Armando Bacot and his teammates from North Carolina have heard criticism about the quality of the ACC this season, and they have taken it personally.
Bacot mentioned that he feels the respect for the ACC decreased after Zion Williamson left Duke for the NBA in 2019 after just one season.
However, the league is performing well in the NCAA Tournament so far.
In addition to the top-seeded Tar Heels and sixth-seeded Clemson in the West Regional, No. 4 seed Duke and No. 11 seed North Carolina State are still in the South bracket. This marks the 13th time the league has had at least four teams in the Sweet 16.
Bacot believes that most ACC programs have a high-level non-conference schedule, which makes them strong. He hopes that after this year, everyone recognizes how competitive ACC basketball is and how good the teams are.
The Tar Heels, who didn't make the tournament last year, will face fourth-seeded Alabama in the Sweet 16 on Thursday.
ACC teams performed well in the first week of the NCAA Tournament, winning 8 out of 9 games, with an average margin of victory of 18.4 points per game. The league received five bids, with only Virginia losing in the First Four to Colorado State.
Coach Hubert Davis is following the approach of Dean Smith and Roy Williams by breaking the NCAA Tournament into mini-tourneys. The Tar Heels won two games in the Charlotte tourney to advance to what Davis calls the “Los Angeles Invitational.”
Davis mentioned that the spotlight is bright playing at North Carolina and the team is ready for the challenge, as they are used to it.
The ACC has outperformed other leagues in recent NCAA Tournaments, with successful runs by Miami, Duke, North Carolina, and Virginia in the past few years.
Clemson coach Brad Brownell believes that the ACC's success is due to the great parity and different styles of play in the league, which helps teams to adjust in the NCAA Tournament.
The first game on Thursday features second-seeded Arizona against No. 6 seed Clemson at Crypto.com Arena.
Clemson faced a quick turnaround after playing Sunday night in Memphis, Tennessee, and then traveling to the West Coast.
Brownell mentioned that getting used to the time change and the quick turnaround has been a challenge for the team.
The Wildcats could benefit from their familiarity with the Thursday-Saturday schedule they're used to during Pac-12 play as they play against Clemson.
"But just because you had an extra day or a few extra hours doesn’t mean you have a significant advantage this time of year because the other team’s really good," Wildcat coach Tommy Lloyd said. "They’re playing for something as well."
Keshad Johnson and Caleb Love aim to lead the Wildcats back to the championship game. Johnson played for San Diego State in last year’s championship game loss to UConn. In 2022, Love led North Carolina to the title game. Both players used their fifth year of eligibility to transfer.
"What I learned the most is just do whatever it takes. Make your sacrifice. Try to make the game easier on your teammates," Johnson said. "Don’t really worry about the number of stats. That’s me problems. It’s bigger than me when it comes to March."
Clemson guard Joseph Girard III is another fifth-year senior who left Syracuse to spend his final season with the Tigers.
"I had one shot at it, to get back to a moment like this, to get back to a Sweet 16 like I did my sophomore year," he said. "I felt these guys gave me the best chance."
EAST REGION
BOSTON — Connecticut coach Dan Hurley won’t shy away from the notion that his team has consistently been the best in college basketball this season.
The Huskies’ 33-3 record and the dominant manner in which they’ve won along the way have proven that.
He also knows that means next to nothing as they return to the Sweet 16 still four victories away from becoming the first team since Florida in 2007 to repeat as NCAA Tournament champions.
"We’re not going to be able to trade that in for anything tomorrow night versus the team we faced last year in the finals," Hurley said Wednesday as his team prepares for its East Regional semifinal matchup against a fifth-seeded San Diego State team it beat in the NCAA title game last April. "But we bring the confidence. We believe. We think we’re supposed to win these games."
The Huskies have reason to feel that way, having won each of their first two tournament games by an average of 28 points.
For San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher it will be a chance to get past a UConn program that beat the Aztecs (26-10) and Kawhi Leonard in the 2011 Sweet 16 when the Huskies were led by Kemba Walker. In last year’s championship game, UConn jumped out to a 16-point lead and never let San Diego State get within fewer than five points in the second half.
This time UConn will also be playing at the Boston Celtics’ TD Garden, just 85 miles from their campus.
"It’s like a repeat. I mean, we’ve got to do what they did to us," Dutcher said. "We’re in their backyard now, and hopefully we’ll have an opportunity to beat them close to their home."
Aztecs senior Lamont Butler is embracing getting another shot at the Huskies.
"They took us down last year, so we definitely want some revenge back a little bit," he said.
The other half of the bracket features a matchup between second-seeded Iowa State (29-7), which has the best defensive rating of remaining teams, against No. 3 seed Illinois (28-8), which boasts the top offensive rating, according to Ken Pomeroy’s efficiency ratings.
They are also part of six teams in the Sweet 16 with Final Four appearances but no championships.
80 years ago, Iowa State made its only Final Four appearance.
Coach T.J. Otzelberger stated that the Cyclones’ 57-53 victory over Houston in January showcased their defense-first approach, which has been effective this season.
Otzelberger expressed that beating the No. 2 ranked team in the country gave the players a greater sense of purpose and confidence, after sacrifices, hard work, unity and time.
Illinois has not reached the Final Four since 2005 and has relied on unconventional 'booty ball' offensive tactics to achieve different post-ups and matchups.
The team also emphasizes the camaraderie and does not shy away from embracing luck, even while entering a venue decorated with shamrocks.
During a news conference, senior forward Coleman Hawkins noticed that his name placard and those of his teammates were in a different order than before, so he quickly rearranged them.
The moderator asked if he was superstitious, to which Hawkins responded, 'A little bit.'
Hawkins replied, 'A little bit,' when asked if he was superstitious.
The main reason for the Illini’s success on offense has been senior guard Terrence Shannon Jr., who averages a team-high 23.3 points per game and scored 56 points in Illinois’ first two NCAA Tournament wins over Morehead State and Duquesne.
Despite facing rape charges since September, Shannon has continued to perform well throughout the season.
Shannon was part of Illinois’ first 11 games before being suspended from team activities when he was charged with a crime. He returned after six games, following a federal judge's ruling that his civil rights were violated due to lack of due process.
He has not spoken to the media since then and was unavailable for interviews on Wednesday.
Underwood mentioned that his team has made the necessary adjustments.
Underwood emphasized that he had always coached the players in the locker room and fully supported them, even during tough times. Shannon rejoined the team after his suspension and has been a great teammate despite not speaking to the media.
