What Is 2014 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament

Overview

The 2014 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament was the 61st edition of the annual postseason event for Atlantic Coast Conference teams. Held during the final week before Selection Sunday, it determined which ACC team received the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The tournament featured 12 teams competing in a single-elimination format over four days. Virginia emerged as champions, capturing their first ACC Tournament title since 1976 with a decisive win over Duke in the final game.

• Virginia won the championship by defeating Duke 72–63 in the final, marking their first ACC Tournament title in 38 years and a major milestone for the program.
• The tournament took place from March 12 to 15, 2014, at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, a frequent host site for the event due to its central location.
• Twelve teams participated, seeded by their regular-season conference records, with seeds 1 through 5 receiving byes into the quarterfinals.
• Durham, North Carolina was not the host city; despite Duke’s strong run, the event was held in Greensboro, about 75 miles northwest of Durham.
• Joe Harris of Virginia was named Tournament MVP after averaging 18.3 points per game and leading the Cavaliers in scoring throughout the event.

How It Works

The ACC Tournament follows a structured single-elimination format designed to reward regular-season performance while creating a dramatic postseason climax. Teams are seeded based on conference standings, with higher seeds earning advantages in scheduling and matchups.

• Seeding: Teams are ranked 1 to 12 based on their regular-season ACC records, with tiebreakers used to determine order. The top four seeds receive double byes.
• First Round: Seeds 9 through 12 play on March 12; the four winners advance to face higher seeds in the second round.
• Second Round: Held on March 13, this round includes teams seeded 5 through 8 hosting the first-round winners in eight matchups.
• Quarterfinals: On March 14, the top four seeds join the four second-round winners in a single-elimination stage, with games played throughout the day.
• Semifinals: The final four teams compete on March 14; Virginia defeated NC State and Duke beat Pittsburgh to reach the championship game.
• Championship Game: Played on March 15, the winner receives the ACC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, regardless of their prior selection status.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a comparison of the top four finishers in the 2014 ACC Tournament based on seeding, wins, and key outcomes.

The table highlights how tournament success correlated with NCAA performance. Virginia, despite winning the ACC title, was eliminated early in the NCAA Tournament, while Duke advanced further despite their loss in the final. This underscores that conference tournament success doesn’t always predict national outcomes.

Why It Matters

The 2014 ACC Tournament was significant both for Virginia’s breakthrough and as a farewell to the conference’s original 12-team format before expansion. It also highlighted shifts in conference power dynamics.

• Virginia’s victory signaled a resurgence for the Cavaliers under Tony Bennett, who built a disciplined, defense-first program that would become a national contender.
• Duke’s runner-up finish kept Coach K’s team in the national spotlight, though they failed to win the ACC Tournament despite being the top seed.
• The tournament format was restructured in 2014 to include all 12 teams, a change from previous years when lower seeds were excluded from the event.
• Joe Harris’ MVP performance showcased the value of senior leadership and three-point shooting, as he shot 47% from beyond the arc during the tournament.
• Greensboro’s role as host reinforced its status as a neutral-site hub for ACC basketball, having hosted the event over 25 times by 2014.
• Automatic NCAA bids ensured that even teams with questionable at-large resumes, like Maryland, secured tournament berths by advancing deep into the ACC Tournament.

The 2014 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament remains a landmark event for Virginia basketball and a turning point in the conference’s competitive landscape, setting the stage for future power shifts as the ACC expanded and realigned in subsequent years.