Clemson Battles UNC in ACC Tournament Quarterfinals

Tigers look to avenge regular season loss and advance to semifinals

Mar. 12, 2026 at 10:40pm

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The fifth-seeded Clemson Tigers (23-9) will take on the fourth-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels (24-7) in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament on March 12 at 9:30 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPN from Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Clemson is seeking revenge after losing to UNC earlier in the regular season and a chance to advance to the tournament semifinals for the second straight year.

Why it matters

This matchup features two of the top teams in the ACC, with the winner moving one step closer to the conference championship. Both Clemson and UNC are projected to make the NCAA Tournament, so this game could have seeding implications as well.

The details

Clemson is led by senior guard Hunter Tyson, who averaged 15.2 points per game during the regular season. UNC is paced by junior forward Armando Bacot, who put up a double-double of 16.3 points and 11.4 rebounds per contest. The Tigers will look to avenge their 74-69 loss to the Tar Heels back in January.

  • The game tips off at 9:30 p.m. ET on March 12, 2026.
  • Clemson and UNC faced off earlier this season on January 18, 2026, with UNC winning 74-69.

The players

Hunter Tyson

Clemson senior guard who averaged 15.2 points per game in the regular season.

Armando Bacot

UNC junior forward who averaged a double-double of 16.3 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.

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What they’re saying

“We're excited for the opportunity to get another shot at UNC. They got the best of us earlier this year, but we're a different team now and ready to compete.”

— Hunter Tyson, Clemson Senior Guard (Clemson Athletics)

“Clemson is a tough, well-coached team and we know they'll be hungry to knock us off. We're going to have to bring our 'A' game to advance in this tournament.”

— Armando Bacot, UNC Junior Forward (UNC Athletics)

What’s next

The winner of this quarterfinal matchup will advance to face the winner of the Virginia-Miami game in the ACC Tournament semifinals on March 14.

The takeaway

This ACC Tournament quarterfinal showdown features two teams with NCAA Tournament aspirations, setting the stage for an intense and competitive battle as they vie for a spot in the conference semifinals.