If you’re looking for the short answer to who won the acc basketball tournament, it depends on which year's chaos you’re trying to untangle. Most recently, in March 2025, the Duke Blue Devils climbed back to the top of the mountain. They took down Louisville 73-62 in a game that felt like a statement of intent for the Jon Scheyer era.
But honestly? If you're asking this because you remember a massive underdog story, you’re likely thinking of the 2024 tournament. That’s when NC State pulled off a literal miracle. Five games. Five nights. They came in as the 10th seed and left as champions.
College basketball is weird like that. One year it’s the blue bloods reclaiming their throne, and the year before, it’s a team that wasn’t even supposed to make the NCAA Tournament field.
The 2025 ACC Tournament: Duke Proves It’s More Than Just One Star
Going into the 2025 tournament in Charlotte, everyone was talking about one person: Cooper Flagg. He was the most hyped freshman in a generation. Then, the unthinkable happened. Flagg went down with a sprained ankle in the quarterfinals against Georgia Tech.
Most people figured Duke was cooked. How do you replace a guy who does everything?
You do it with depth. Duke trailed Louisville by five at halftime in the championship game. It was ugly. They were settling for jumpers and looked out of sync. But the second half was a total flip. Tyrese Proctor and Kon Knueppel—who ended up as the tournament MVP—just took over. They outscored the entire Louisville team by themselves for a huge stretch.
The Numbers from the 2025 Final
Duke’s 73-62 win wasn't just about scoring. They dominated the rim. Patrick Ngonba and Khaman Maluach combined for five blocks in the second half. That defensive wall is what really broke Louisville’s spirit.
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- Final Score: Duke 73, Louisville 62
- Location: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
- MVP: Kon Knueppel (Duke)
- Key Stat: Duke outscored Louisville 40-24 in the second half.
It’s crazy to think about, but this was Duke’s 23rd ACC title. They have more of these trophies than some conferences have teams.
That Insane 2024 NC State Run Everyone Still Talks About
We have to talk about the 2024 tournament because it changed the way people look at "bid stealing." Before NC State did it, no double-digit seed had ever won the ACC Tournament. They were the 10th seed. They had to play on Tuesday, the very first day of the event.
Nobody wins five games in five days. It’s physically impossible. Your legs turn to jelly by Friday.
But Kevin Keatts’ squad had the "Two DJs." DJ Horne was the lightning—scoring 29 points in the final against North Carolina. DJ Burns Jr. was the thunder. Imagine a 260-pound man with the footwork of a ballet dancer and a soft touch around the rim. He even hit the first three-pointer of his entire college career in the final. When that went in, you just knew it was their year.
Why the 2024 Win Was Historically Weird
- Seed Power: NC State was the first team seeded 8th or lower to win the whole thing.
- The Survival: They were a buzzer-beater away from losing to Virginia in the semifinals. Michael O'Connell banked in a prayer of a three-pointer at the horn to force overtime. If that ball bounces an inch to the left, NC State isn't even in the conversation.
- The Rivalry: Beating top-seeded UNC in the final was the ultimate "little brother" revenge moment.
Recent Winners of the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament
If you’re trying to settle a bet or just want the timeline, here’s how the last few years have shaken out. The conference has been surprisingly parity-heavy lately, despite Duke and UNC usually hogging the spotlight.
2025: Duke
The Blue Devils handled business in Charlotte, even without their projected #1 NBA draft pick for the final two games.
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2024: NC State
The historic "five games in five days" run in Washington, D.C. They beat UNC 84-76 in the final.
2023: Duke
Jon Scheyer’s first tournament title as head coach. They beat Virginia 59-49 in a defensive grind.
2022: Virginia Tech
Another underdog story. The Hokies were the 7-seed and beat Duke in the final to secure an automatic bid they desperately needed.
Why Winning This Tournament Actually Matters
Some people say conference tournaments are overrated. "The regular season is the real test," they’ll argue.
They’re wrong.
In the ACC, the tournament is the culture. It’s the event that literally saved the conference back in the 70s. For a team like 2024 NC State, it was the only way to get into the NCAA Tournament. They weren't getting an at-large bid. They had to win or go home.
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For 2025 Duke, it was about seeding. By winning the ACC, they locked up a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance. That meant staying close to home for the early rounds. It makes a massive difference when you have 15,000 fans in Raleigh or Charlotte cheering for you instead of being shipped out to Spokane, Washington.
Common Misconceptions About the ACC Tournament
One thing that trips people up is the expansion. With teams like SMU, Stanford, and Cal joining the mix recently, the bracket looks huge now.
You might hear people say that the "double-bye" is an unfair advantage. The top four seeds don't have to play until the quarterfinals (Thursday). Does it help? Obviously. But as NC State proved in 2024, it’s not an ironclad rule. Sometimes, the team that plays on Tuesday and Wednesday gets "tournament tough." They find their rhythm while the top seeds are sitting in a hotel room getting rusty.
Another myth is that North Carolina always wins it. Actually, the Tar Heels have had a bit of a drought lately. Despite being a consistent top-10 team, they haven't raised the ACC Tournament trophy since 2016. They've made the finals, sure, but they keep running into buzzsaws like the Wolfpack or the Blue Devils.
What’s Next for the ACC?
The tournament is heading to different cities over the next few years. While Charlotte felt like home in 2025, the league is trying to move the event around to accommodate the new "coast-to-coast" reality of the conference.
If you're looking to follow the next race, keep an eye on the mid-tier teams. The gap between the top and the bottom is shrinking. The transfer portal has made it so a team can go from last place to a tournament contender in a single summer. Just look at Louisville's turnaround under Pat Kelsey. They went from a disaster to the ACC final in one year.
How to Track the Next Champion
- Watch the Tuesday/Wednesday games: That’s where the "bid stealers" are born.
- Check the injury reports: As Duke showed, you need to know who is actually on the floor.
- Follow the "Double DJ" effect: Look for teams with a dominant guard and a unique big man. That combo is tournament gold.
The ACC remains the most prestigious tournament in college hoops for a reason. Whether it's a blue blood like Duke or a miracle worker like NC State, the road to the trophy is never easy.
Check the official ACC website for the upcoming 2026 bracket reveal in early March. Make sure to look at the "quadrant wins" for teams on the bubble, as the tournament remains the final chance to impress the selection committee.