Big Four Tournament

The Big Four Tournament was an annual college basketball tournament played from 1971 to 1981 in Greensboro, North Carolina.[1] The field consisted of the "Big Four" North Carolina Atlantic Coast Conference schools: NC State Wolfpack, Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels, and Wake Forest Demon Deacons. The four previously participated in the Dixie Classic from 1949–1960.

Big Four Tournament
SportBasketball
Founded1971
Ceased1981
No. of teams4
CountryUnited States
Most titlesWake Forest (4)

The tournament was held in December,[2] before the holiday season started, and consisted of two rounds. Each team would play one other team. The two winners then played for the championship and the two losers would play for third place. The games did not count in the ACC standings, but did count on a team's overall seasonal record, as did their team and individual stats.[3]

The tournament came to an end in 1981, when participating schools and their coaches decided that the extra competition, aggravation of playing top conference rivals a third time each season, and the toll of all but one team getting one or more losses on its record so early in the season, outweighed their share of the gate and media revenues, substantial fan interest, and the chance to test themselves against the best in the ACC without the outcome affecting their conference records.

Games
YearsRoundWinnerLoserScore
1970–71FirstWake ForestDuke83–77
FirstNC StateNorth Carolina82–70
Third PlaceNorth CarolinaDuke83–81
ChampionshipNC StateWake Forest73–70
1971–72FirstNC StateDuke67–62
FirstNorth CarolinaWake Forest99–76
Third PlaceDukeWake Forest70–58
ChampionshipNorth CarolinaNC State99–68
1972–73FirstNorth CarolinaDuke91–86
FirstNC StateWake Forest88–83
Third PlaceDukeWake Forest80–67
ChampionshipNC StateNorth Carolina68–61
1973–74FirstWake ForestDuke64–61
FirstNC StateNorth Carolina78–77
Third PlaceNorth CarolinaDuke84–75
ChampionshipNC StateWake Forest91–73
1974–75FirstDukeNorth Carolina99–96 OT
FirstWake ForestNC State83–78
Third PlaceNC StateNorth Carolina82–67
ChampionshipWake ForestDuke75–71
1975–76FirstNC StateDuke104–95
FirstWake ForestNorth Carolina95–88
Third PlaceNorth CarolinaDuke77–74
ChampionshipWake ForestNC State93–78
1976–77FirstWake ForestDuke81–80
FirstNorth CarolinaNC State78–66
Third PlaceDukeNC State84–82
ChampionshipWake ForestNorth Carolina97–96
1977–78FirstNorth CarolinaDuke79–66
FirstNC StateWake Forest79–77
Third PlaceDukeWake Forest97–84
ChampionshipNorth CarolinaNC State87–82
1978–79FirstDukeNC State65–63
FirstNorth CarolinaWake Forest73–55
Third PlaceNC StateWake Forest77–70
ChampionshipDukeNorth Carolina78–68
1979–80FirstDukeWake Forest72–70
FirstNorth CarolinaNC State97–84
Third PlaceNC StateWake Forest70–65
ChampionshipDukeNorth Carolina86–74
1980–81FirstNorth CarolinaDuke78–76
FirstWake ForestNC State87–57
Third PlaceNC StateDuke74–60
ChampionshipWake ForestNorth Carolina82–71

[4]

Championships
Team Championships Record
Wake Forest 4 10–12
NC State  3 13–9
North Carolina 2 12–10
Duke 2 9–13

References
  1. "TheWolfpacker - NC State's in-state rivalries once included the Big Four Tournament". ncstate.rivals.com. January 18, 2018.
  2. "Duke Men's Basketball vs. North Carolina -- Big Four Tournament, Greensboro, N. C. (December 19, 1970) (BB-000030)". Rubenstein Library. Archived from the original on 2020-02-28.
  3. Fimrite, Ron. "Cry Wolf in Carolina". Sports Illustrated.
  4. "College Basketball Statistics and History". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.
  5. "Your Opinion? Remembering the Acc'S Big Four Tournament". collegehoopsdaily.com. Archived from the original on 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
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