ACC Reduces Men’s Basketball Schedule to Boost NCAA Tournament Bids
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is set to trim its men’s basketball schedule from 20 games to 18, allowing teams two additional opportunities for prominent non-conference games. This decision aims to strengthen the league’s standing and address the recent decline in NCAA Tournament bids, according to a source familiar with the situation. Slotbet Fishing mnlwin.ph The announcement remains unofficial, as the ACC has yet to make a public statement regarding the change, which was first reported by CBS Sports.
This adjustment comes in response to commissioner Jim Phillips’ recent focus on the challenges faced by the ACC, which has seen its Tournament bids drop to just four this year—the lowest since 2013. Despite having teams that often perform well deep into March, the need for improved scheduling has become evident. By moving to an 18-game format, schools will have the chance to incorporate higher quality non-conference matchups that could enhance their overall schedule strength—and in turn, elevate the ACC’s reputation, provided the league secures wins in key games, something that was lacking last year.
The ACC initially adopted a 20-game schedule for the 2019-20 season alongside the launch of the ACC Network in partnership with ESPN. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a reduction in the number of games played in the 2020-21 season. At that time, the conference was enjoying a strong performance, with four consecutive seasons yielding at least seven NCAA bids, including a historic nine bids in both 2018 and 2019, as well as having three teams as No. betso88.com login 1 seeds in 2019 and winning three out of five national titles (Duke in 2015, North Carolina in 2017, and Virginia in 2019).
However, since the pandemic, the conference has encountered challenges, coinciding with the retirement of legendary coaches such as Roy Williams from UNC, Mike Krzyzewski from Duke, and Jim Boeheim from Syracuse. Last season also saw the unexpected departure of Virginia’s Tony Bennett just weeks before the season began.
The league secured seven bids in the COVID-impacted 2021 tournament held in Indiana but fell to five bids for three consecutive seasons before dropping to four this year as a newly expanded 18-team basketball conference. This marked a significant contrast to 2013 when the ACC, with just 12 teams, also received only four bids.
Despite this decline, the conference has seen success with both UNC and Duke reaching the Final Four in 2022, Miami making it in 2023, N.C. State in 2024, and Duke again appearing in April. The decision by the ACC follows a similar move by the Big 12, which announced in March a reduction from 20 games to 18 after concerns from coaches regarding a demanding schedule with limited rest. Meanwhile, the SEC, which received a record 14 bids from its 16 teams last season, plays an 18-game schedule, while the Big Ten maintains a 20-game format.
How do you think this schedule change will impact the ACC’s chances in the upcoming NCAA Tournament?
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