Amanda Knapp
The ACC men's basketball tournament, commonly known as the ACC tournament, is an annual event that has been held since 1954. The tournament is a single-elimination format, with seeding based on regular-season records. The winner of the tournament is crowned the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) champion and receives an automatic bid to the NCAA men's tournament. The ACC tournament has a rich history, with Duke University currently holding the record for the most tournament wins at 22. The tournament has been hosted across various venues, with Greensboro Coliseum in North Carolina leading the way, having hosted 29 ACC tournaments as of 2023.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Annually |
| First Held | 1954 |
| Tournament Format | Single-elimination tournament |
| Seeding | Based on regular-season records |
| Winner | Declared conference champion and receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament |
| Most Frequent Winners | Duke (22 times) |
| 2025 Winner | Duke |
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What You'll Learn
The tournament's history and format
The ACC men's basketball tournament, commonly referred to as the ACC tournament, is an annual event that began in 1954. It is a single-elimination tournament that determines the conference champion of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in men's basketball. The winner receives an automatic bid to the NCAA men's tournament. The ACC tournament has been held in a variety of venues across the Southeast, with North Carolina being a frequent host, particularly in Greensboro Coliseum, which has hosted 29 tournaments as of 2023. Charlotte, North Carolina, has also been a popular location, hosting the event in multiple arenas within the city.
The tournament's format involves seeding teams based on their regular-season records. The higher-seeded teams typically receive byes or favourable match-ups in the initial rounds, while the lower-seeded teams face tougher opponents or must play additional games. The tournament then progresses through a series of rounds, with winning teams advancing and losing teams being eliminated, until the final game, where the winner is crowned the ACC tournament champion.
Duke University has been the most successful team in the history of the ACC tournament, having won it 22 times, including in 2023 and 2025. Their rivals, the University of North Carolina, are close behind with 18 tournament wins. NC State has won the tournament 10 times, most recently in 2024. Other notable winners include Georgia Tech and Wake Forest, who have each captured four tournament titles, and Virginia and Maryland, who have won three times each before Maryland moved to the Big Ten Conference in 2014.
The ACC tournament has a rich history, with memorable moments such as Clemson's upset victory over North Carolina in the 1996 quarterfinals, known as "The Dunk," and the 2020 tournament's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in no official champion being crowned that year. The tournament has also seen naming rights held by companies like Cricket Wireless and Bojangles', adding a layer of sponsorship and branding to the event.
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Venues and locations
The ACC men's basketball tournament has been held in a variety of venues and locations since its inception. In its seven decades of existence, the tournament has been hosted in 12 venues across five states and one district, Washington, D.C.
North Carolina has been the historical hub of the tournament, with Greensboro Coliseum leading the way. Greensboro Coliseum has hosted the ACC Tournament 29 times, starting in 1967 and most recently in 2023. The venue is known for hosting some memorable moments in ACC Tournament history, such as the 1996 quarterfinals where Buckner's buzzer-beating slam dunk led Clemson to a 75-73 upset victory over North Carolina.
The first 13 ACC Tournaments, from 1954 to 1966, were held at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, North Carolina. Charlotte, North Carolina, has also been a popular host city, with the tournament taking place in three different arenas within the city limits: the Charlotte Coliseum on Independence Boulevard (1956-1988), the Charlotte Coliseum on Tyvola Road (1988-2005), and the Spectrum Center (formerly known as Charlotte Bobcats Arena) in 2008.
The ACC Tournament has also expanded to other states, including Brooklyn, New York, where the Barclays Center has hosted the tournament three times: in 2017, 2018, and 2022, marking the expansion of the ACC into the Northeast.
The tournament has also been held in various arenas across the Southeast, given the geographical locations of most of the ACC's programs.
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Past winners
The ACC men's basketball tournament, popularly known as the ACC tournament, is the conference championship tournament for men's basketball in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). It has been held annually since the conclusion of the ACC's inaugural basketball season in 1954, except for 2020 when the tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ACC tournament is a single-elimination tournament where seeding is based on regular-season records. The winner is crowned the conference champion and earns the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA men's tournament.
The Wolfpack of the NC State University dominated the 1972-73 season, finishing undefeated with a 27-0 record. However, they were forced to skip the postseason due to an NCAA recruiting violation. Assistant coach Eddie Biedenbach had participated in a pickup basketball game with David Thompson during a recruiting visit to Raleigh, North Carolina, which resulted in the team forfeiting their chance to compete for the national championship.
The University of Maryland, College Park, was a part of the Atlantic Coast Conference until 2014 when they moved to the Big Ten Conference. Similarly, the University of South Carolina was a member until 1971 and is now part of the Southeastern Conference.
The 2020 ACC Tournament was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the ACC automatic bid going to the regular-season winner, Florida State. However, no ACC Tournament champion was crowned that year.
The tournament has seen various venues over the years, including the Charlotte Coliseum on Independence Boulevard (1956-1988) and its successor, the Charlotte Coliseum on Tyvola Road (1988-2005). The Spectrum Center, previously known as Charlotte Bobcats Arena, hosted the tournament in 2008.
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ACC tournament expansion
The ACC men's basketball tournament, popularly known as the ACC tournament, is the conference championship tournament in men's basketball for the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). It has been held annually since the conclusion of the ACC's inaugural basketball season in 1954, except for the year 2020 when the tournament was only partially completed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ACC tournament is a single-elimination tournament, and seeding is based on regular-season records. The winner is declared the conference champion and receives an automatic bid to the NCAA men's tournament.
Over the years, the ACC tournament has undergone expansion and changes in venues. The Charlotte Coliseum on Independence Boulevard, which opened in 1956, was an early host of the tournament. It closed in 1988 when the new Charlotte Coliseum on Tyvola Road opened, which itself closed in 2005 and was demolished in 2007. The original Charlotte Coliseum reopened in 1993 as Independence Arena and has also been known as Cricket Arena and, since 2008, Bojangles' Coliseum. Other venues that have hosted the ACC tournament include the Greensboro Coliseum (now known as First Horizon Coliseum), Spectrum Center (formerly known as Charlotte Bobcats Arena), and Capital One Arena (previously MCI Center and Verizon Center).
The ACC tournament has also expanded in terms of team participation. The University of South Carolina was a member of the ACC until 1971 when it left to join the Southeastern Conference. The University of Maryland, College Park, was also a part of the ACC until 2014 when it moved to the Big Ten Conference.
While there have been physical expansion and changes in venues, the primary focus of "ACC tournament expansion" discussions in recent years revolves around the number of teams participating in the tournament. The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, which includes the ACC tournament, has been in its current format for four decades, featuring 68 teams. However, with the growth of Division I men's basketball to 364 teams, there have been talks of expanding the tournament to enhance inclusion and representation. ESPN's Pete Thamel reported in February 2025 that decision-makers were considering increasing the field to 76 teams, which would bring the representation to just under 21% of Division I teams. While critics argue that the tournament doesn't need fixing, proponents of expansion cite the financial benefits of more games and the opportunity to move closer to the 25% threshold recommended by the NCAA Division I Transformation Committee.
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ACC tournament during the pandemic
The ACC Tournament, the annual men's basketball conference championship tournament for the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), has been held every year since 1954. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the tournament in 2020, which was only partially completed, and the tournament in 2021.
In 2020, the ACC tournament was cancelled due to the pandemic, and the ACC automatic bid was awarded to the regular-season winner, Florida State. There was no ACC Tournament champion crowned that year.
The pandemic also impacted the 2021 tournament, held in Greensboro, North Carolina. The ACC Network had to adapt its programming and production methods due to the pandemic. For example, the network replayed original documentaries and debuted new shows like "3-Day Weekend." They also leveraged social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, which were more forgiving of video quality. The network's personnel had to work remotely and navigate social distancing guidelines, with some appearing virtually from their homes. The pandemic disrupted live programming, causing the loss of substantial airtime for the ACC Network.
Despite the challenges, the ACC Network demonstrated creativity and flexibility in delivering content to its audience. They expedited their summer programming plans and quickly pivoted to digital platforms, showcasing their ability to adapt to unforeseen circumstances.
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Frequently asked questions
The ACC Men's Basketball Tournament has been around since 1954. It is a single-elimination tournament and seeding is based on regular-season records.
The ACC Tournament is held annually, every year since 1954, except in 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ACC Tournament has been held in 12 venues across 5 states and 1 district (Washington, D.C.). North Carolina has been the historical hub, with Greensboro Coliseum hosting 28 ACC tournaments as of 2023.
