2025 ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament Preview (3-4-2025)
By: Joe Dillard Jr.
Headline Photo Credit: ACC
If you are tired of the cold and the winter well lock right in for some heated hoops in Greensboro as the ACC women’s tourney kicks off, we have what could be the most dominant year the conference has had ever. I understand the additions to the conference play a role in the equation. However, we are legit looking at 8 solid teams with tournament-worthy resumes and we have a couple of teams looking to steal a ticket. Every game matters in this tournament and we have grown away from that concept in most tournaments where you wait until the end. The first day of matchups will start with UVA as the highest seed playing on day one. What would the committee consider for them to get in? I believe if they can win 2 games beating Pittsburgh and California, then that would set up a matchup against Notre Dame which would be heavily favored, but the performance could impress the committee. If that’s the highest seeds story, then the other 5 teams would need to repeat and win further to have a chance.
Day two hosts a line of teams with a bye awaiting day one results except for one game where Georgia Tech, who is the lowest seed on the line will play Virginia Tech who also needs this game to impress the committee. The winner will advance and help their case for a tournament bid. Then you have Cal, who may not have the pedigree of the ACC, went 24-7, and wonders how much they have to prove. I believe one win solidifies their chances of receiving a bid. If they run into a hungry UVA squad that would be on a winning streak and playing their best basketball, it could be an early exit and it would appear that UVA would be ahead of them. Tough position to be in but I believe they are the highest seed that will need one win to solidify the bid. North Carolina and Louisville are the two highest seeds playing on day two and with a loss might be knocked as far down as a 9-seed and with a win could secure a 5-seed which is huge for both teams as they are capable of winning the tourney.
Day three starts the real heat as we have all of the teams looking to be crowned tournament champions and want to improve their NCAA seeding. N.C. State and Notre Dame shared the regular season title, and both appear to be 2-seeds pending tournament results. They are in the driver’s seat as I believe they will not drop lower than 2-seed. For Duke and Florida State, they all are lined up like dominoes and will see who falls first and how it looks when the dust is cleared. It could be a key matchup that will move their tournament seeding up or it could be a Cinderella team where your only credit is advancing. Losing the first game could put both teams as low as a 6-seed, whereas winning can move them up to a 4-seed and look to gain more with another game. This is why I believe this will be one of the most entertaining competitive intense tournaments possibly ever but is the best since the fifth day was added to the tournament. The Semi-Finals and the Championship will be on days four and five. Tune in as this will be filled with action-packed basketball.
