Facing headwinds over lower performance in men’s basketball, ACC schools made several changes aimed at sparking a turnaround. They reduced from 20 to18 the number of conference games, encouraging teams to schedule nonconference games more wisely and win more games.
The changes came after only four teams (Clemson, Duke, Louisville, UNC) made the NCAA tournament last season, and several others fell short due to a low number of Quad 1 victories. The ACC had five entries the previous year and 2022-2024, plus as many as 9 in 2017 and 2018.
Last year ACC teams won 64 percent of its non-con games, compared to 86 for the SEC which dominated the ACC by a 30-4 margin. The conference has four new coaches (FSU, Miami, NC State,Va), increased NIL funding and landed a bevy of talented recruits and transfers, plus international players to help win more games.
The conference has 72 games this season against the Big East, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC and wants to win 80 percent (57). Outgoing UNC AD Bubba Cunningham, a former member of the NCAA Selection Committee, suggested the 80 percent win percentage figure as a goal for the conference.
Kentucky reportedly spent $22M for basketball players, the Lexington paper reported. Schools spending NIL funds north of $10M were BYU, St. John’s, Texas Tech, UNC, Florida, Illinois, Virginia, N.C. State, Arizona, Washington, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Louisville, UConn, Michigan, Basket Under Review said in October. Other reports added Duke, Alabama, Texas, Georgia, LSU.
J.B.