Duke Keeps ACC Alive in March Madness

NEWARK, N.J. — The ACC only has one team left in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. But that team is headed to the Final Four.

The Duke Blue Devils beat the Alabama Crimson Tide 85-65 Saturday night. Kon Knueppel led the blue devils in scoring with 21, while Tyrese Proctor scored 17 and megastar Cooper Flagg contributed 16. The Blue Devils shut down Alabama’s offense and particularly its star Mark Sears, who scored just six points after dropping 34 points in a record-breaking win against BYU in the Sweet 16.

By all metrics, the ACC has had a down year in the NCAA men’s tournament. Duke is the lone bright spot.

The conference only sent four of its 18 members to the Big Dance, and only Duke made it past the Round of 64. It’s the first time in 50 years the ACC only had one team in the Round of 32.

The Blue Devils are also the only ACC program left on the women’s side, after they knocked out UNC in the Sweet 16.

That hurts the conference, because the NCAA doles out $2 million prize payments for wins in the Big Dance called “units.” (The women’s tournament is offering a units system this year for the first time, though the payments are much smaller.) 

The ACC’s down year also potentially hurt Duke by failing to provide the program with a level of competition during conference play that could help prepare them to go all the way. 

Some questioned whether Duke was “battle-tested,” especially compared to Alabama, but in the end the score wasn’t close. The Crimson Tide boasted the No. 1 toughest schedule, according to KenPom, while Duke’s schedule ranked 57th. This was despite the Blue Devils playing several tournament-caliber teams, including Kentucky, Arizona, Kansas, and Auburn during non-conference play.

“Of course you’re going to acknowledge the year the SEC had,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer, headed to his first Final Four as a head coach, told reporters before the game. But he cautioned, “I don’t think that gives them any more of a leg up tomorrow based on conference or ACC, SEC. I’ve been in the ACC a long time. It’s always prepared us and had us ready, and this year is no exception in my mind.”

The SEC, meanwhile, sent a record 14 teams to the tournament and four to the Elite Eight—and at least one program, Florida, will represent them in the Final Four. 

The SEC has earned $66 million in units so far, and now holds the record for most NCAA men’s tournament wins with 20. The previous record-holder was the ACC.