You might not think it, but this has been a breakthrough NCAA tournament for the ACC. Just not in a familiar way.
Of the quartet of league members that reached the Sweet 16, only Duke sported one of the tournament’s top four seeds.
Clemson is seeded fifth, highest for the school since 2008. The school has never been seeded higher than fourth, and that only in 1987 and 1997. This is merely the 12th time the Tigers made the NCAA field, and the fourth tournament since 1980 in which they reached the Sweet 16.
That ’80 team, led by guard Billy Williams and big man Larry Nance, got to the West Region final during Bill Foster’s tenure.