ACC Tournament: SMU, UNC, Stanford, and Georgia Tech Move On
The ACC Tournament saw SMU, North Carolina, Stanford, and Georgia Tech claim second-round victories, setting up high-stakes quarterfinal matchups on Thursday.
SMU Shuts Down Syracuse in ACC Tournament Debut
SMU 73, Syracuse 53
- Chuck Harris and Matt Cross led SMU with 12 points each in their ACC tournament debut.
- SMU’s defense held Syracuse to a season-low point total, limiting the Orange’s offense in the second half.
- Boopie Miller and Keon Ambrose-Hylton chipped in 10 points apiece for the Mustangs, who beat Syracuse for the second time in a week.
- J.J. Starling led Syracuse with 16 points, but the Orange (14-19) suffered another early tournament exit.
SMU (23-9) advances to face No. 3 seed Clemson (26-5) in the quarterfinals.
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North Carolina Cruises Past Notre Dame
North Carolina 76, Notre Dame 56
- Jae’Lyn Withers drained seven 3-pointers, tying a UNC tournament record while scoring a career-high 21 points.
- Ven-Allen Lubin recorded 17 points and 10 rebounds, and RJ Davis added 13 points for the Tar Heels.
- UNC took control early and never looked back, winning for the seventh time in eight games.
- ACC leading scorer Markus Burton was limited to just 11 points for Notre Dame (15-18).
UNC (21-12) moves on to face No. 4 seed Wake Forest (21-10) in the quarterfinals.
Stanford Outlasts Cal Despite Stojakovic’s 37-Point Explosion
Stanford 78, Cal 73
- Maxime Raynaud (23 points) and Jaylen Blakes (21 points) led Stanford to victory.
- Benny Gealer and Chisom Okpara made clutch plays down the stretch, helping Stanford hold off a late Cal push.
- Andrej Stojakovic erupted for 37 points on 13-of-22 shooting, but it wasn’t enough for Cal.
- DJ Campbell (19 points, 10 rebounds) and Mady Sissoko (11 points) kept the Golden Bears competitive.
Stanford (20-12) advances to face No. 2 seed Louisville (25-6) in the quarterfinals.
Georgia Tech Stuns Virginia, Earns Shot at No. 1 Duke
Georgia Tech 66, Virginia 60
- Duncan Powell led the Yellow Jackets with 21 points in his ACC tournament debut.
- Baye Ndongo posted a double-double (16 points, 10 rebounds), while Naithan George came close to a triple-double (13 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists).
- Virginia’s Isaac McKneely had a career night with 27 points, hitting 7-of-11 from three-point range.
- Under interim coach Ron Sanchez, Virginia (15-17) suffered its first losing season in 15 years.
Georgia Tech (17-15) now faces top-seeded Duke (28-3) in the quarterfinals.
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ACC Quarterfinal Matchups
Thursday’s quarterfinals feature four high-stakes matchups:
- No. 1 Duke vs. No. 8 Georgia Tech
- No. 2 Louisville vs. No. 7 Stanford
- No. 3 Clemson vs. No. 6 SMU
- No. 4 Wake Forest vs. No. 5 North Carolina
Can Georgia Tech shock the nation against Duke? Will Stanford or SMU keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive? March Madness is just getting started.
