The Atlantic Coast Conference has undergone a supreme makeover in this new age climate of conference realignment. The conference is losing Maryland to the Big 10, but gains national powers Notre Dame, Pitt, Syracuse and Louisville in the coming year.
Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski is excited about the future of his conference, and during a press conference to announce his return to USA Basketball and Duke through at least 2016, Kryzewski made a really bold proclamation.
According to the Sporting News, Coach K predicted that the ACC would get more than 10 bids for the NCAA Tournament, and then proudly guaranteed that the new version of the ACC would be “the best conference in the history of the game.”
“We’re going to be a 10-bid conference,” Krzyzewski said. “We’re going to be the best conference in the history of the game.”
“I think it’ll be great,” Krzyzewski said. “From a basketball guy, a lifer, to have so many brands, basketball brands in this conference and the level of coaching and accomplishment … I think will be great for the game. I’m really excited about it.”
It’s not necessarily that far-fetched of a guarantee. The Big East before it was disbanded regularly got 8-10 bids a post season.
If you count UNC, Duke, Louisville, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, North Carolina State and Miami as possible automatic, you have eight from the door.
Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and Boston College would have to improve and break their streak of missing the tournament to get the conference 10 or 11.