CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- The second day of the ACC Tournament feels like the postseason's grand opening. It introduces the heavy hitters - the teams that won more than they lost - and the teams with NCAA Tournament hopes and bids take the floor for the first time in the one-and-done format. They face teams who already played emotional, hard-fought games, and the idea is that better finishes rewards coaches and players with an extra day of rest.
That delayed start is an immeasurable advantage. Since expansion moved the ACC to 15 teams in 2014, few First Round teams advanced past the Second Round, and no team that played on the first day ever qualified for the semifinals by defeating a top-four team with a coveted "double bye.