It’s that time of year again when ACC teams converge on Greensboro New York City for the annual ACC men’s basketball tournament. Action at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn begins on Tuesday and continues all the way until Sunday, when a champion will be crowned.

How to Watch/Listen

97.9 The Hill WCHL will be live and broadcasting every game involving Carolina basketball, as well as all the quarterfinal games on Thursday, semifinal games on Friday and the championship game on Saturday evening.

All games will be televised on either an ESPN affiliate, the ACC Network or WRAL (antenna Ch. 5.2, Spectrum Ch. 1255 or CenturyLink Ch. 6).

Schedule

First Round

Game 1: #12 Boston College 87, #13 Georgia Tech 77

Game 2: #10 Notre Dame 67, #15 Pittsburgh 64

Game 3: #11 Syracuse 73 #14 Wake Forest 64

Second Round

Game 4: #8 Florida State vs. #9 Louisville – Noon

Game 5: #12 Boston College vs. #5 NC State – 2:00pm

Game 6: #10 Notre Dame vs. #7 Virginia Tech – 7:00pm

Game 7: #11 Syracuse vs. #6 North Carolina – 9:00PM

Quarterfinals

Game 8: #1 Virginia vs. Game 4 winner – Noon

Game 9: #4 Clemson vs. Game 5 winner – 2:00pm

Game 10: #2 Duke vs. Game 6 winner – 7:00pm

Game 11: #3 Miami vs. Game 7 winner – 9:00pm

Semifinals

Game 12: Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner – 7:00pm

Game 13: Game 10 winner vs. Game 11 winner – 9:00pm

Championship

Game 14: Game 12 winner vs. Game 13 winner – 8:30pm

Carolina’s Path to a Championship

After going 11-7 in conference this season, UNC earned the sixth seed in the tournament. There was a four-way tie for third place in the conference between Carolina, NC State, Clemson and Miami — but the Tar Heels fell to the bottom of the group. Had Roy Williams’ squad beaten Duke on Saturday, they would have been the No. 2 seed.

Fortunately, the path for Carolina is easier than expected. The Tar Heels will play the winner of Syracuse/Wake Forest, two teams that UNC beat during the regular season, on Wednesday evening.

Assuming the Tar Heels win, the team will go on to face Miami the following day. The Tar Heels previously lost to the Hurricanes on a last-second buzzer beater that spoiled Senior Night in Chapel Hill, a loss Carolina could avenge on a larger stage.

From there, it’s likely that either Duke, Notre Dame or Virginia Tech will be the opponent in the semifinals. Duke and Carolina split their head-to-head meetings this season and crushed Notre Dame, but lost on the road at Virginia Tech. The Fighting Irish remain a threat, however, as they return star forward Bonzie Colson for the tournament.

Should Carolina make it to the finals, a rematch with top seed Virginia seems likely. The Cavaliers held Carolina to their second-lowest scoring output of the season in a 49-61 loss in Charlottesville earlier this season.

Despite being the sixth seed in the tournament, Carolina has fairly good odds to win it all. As the flagship station for Tar Heel sports, 97.9 will be there every step of the way!

Where to Watch

There’s no better place to watch a Carolina basketball game than on Franklin Street. The atmosphere in the center of Chapel Hill is unlike anything else when the Tar Heels are playing, and the literal and figurative rush after a conference championship — or a triumph over Duke — has to be felt and seen to be believed.

Fans looking for food, drinks and basketball action can choose from a number of legendary local spots.

  • Linda’s is home to everything from loaded tater tots to salmon cakes, but it’s the legendary pulled pot roast sandwich — called “The Murph” — that’s fueled countless Franklin Street expeditions.
  • Four Corners, named for the famous Tar Heel offensive strategy, is naturally a fit for basketball. With well-placed TVs all across the establishment and a well-stocked bar with plenty of draft beer, Four Corners is a perfect place to post up for the duration of the tournament. If you come hungry, blackened chicken Cajun alfredo is decidedly the way to go.
  • Goodfellows isn’t just home to Picklebacks and “perfect pints,” but also plenty of seats with strategically positioned TVs above. The underground bar also allows patrons to bring in food, so you can take your to-go order or pre-game meal downstairs and get situated. Free popcorn, friendly bartenders and a raucous atmosphere all add up to a great place to be on game day.
  • Of course, no list of potential places to watch the Tar Heels take the court would be complete without Top of the Hill. Views looking down on Franklin’s liveliest intersection and great food and drinks pair up for a high-class experience that takes the best Chapel Hill has to offer and puts it on a rooftop. Reservations aren’t accepted on game days, however, so you’ll have to show up appropriately early to secure a spot.
  • A relative newcomer to Franklin, Sup Dogs has expanded out from Greenville with its signature — and reasonably priced — offerings of ridiculously topped hot dogs and all the fried sides that accompany them. Conveniently placed in the middle of the main drag of Franklin Street, Sup Dogs can act either as a place to watch the entire game or a way station between bar-hopping destinations.

If you’re looking for a place to eat before (or after) hanging out with friends to watch the game, head over to Al’s Burger Shack. Al Bowers was recently named a WCHL Hometown Hero, as well! Home to some of the best burgers in Chapel Hill, Al’s Burger Shack is an experience for any friends who argue that another burger is better, whether they’re Whatburger adherents or firmly entrenched in the In-N-Out camp.