and bracket for the 2025 ACC tournament in men’s college basketball. We’ll update the results as they happen.
ACC tournament bracket 2025
2025 ACC tournament stakes for North Carolina, Duke, Wake Forest, and more
The winner of the ACC tournament gets an automatic bid to the 2025 NCAA tournament. The stakes are always going to be high in conference tournament season, and that’s especially the case in the ACC this year.
Our latest bracketology projection has North Carolina as the first team out of the bracket. Both Wake Forest and SMU are listed in the “next four out” category. All three of those teams could get an at-large bid by making a deep run in the ACC tournament, especially if they get a win over No. 1 seed Duke.
Duke is the heavy favorite here. The Blue Devils will also be one of the favorites to win the national championship alongside Auburn. Cooper Flagg already has the No. 1 overall NBA draft pick locked up, but he wants to prove he’s a generational talent. Clemson also has a lot at stake. The Tigers are currently projected as a No. 7 seed. If they win the ACC tournament, you can expect them to jump two seed lines.
North Carolina might have the most pressure of any team in the conference tournament field. Can Hubert Davis get the job done? The Selection Committee will be watching.
ACC tournament 2025 schedule, TV times, games, and results
Tuesday, March 11 | First Round
- Game 1: No. 12 Notre Dame vs. No. 13 Pitt, ACC Network, 2 p.m.
- Game 2: No. 10 Virginia Tech vs. No. 15 Cal, ACC Network, 4:30 p.m.
- Game 3: No. 11 Florida State vs. No. 14 Syracuse, ACC Network, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, March 12 | Second Round
- Game 4: No. 8 Georgia Tech vs. No. 9 Virginia, ESPN, 12 p.m.
- Game 5: No. 5 North Carolina vs. winner of No. 12 Notre Dame/No. 13 Pitt, ESPN, 2:30 p.m.
- Game 6: No. 7 Stanford vs. winner of No. 10 Virginia Tech/No. 15 Cal, ESPN2/ESPNU, 7 p.m.
- Game 7: No. 6 SMU vs. winner of No. 11 Florida State/No. 14 Syracuse, ESPN2/ESPNU, 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 13 | Quarterfinals
- Game 8: No. 1 Duke vs. winner of Game 4 | 12 p.m. on ESPN/ESPN2
- Game 9: No. 4 Wake Forest vs. winner of Game 5 | 2:30 p.m. on ESPN/ESPN2
- Game 10: No. 2 Louisville vs. winner of Game 6 | 7 p.m. on ESPN/ESPN2
- Game 11: No. 3 Clemson vs. winner of Game 7 | 9:30 p.m. on ESPN/ESPN2
Friday, March 14 | Semifinals
- Game 12: 7 p.m. | TBA
- Game 13: 9:30 p.m. | TBA
Saturday, March 15 | Championship
- Game 14: 8:30 p.m. | TBA
