1974 ACC men's basketball tournament

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.

1974 ACC men's basketball tournament
ClassificationDivision I
Season1973–74
Teams7
SiteGreensboro Coliseum
Greensboro, North Carolina
ChampionsNC State (8th title)
Winning coachNorm Sloan (3rd title)
MVPTommy Burleson (NC State)
1973–74 ACC men's basketball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
No. 1 NC State †12–0 1.00030–1  .968
No. 4 Maryland9–3 .75023–5  .821
No. 12 North Carolina9–3 .75022–6  .786
Virginia4–8 .33311–16  .407
Clemson3–9 .25014–12  .538
Wake Forest3–9 .25013–13  .500
Duke2–10 .16710–16  .385
† 1974 ACC tournament winner
Rankings from AP Poll

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.[1]

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."[1]

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
Quarterfinals
March 7 		Semifinals
March 8 		Championship Game
March 9
         
1 #1 NC State 87
4 Virginia 66
4 Virginia 68
5 Clemson 63
1 #1 NC State 103OT
2 #4 Maryland 100
2 #4 Maryland 85
7 Duke 66
2 #4 Maryland 105
3 #6 North Carolina 85
3 #6 North Carolina 76
6 Wake Forest 62

References
  1. Bill Free - This Overtime Lasts 25 Years Baltimore Sun
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