It is very hard to get up for the ACC Tournament whenever the tournament is outside of the Tarheel State. It just doesn't feel right. This is the 65th tournament and the state of North Carolina has hosted 53 times.
Greensboro has hosted 28 times to lead the way with the most hostings. Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh is next with the host 13 times. Charlotte has had three different buildings since their first host in 1967. The old Charlotte Coliseum on Independence Blvd eight times. The new Coliseum on Billy Graham Parkway three times. The down town arena call Time Warner Once. The city of Atlanta is next hosting six times. The Onmi three times, Georgia Dome twice and Phillips Arena once. The Capitol Center in Landover Maryland got in the act three times. This year's site the Verizon Center is hosting for the second time. St Petersburg Florida has had it once.
The Big Four schools of North Carolina have won the tournament 47 of the 53 games in North Carolina. The other 11 the Big Four has managed only six wins. Surely the Tar Heel State is a major home court advantage for the Big Four. The other ACC schools have won only 11 times ever but are now on a roll winning the last four.
The bigger the conference gets which now covers the eastern United States the less dominant the Big Four have become. The tournament will not return to North Carolina until 2019.
It might not be such a bad game for Duke losing Thursday. That will give them at least a week before they play their first round game in the NCAA. Duke is a tired team and a week off just might be what they need.. Depending on the draw Duke will have to play their butt of to get to the Sweet 16.
N C State had a season where they could play with everybody but played just good enough to lose. They are 16-17 on the year and yet the season may not be over. Like football there are so many tournaments now a days that teams with a losing record will be needed to fill out the brackets.
Heading into the semi finals where they will play Notre Dame the Tar Heels probably would have rather played Duke. I don't see the Fighting Irish beating the Heels but they sure are healthy compared to the Blue Devils. PNC is hosting the first weekend and Carolina and Virginia will probably be there insuring a sellout. Carolina and Virginia are probably headed to a showdown Saturday night. If it happens the Heels need to score 80 while the magic number for Virginia is holding the Heels to under 65.
Only one team from North Carolina is left. I don't care which team you pull for but everyone who lives in North Carolina needs to back the Tar Heels. The Old North State needs to put another ACC Tournament championship in the books. Go HEELs.
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