2025 ACC Tournament Preview: Bracket, Schedule, Odds and Betting Predictions

The ACC Tournament tips off on March 11, with all eyes on Duke’s pursuit of the top seed in the NCAA Tournament. 

Despite being a top-heavy conference littered with National Championship hopefuls, the ACC Tournament has routinely had chaos reign supreme. Can Duke snap the trend this season?

The No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament hasn’t won the conference tournament since Virginia did it in 2018. This makes for some historical pressure for the Blue Devils, who have been lightly tested throughout conference play, losing only one game to Clemson on the road. 

In nearby Charlotte, will this be a coronation for the Blue Devils? 

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the ACC Tournament.

ACC Tournament Schedule

The ACC Tournament begins on Tuesday, March 11 with five rounds of competition with the championship game on Saturday, March 15 at 8:30 p.m. EST.

SI College Basketball Staff Writer Kevin Sweeney's First Round Picks

• No. 13 Pittsburgh over No. 12 Notre Dame
• No. 10 Virginia Tech over No. 15 Cal
• No. 11 Florida State over No. 14 Syracuse

ACC Tournament Odds

• Duke: -340
• Louisville: +650
• Clemson: +700
• Norht Carolina: +2800
• SMU: +6500
• Wake Forest: +8500
• Pittsburgh: +24000
• Stanford: +24000
• Syracuse: +25000
• Georgia Tech: +25000
• Virginia Tech: +25000
• California: +25000
• Notre Dame: +25000
• Florida State: +25000

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

ACC Tournament Dark Horse

Clemson

In a conference that has been dominated by the Blue Devils, I’m not going to go too far down the odds board for the sake of dishing out a potential threat. 

Clemson is on a collision course with the Blue Devils for the ACC title game, as long as it can avenge an early season loss to Louisville in a potential semifinals matchup. I believe the Tigers are the team with the best chance. 

Of course, Clemson knocked off Duke already this season, but it was far from a fluke as the Tigers are primed to make another deep NCAA Tournament run behind a better roster from last year’s Elite Eight team. 

Here’s what I said about the team a few weeks back as it pertains to its NCAA Tournament prospects. 

While the ACC may be boasting its metrics, this is a team just a year removed from an Elite Eight run with an upset of Arizona, among others, en route to the best result of the Brad Brownell era. With a host of key contributors back in the fold, Clemson has built itself into a similar type of contender, but one that is trading at double the price of Michigan. 

The Tigers are a sound shot-making roster, 14th in three-point percentage on a national average rate, but capable around the rim with returning big man Ian Schieffelin and transfer big Viktor Lakhin. The team wins both inside and out and forces teams into isolation sets on defense, posting the longest average length of possession in the country. 

In a tournament setting, the team’s prodding pace coupled with its elite shot making can lead to another deep tourney run. 

ACC Tournament Prediction and Best Bets

Reed Wallach, SI Betting College Basketball Expert

Duke

The odds are steep to back Duke, but this team is ultimately going to roll through the rest of the conference en route to winning the conference tournament, another accolade for what should be a postseason full of them. 

The Blue Devils elite balance should handle this ACC Tournament setting with ease after blitzing the league with all but two wins coming by double figures in addition to the mild upset loss at Clemson. 

While last week’s breakdown of Duke is geared to the NCAA Tournament, it can be applied to how I view this team as a whole. As do most power rating systems, I have the Blue Devils at the top of mine. 

The Blue Devils' defense around the versatile Flagg and big man Khaman Maluach makes me bullish that the team can keep down any opposing offense. The group ranks third in two-point field goal percentage allowed while also containing the three-point line at an elite rate. Teams are shooting 30% on three-pointers on about a national average three-point rate. 

I do believe there are some concerns about Duke’s late-game offense and the state of the ACC with the likes of North Carolina down this year. The team doesn’t have a traditional point guard and has lost some games late to the likes of Kentucky, Kansas, and Clemson with poor execution, but given the team’s overwhelming consistency, it’s too tough of an out. The Blue Devils are fifth nationally in effective field goal percentage while taking more than 45% of their shots from beyond the and second on defense. 

With Tyrese Proctor back and 100% for Duke during this tournament run after suffering a minor leg inijury, I’m not getting cute with my choice. 

Kevin Sweeney, SI College Basketball Staff Writer

The Blue Devils are far and away the best team in the league, setting records for margin of victory in its 20-game demolition of the ACC this season.

If Duke is 100% focused this week and not practicing any “load management” with its starters, you’d expect them to roll through this tournament.

It’s hard to imagine Georgia Tech or Virginia giving them much if any trouble in the quarterfinals. Wake Forest and North Carolina at least pushed the Blue Devils once each and will enter that semifinal matchup with desperation to reignite their NCAA tournament hopes, but it still feels like a long shot.

Clemson’s the only team to beat Duke in ACC play this season, and it’d be interesting to see a rematch in Saturday’s title game, but I’d still back Duke. They have the best player, the best defense and by far the most overall talent. 

Get all of Kevin's work this March here, and follow him on Twitter @CBB_Central

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