Survived To Advance

Try this count for size, ACC fans.

One. Three. Five. Six. Fifteen.

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One ACC team, Virginia, reached the Sweet 16 in 2014. At least the league wasn't shut out entirely. However this was the fourth time in eight years the ACC had a single entrant in the NCAA regional semifinals, a major comedown for a conference that placed at least two teams in the Sweet 16 for 28 straight seasons - from 1980 through 2007.

One is also the number of rounds it took to eliminate Duke, an opening-game victim for the second time in three seasons. The Blue Devils still have more Sweet 16 appearances since 1990, 17, than any other ACC program.

Three leagues have had more Sweet 16 contestants than the ACC since 2000 - the old Big East, the Big 10, and the Big 12.

Five leagues have a better won-lost record in this year's tournament than the ACC, which now stands at 6-5. UVa, the conference's last hope, next faces Michigan State, a popular pick among TV prognosticators to win this year's NCAA title.

Six other leagues have more teams in the 2014 Sweet 16 than does the ACC. Three in fact have three each, including the much-maligned SEC, along with the Big 10 and the Pac-12.

Six is also the number of ACC squads that secured NCAA bids - Duke, North Carolina, N.C. State, Pitt, Syracuse and Virginia.

Fifteen is the current membership of the new, improved ACC. For now, at least, the increased numbers haven't made a bit of difference in enhancing the league's NCAA fortunes.