Four ACC Basketball teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2025, and only five teams made it in the three prior years.
How bad had things gotten in the ACC?
The Mountain West Conference earned six bids in 2024.
That’s how bad.
Since 2021, the ACC has had no more than five tournament teams.
Meaning 2025 was not simply a one-off; it was the continuation of a slide.
In the offseason, the conference made some changes to reverse course and restore the ACC’s illustrious reputation.
Saturday may have signaled mission accomplished.
First, in Charlottesville, UVA honored Tony Bennett, the head coach of the ACC’s last national champion, in 2019, by dedicating the JPJ court in his honor.
And then moments later, two rising programs in the conference’s future took over the afternoon.
And Virginia and Miami put on a show.
ICYMI
- UVA Basketball: ‘Hoos get last punch, win slugfest with Miami, 86-83
- UVA Basketball: Cavaliers outlast Miami, 86-83, in instant classic on Tony Bennett Day
- UVA Athletics honors Tony Bennett, who, predictably, made it about his guys
The #14 Cavaliers beat Miami 86-83 in what, at times, had more the look of a heavyweight fight than two clubs fighting for second place in a suddenly very good and deep ACC.
The outcome of the UVA-Miami game provides clear evidence that the conference is prepared to reclaim its status as one of the top men’s basketball conferences in the country.
If more proof was needed, later Saturday in Washington, D.C., #3 Duke continued representing the conference reclamation by defeating #1 Michigan, 68-63.
The Blue Devils will likely become the new #1 team in the nation and have the inside track to the #1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Duke-Michigan game had the feeling of a Final Four matchup, with high intensity and two of the best players in the country, Duke’s Cameron Boozer and Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg.
The officials at the ACC headquarters must have been pleased with what happened Saturday.
Now, back to UVA-Miami.
It was only fitting that local player Chance Mallory was at the foul line with 3.6 seconds left, shooting three free throws in an 83-all game.
Mallory is the only player in Virginia’s regular rotation that was originally recruited by Bennett.
In Kyle Guy-like fashion, Mallory calmly made all three foul shots to push the Cavaliers to the 86-83 win.
Karma.
Mallory played an oversized role for Virginia on Saturday. The 5-foot-10 freshman from Charlottesville finished with 12 points, all in the final 20 minutes, and recorded team highs of six rebounds and six assists.
Not a typo: Mallory led the Cavaliers in rebounds Saturday.
Bennett had to be pleased with what he heard and saw Saturday – a 40-minute display of pure intensity that featured 14 ties and lead changes, and possibly the highest decibel reading in JPJ in several seasons.
Both the Virginia and Miami programs are attempting to move forward from coaches who took their teams to all-time highs.
Bennett retired just before the 2024-2025 season, and Miami’s Jim Larrañaga retired two months later.
Both were unwilling to accept the chaos of college athletics.
Saturday offered a glimpse of the new leadership for both programs, and there’s plenty to be excited about.
Ryan Odom arrived in Charlottesville as an accomplished coach and a proven commodity as a roster builder.
Hurricanes coach Jai Lucas came to South Florida with a pedigree from assistant coaching stints at Duke, Kentucky and Texas.
Both Odom and Lucas acquired reeling programs.
Odom inherited a dreadful 15-17 squad, while Lucas took over a Miami program that posted the worst record in program history at 7-24.
Last season, Virginia and Miami were part of the ACC’s problem.
This season, they are setting the standard in restoring the conference to a more recognizable position.
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