If you were looking for a calm, predictable week of basketball in Charlotte, you clearly haven't been paying attention to the Atlantic Coast Conference lately. The 2025 postseason was basically a fever dream. We saw everything from double-overtime heartbreaks to a freshman-led Duke squad cementing a dynasty under Jon Scheyer.
Honestly, the scores from ACC tournament tell a story of a league that is changing. Fast. With teams like Cal, Stanford, and SMU now in the mix, the traditional "Tobacco Road" vibe has shifted into something much more national, and frankly, much more chaotic.
The Epic Battle for the Crown: Duke vs. Louisville
The championship game was a heavyweight fight that felt closer than the final buzzer indicated. Duke eventually walked away with a 73-62 victory over Louisville, but for about thirty minutes, it looked like the Cardinals might actually pull it off.
Louisville came out swinging. They led 38-33 at the half, thanks to a relentless performance by Terrence Edwards Jr., who finished with a staggering 29 points. But then, the second half happened. Duke’s defense turned into a brick wall, holding Louisville to just 24 points after the break.
Tyrese Proctor was the hero nobody saw coming—at least not like this. After struggling with his shot for weeks, he found his rhythm at the perfect moment, draining six triples to finish with 19 points. Freshman Kon Knueppel, who took home the MVP trophy, added 18 of his own. It was Duke’s 23rd title, and it felt like a statement.
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Every Score from the 2025 Championship Week
If you missed the action, here is the breakdown of how we got to that Saturday night finale. The parity this year was wild—the average margin of victory over the 14 games was just 7.4 points. That’s a new record for the tournament's current format.
Opening Round (The Tuesday Grind)
The tournament kicked off with a nail-biter. Notre Dame escaped Pittsburgh 55-54 after a controversial foul call with less than a second left. Then things got weird. California, in their first-ever ACC tournament appearance, took Virginia Tech to double overtime before winning 82-73. To wrap up the night, Syracuse squeezed past Florida State 66-62.
Second Round (Wednesday’s Survival)
- Georgia Tech 66, Virginia 60
- North Carolina 76, Notre Dame 56
- Stanford 78, California 73
- SMU 73, Syracuse 53
North Carolina’s win over the Irish was a "must-have" for their tournament resume. Jae-Lyn Withers went off for 23 points, proving the Tar Heels still had some life in them. Meanwhile, SMU made their presence felt by absolutely steamrolling Syracuse, outscoring them by 17 in the second half alone.
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Breaking Down the Quarterfinals and Semifinals
By Thursday, the big guns entered the arena. Duke's path to the title started with a 78-70 win over Georgia Tech, but it wasn't easy. They actually trailed at halftime before a 12-0 run to start the second half flipped the script.
The most dramatic moment of the week, however, happened in the semifinals. Duke vs. North Carolina. Again.
At one point, the Blue Devils were up by 24 points. It looked like a blowout. But UNC clawed all the way back, nearly forcing overtime. The game ended on a bizarre lane violation during a free throw that would have tied it with 4 seconds left. Duke survived 74-71. On the other side of the bracket, Louisville beat Clemson 76-73 in a game that featured 12 lead changes.
Key Individual Performances
It wasn't just about the team scores from ACC tournament; certain players basically carried their programs on their backs.
- Terrence Edwards Jr. (Louisville): His 29-point outburst in the final was legendary, even in a loss.
- Kon Knueppel (Duke): The freshman MVP averaged nearly 17 points across the tournament.
- J.J. Starling (Syracuse): Dropped 27 points in the opener, showing why he’s one of the best guards in the league.
- Markus Burton (Notre Dame): Even in a losing effort against UNC, he was the engine that kept the Irish competitive.
Why These Scores Matter for the Big Dance
Looking at the final results, the ACC proved it was deeper than the media gave it credit for during the regular season. Duke and Louisville were locks, but the way Clemson and North Carolina played suggests the "middle" of the conference is much tougher than people think.
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The inclusion of the "West Coast" teams—Cal and Stanford—definitely added a new travel dynamic. Stanford’s 78-73 win over Cal on Wednesday was a high-level game that felt like a mid-season rivalry match, despite being played in North Carolina.
Duke’s dominance this year is different. Usually, they rely on one massive superstar (like a Zion or a Paolo), but this 2025 squad won because they have four or five guys who can go for 20 on any given night. If Proctor is hitting his threes like he did against Louisville, they are almost impossible to beat.
What’s Next for ACC Fans?
Now that the dust has settled in Charlotte, the focus shifts to the NCAA Tournament. Duke secured a #1 seed in the East, while Louisville and Clemson also earned solid positioning. The real story will be whether the "new" ACC can maintain this level of competitiveness when the calendar flips to November again.
If you are tracking the scores from ACC tournament to see how your team fared for next year’s recruiting, keep an eye on the transfer portal. With the league's expansion, we’re seeing a lot more movement between the coasts.
Actionable Insights for Following the ACC:
- Watch the Portal: Several players from the bottom half of the bracket (like Pitt and Florida State) are expected to be high-value targets.
- Check the 2026 Schedule: The tournament is expected to move around more now that the geographic footprint has changed.
- Rewatch the Duke/UNC Semi: If you want to see the highest level of coaching adjustments, that second-half comeback by UNC is a masterclass, even if they fell short.
The 2025 tournament was a reminder that while the names on the jerseys change and the conference map grows, the intensity of ACC basketball stays exactly the same.