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The ACC set a record of the futile NCAA Tournament on Friday. A 71-64 loss to No. 11 seed North Carolina’s sixth seed seed Ole Miss left Duke as the only team in the conference left on the field. This is the first time in the history of the NCAA Tournament that there are no more than one ACC team in the second round.
Four of the 18 ACC teams won the NCAA Tournament Field. This marked the lowest percentage (22.2%) of the major dance participants in the conference since the tournament expanded to 32 teams in 1975.
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No in the first round game on Thursday. Fifth seed Clemson was behind at 24 in a 69-67 defeat to seed McNees, 69-67. UNC, which defeated San Diego State with the first four, faced the biggest NCAA Tournament deficit as they were 22 points behind Ole Miss since 1957.
The loss of Tar Heels leaves the No. 1 seed Blue Devils as the only ACC representative still alive after a 93-49 victory and No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s.
Worst record of meetings in the first round of the NCAA Tournament since 2000
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– At least 4 games
The collective struggle at the ACC’s big dance, and the general lack of representatives on the field, may be a surprise to fans who just tune to fit college basketball, but the struggle began in November.
The ACC went 2-14 in the ACC-SEC Challenge, and the league became an early hall. Of the five high major meetings, the ACC was last ranked in Kenpom’s rating, placing the fewest teams in Big Dance.
Duke is currently tasked with carrying the banner for the ACC as the No. 1 seed Blue Devils prepare to play No. 9 seed Baylor in the second round. Arizona No. 4 seed and No. 5 seed Oregon are potential sweet 16 enemies for Duke if the Blue Devils pass Baylor.
