Sure, there’s still an art to crafting a schedule. But with 20 ACC games, the ACC-Big Ten Challenge and, most likely, a multi-game tournament in the late fall, there’s not much room to maneuver.
Making matters easier, of course, ACC teams have plenty of money to arrange guarantee games that make it worthwhile for opponents to come for a competitive visit.
Since the league grew to 15 teams more than a half-decade ago, members have increasingly avoided contests on hostile floors outside the conference. Six ACC clubs played at least three times on opponents’ courts in 2014, with Boston College venturing out five times in coach Steve Donahue’s last season.