ACC Basketball Bounces Back, But Duke Remains the Standard

The conference saw a resurgence this season, but questions remain about its depth beyond the Blue Devils.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 4:21am

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A year after a historic low, the ACC men's basketball conference has bounced back, with at least seven and likely eight teams making the NCAA Tournament. Much of the turnaround can be attributed to new coaches at schools like Miami, NC State, Florida State, and Virginia. However, the conference's success still seems to hinge on perennial power Duke, which seamlessly transitioned from Mike Krzyzewski to Jon Scheyer and remains a top national contender.

Why it matters

The ACC's resurgence is important for the conference's national reputation and ability to generate revenue through NCAA Tournament bids. However, the league's long-term success may depend on whether it can develop more consistent contenders beyond Duke, which has been the conference's lone reliable Final Four threat in recent years.

The details

The ACC sent only four teams to the 2025 NCAA Tournament, with just one (Duke) seeded better than a 5-seed. This year, the conference is on track to get at least seven teams into the Big Dance, and possibly eight. Much of the turnaround can be attributed to new coaches at schools like Miami, NC State, Florida State, and Virginia, which has returned to the ACC title game for the first time since 2023. However, Duke remains the conference's standard-bearer, seamlessly transitioning from Mike Krzyzewski to Jon Scheyer and producing another potential No. 1 overall seed in the tournament.

  • In 2025, the ACC sent only four teams to the NCAA Tournament, with just one (Duke) seeded better than a 5-seed.
  • This year, the ACC is on track to get at least seven teams into the NCAA Tournament, and possibly eight.

The players

Jon Scheyer

The head coach of the Duke Blue Devils, who has kept the program among the nation's elite after taking over for the retired Mike Krzyzewski.

Cameron Boozer

A standout freshman forward for Duke who is putting together one of the best campaigns ever for a true freshman.

Ryan Odom

The new head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers, who has led the team to a 29-4 record and the ACC tournament final after a 15-17 season last year.

Thijs De Ridder

A Belgian forward for Virginia who helped lead the team's resurgence this season.

Will Wade

The head coach of the NC State Wolfpack, who is working to rebuild the program after a disappointing season.

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What they’re saying

“Nobody did it better than Tony Bennett, the most humble national championship coach to ever do it. I'm just honored to be the one chosen to follow a guy like that.”

— Ryan Odom, Head Coach, Virginia Cavaliers (Sports Illustrated)

“We were underrated in the beginning of the season. I think we're still underrated. We lost one big game that was really bad [against Duke], everybody knows that, everybody saw that, but I think we bounced back great. Today we showed the country what we can do.”

— Thijs De Ridder, Forward, Virginia Cavaliers (Sports Illustrated)

“I was hired at NC State to do a job. This wasn't going to take one year. I've already met with our administration about next year and some of the changes that we need to make and some of the things that we need to do to put this program where it deserves long-term.”

— Will Wade, Head Coach, NC State Wolfpack (Sports Illustrated)

What’s next

Duke will look to overcome injuries to key players as it aims for a deep NCAA Tournament run, while other ACC schools like NC State will work to build on this season's progress and challenge the Blue Devils' dominance in the years ahead.

The takeaway

The ACC's resurgence this season is a positive sign for the conference, but its long-term success may hinge on whether it can develop more consistent national contenders beyond perennial power Duke, which remains the standard-bearer for the league.