Editors' roundtable: How will the ACC Tournament shake out?

After picking the top ACC and national men’s college basketball games each week this semester, The Daily Tar Heel pickers turn their attention to the postseason.

Fresh off his regular season championship, Assistant Sports Editor Logan Ulrich looks to continue his recent success, while Assistant Sports Editor Jeremy Vernon hopes to expunge his status as the desk’s cellar dweller.

Boston College might have a better chance of winning an ACC game than for that to happen.

Here’s how everyone thinks the ACC Tournament will shake out:

PAT JAMES, SPORTS EDITOR: Since 2002, the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds have met in the ACC Tournament championship game just one time. That was in 2011, when top-seeded North Carolina fell to second-seeded Duke. Before then, the top two seeds squared off in the championship 21 times. With almost no disparity in college basketball this season, I doubt No. 1 seed UNC and No. 2 seed Virginia will meet in this year’s championship, as many of my colleagues believe. Miami found success against UVa. a little over two weeks ago, and I believe the third-seeded Hurricanes will storm past the Cavaliers to make it to the championship game. On the other side of the bracket, I see the Tar Heels topping Duke before claiming their 18th ACC Tournament title with a win over Miami.

BRENDAN MARKS, SENIOR WRITER:

Virginia gets revenge on Miami in the semifinals to reach the championship game. On the other side, UNC squeaks past short-sided Duke for the second time this season. But UVa. ultimately takes home its second ACC Tournament title in three years by shutting down UNC’s offense again.

C JACKSON COWART, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR: In a battle of slumping heavyweights, Notre Dame knocks out Duke in the quarterfinals, but the Fighting Irish can’t match blows with North Carolina in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Miami easily dispatches Virginia Tech to avenge a season-ending loss, but Virginia halts the Hurricanes to settle their season series. In the championship round, UNC and UVa. battle for the conference crown and a potential top seed in the NCAA Tournament. North Carolina forces the ball inside against the vaunted Virginia pack line defense, but the Cavaliers stand tall against Brice Johnson and the Tar Heels, as a big game from Malcolm Brogdon propels Virginia to its third ACC Tournament championship in program history.

LOGAN ULRICH, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR: I think North Carolina can handle whichever team comes out of the Pittsburgh/Syracuse matchup, although I think they’d have an easier time with the Panthers. Then UNC beats Duke to win the season series and advance to the championship, where it would face Virginia. I think Miami has a legitimate shot to make it to the finals, but I think they could just as easily drop to Virginia Tech. So I’ll go with the consistency of the Cavaliers. Once in the championship, the Tar Heels prove they’ve finally turned the corner by avenging their earlier loss. Kennedy Meeks and Brice Johnson both turn in good games at the same time, while Paige turns back the clock 365 days to save a Cinderella ending to his senior season.

JEREMY VERNON, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR: Marcus Paige has shot just 27.9 percent from 3-point range in conference play, but all that will change when the Tar Heels head to Washington, D.C. I believe the senior guard will shoot over 50 percent from long range over the course of the ACC Tournament, carrying UNC past the Duke Blue Devils in the semifinals and into the final against Virginia. In the championship game, Paige scores 22 points to help North Carolina cut down the nets.

PAIGE LADISIC, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: In my completely uneducated opinion, I like to think this year’s ACC Tournament will go better than last year’ (when I watched UNC lose to Notre Dame in the championship from a hospital bed.) It’s not easy, but I think UNC will move past its poor shooting performance in the second half of Saturday’s Duke game to defeat Notre Dame in the semifinals and take on Virginia in the ACC championship game. And judging by my flawless mascot cuteness scale, I predict UNC will win out the ACC Tournament this year. A girl can dream.

CARLOS COLLAZO, SENIOR WRITER: First of all, el oh el at some of these predictions. Marcus Paige hitting over half of his 3-pointers across the entire tournament? And what bold picks, with everyone taking either top-seeded North Carolina or No. 2 Virginia. Y’all haven’t been paying attention to college basketball this season. Notre Dame FTW baby.