1974 ACC men's basketball tournament
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NCAA Basketball Conference tournament
| Year = 1974
| Conference = ACC
| Division =
| Gender = Men's
| Image =
| ImageSize =
| Caption =
| Teams = 7
| Arena = Greensboro Coliseum
| City = Greensboro, North Carolina
| Champions = NC State
| TitleCount = 8th
| Coach = Norm Sloan
| CoachCount = 3rd
| MVP = Tommy Burleson
| MVPTeam = NC State
| Attendance =
| TopScorer =
| TopScorerTeam =
| TopScorer2 =
| TopScorer2Team =
| Points =
| Television =
}}
{{1973–74 ACC men's basketball standings}}
The 1974 Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball tournament was held in Greensboro, North Carolina, at the Greensboro Coliseum from March 7–9. NC State defeated Maryland in overtime, 103–100, to win the championship. Tommy Burleson of NC State was named the tournament MVP.
The final pitted arguably the two best teams in the country and has long been regarded by many as the greatest ACC game in history and one of the greatest college games ever. The game was instrumental in forcing the expansion of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament to 32 teams, thus allowing more than one bid from a conference. That Maryland team, with six future NBA draft picks, is considered, by Bill Free of the Baltimore Sun newspaper, the greatest team that did not participate in the NCAA tournament.Bill Free - [https://www.baltimoresun.com/1999/02/09/this-overtime-lasts-25-years-nc-state-terps-the-1974-acc-tourney-final-remains-a-fresh-memory-for-players-of-both-teams-after-all-the-classic-decided-a-national-title/ This Overtime Lasts 25 Years] Baltimore Sun
Many considered it the all-time greatest college basketball game until Duke pulled off a last-second overtime finish in the 1992 NCAA Division I East Regional final for a 104–103 win over Kentucky. "I know they call the Duke–Kentucky game the greatest now," said Burleson in 1999 at a 25-year commemoration of the 1974 game, "but we're still the greatest ACC game ever."
NC State won the 1974 NCAA tournament, dethroning Bill Walton and seven-time defending national champion UCLA in the semifinals in another classic, before defeating Marquette in the final.
Bracket
{{3RoundBracket-Byes
| RD1=Quarterfinals
March 7
| RD2=Semifinals
March 8
| RD3=Championship Game
March 9
| RD1-seed1=1
| RD1-team1=
| RD1-score1=
| RD1-seed2=
| RD1-team2=
| RD1-score2=
| RD1-seed3=4
| RD1-team3={{cbb link|1973|team=Virginia Cavaliers|title=Virginia}}
| RD1-score3=68
| RD1-seed4=5
| RD1-team4=Clemson
| RD1-score4=63
| RD1-seed5=2
| RD1-team5=#4 Maryland
| RD1-score5=85
| RD1-seed6=7
| RD1-team6=Duke
| RD1-score6=66
| RD1-seed7=3
| RD1-team7=#6 North Carolina
| RD1-score7=76
| RD1-seed8=6
| RD1-team8={{cbb link|1973|team=Wake Forest Demon Deacons|title=Wake Forest}}
| RD1-score8=62
| RD2-seed1=1
| RD2-team1=#1 NC State
| RD2-score1=87
| RD2-seed2=4
| RD2-team2=Virginia
| RD2-score2=66
| RD2-seed3=2
| RD2-team3=#4 Maryland
| RD2-score3=105
| RD2-seed4=3
| RD2-team4=#6 North Carolina
| RD2-score4=85
| RD3-seed1=1
| RD3-team1=#1 NC State
| RD3-score1=103OT
| RD3-seed2=2
| RD3-team2=#4 Maryland
| RD3-score2=100
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{ACC men's basketball tournament navbox}}
Category:ACC men's basketball tournament
Category:NC State Wolfpack men's basketball
Category:College basketball tournaments in North Carolina
Category:Basketball competitions in Greensboro, North Carolina