ACC Tournament Nothing Like It When Played In Carolina

Notre Dame played in the ACC Championship game in only their second season  in the League.  Clemson has tried 61 times and only played in the finals twice,  Only twice in the history of the league has a North Carolina based team not played in the finals.  Carolina play in the big game for the 33rd time.

Notre Dame even though they may represent the Midwest connection the Fighting Irish are a good addition for the ACC in basketball even though they are only here as part of a football deal.  They are loaded with seniors and present a three point shooting attack compared to when Carolina is playing at their best to can go inside first and if they are hitting outside shots can be dominant.

I don't know whether it was three out of four people in the stands cheered for Carolina or was it this newcomer trying to show the world this state of North Carolina ACC dominance is a thing of the past. Just might have been Notre Dame is a great fit for the ACC  because they have the ACC look that the ACC tries to project.  The Thomas Jefferson academic league.  There was a static energy in the building deserving of the past glory of the ACC tournament.

The first half was inside Carolina dominance scoring two points almost at will while the Irish rained threes.  Eight minutes to go in the game Carolina got every rebound and made every three.  Then that four games in four days kicked in.  The final eight minute Notre  Dame looked fresher.  Carolina had turnovers on lazy passes, outside shooting died and Notre Dame got every rebound.

Even though the Irish had the momentum the killer play of the game was when the score was tied at 64 and Carolina got a block  ND got the rebound and every player outside the three point line passed the ball around the horn for the killer three with Carolina defense out of gas.

This game was ACC  playing the game the way it needs to be played no 48-45 game here.  Don't care if any tournament high school or college has any meaning any more because of the playoffs.  There is one thing for sure.  Every league can say all they want about conference tournaments but when the ACC plays their championship every other league wishes they could be like this.