UNC’s pursuit of an ACC title begins Wednesday against either BC or Louisville

By R.L. Bynum

After a 62–57 loss to Duke in the regular-season finale, North Carolina likely has to win the ACC Tournament next weekend at the Greensboro Coliseum to make the NCAA tournament field.

That pursuit will start at 7 p.m. on Wednesday (ESPN2) in the second round as the No. 7 seed against the winner of Tuesday’s 4:30 first-round game between No. 10-seed Boston College (15–16) and No. 15-seed Louisville (2–18).

UNC (19–12) beat both teams in successive games, knocking off the Cardinals 80–59 on the road on Jan. 14 and beating the Eagles 72–64 in Chapel Hill on Jan. 17.

A win on Wednesday would earn a 7 p.m. Thursday quarterfinal matchup with No. 2-seed Virginia (23–6). Each team won at home, with the Cavaliers winning 65–58 on Jan. 10 and the Tar Heels winning 71–63 on Feb. 25.

Should the Tar Heels make Friday night’s semifinals, they would again play at 7 p.m. against either No. 3-seed Clemson (21–9), No. 6-seed N.C. State (22–9), No. 11-seed Virginia Tech (18–13) or No. 14-seed Notre Dame (11–19).

UNC won its only meeting with the Tigers 91–71 on Feb. 11, split with the Wolfpack (winning Jan. 21 in Chapel Hill and losing 77–69 in Raleigh on Feb. 19), lost Dec. 4 at Virginia Tech 80–72 and beat the Irish 63–59 in South Bend.


Photo via @UNC_Basketball

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