Rude Awakenings: #1 ACC Seeds That Went Down In Flames In The NCAA Tournament

Virginia’s NCAA loss to Maryland-Baltimore County, the 16^th seed ably coached by Ryan Odom, the younger son of Dave and Lynn Odom, was obviously the greatest shock ever experienced by a top-seeded ACC club.

Since 1979, when the NCAA began seeding its tournament, the ACC has commanded 37 top seeds. The Cavaliers are only the second No. 1 to go down without a preceding victory, after the ’79 North Carolina squad.

In all, five No. 1’s from the ACC failed to notch more than one NCAA win. Five others went 2-1, most recently UVa in 2014.

UNC has had 16 No. 1 seeds, followed in the ACC by Duke at 14, Virginia at six, and Maryland and Wake Forest with one each.

The Blue Devils, a second seed this go-round, reached the Final Four or won the NCAA championship in half of the years they earned a top seed. They also won four of their titles as a No. 1, the exception coming in 1991 when they were second-seeded and bested top-seed UNLV.

Carolina made the Final Four 10 of 16 times (62.5 percent) it appeared as a No.1 seed in the NCAAs. All five of its national titles since 1982 – two under Dean Smith, three under Roy Williams – came in such circumstances.

The Tar Heels, a No. 2 seed in 2018, are vying for a third straight visit to the NCAA title game. Only Duke among ACC clubs has previously made a trio of consecutive trips to the championship contest, losing in 1990 but winning in 1991 and 1992.