Next Episode of The Tournament: A History of ACC Men's Basketball Presented by New York Life is
unknown.
In an era when the NCAA tournament awarded just one berth per conference, the ACC transformed the sport with its own tournament -- to identify its champion (and its NCAA championship contender) -- immediately after regular season play. In the years since it first launched the conference tournament, the ACC has showcased many of the game's all-time greats, from David Thompson, Ralph Sampson, Michael Jordan and Tim Duncan to coaches Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Valvano and Roy Williams. It has also influenced innovations like the shot clock and three-point line.Through exclusive footage and interviews with more than 160 players, coaches and media members who have been a part of the ACC tournament since its beginnings, the series explores the inception, transformation and impact of arguably the most storied, significant and successful conference in the history of men's college basketball, and its tournament on entire eras of the game.
As the 1980s continue, familiar and new faces alike define the ACC. After previous ACC tournament heartbreaks, Maryland's Lefty Driesell and Georgia Tech's Bobby Cremins both seek redemption. All the while, Mike Krzyzewski survives early calls for his job, turns up the heat on the Duke-North Carolina rivalry and resurrects Duke into a perennial title contender.
At Duke, Coach K puts together one of the most iconic teams in ACC history with Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley. Wake Forest seeks a return to glory led by Randolph Childress and Tim Duncan, and Dean Smith's extraordinary career ends in memorable fashion with a title in 1997.
As a new century dawns, Duke is more dominant than ever, winning an unprecedented five straight ACC tournament titles and seven in eight years with a core of stars headlined by Shane Battier, Jay Williams and JJ Redick. Meanwhile, Roy Williams rejuvenates the Carolina program that his mentor Dean Smith once made standard, and Clemson's pursuit of an elusive ACC championship continues.
The changing college sports landscape brings the conference to 15 member institutions, with Florida State, Miami and Notre Dame each earning their first ACC championships. Virginia's Tony Bennett and Duke phenom Zion Williamson each bring new excitement before the unimaginable happens.
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