ACC Tipoff Day 2: "Winning Is Fun," "Good to Great" and a Packed House in Charlotte

Photo: THE ACC

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Day 2 of ACC Tipoff had a little bit of everything. Women's basketball wrapped up its media day, the commissioner packed the room, and men's basketball finally took the stage.

Women's Media Day Wraps Up

The day started with Boston College, followed by California, Pitt, SMU, Stanford and Syracuse. A few teams stood out.

California: Chemistry and Grit

Cal said its team has great chemistry, helped by a lot of team bonding in the offseason. Berkeley also has a lot of international players on both the women's and men's teams, and the Bears feel that helps their game.

The women have a very tough nonconference schedule, and they believe it will elevate their conference play and help when the tournament rolls around. To describe the team, Cal used three words: grit, unique and tough.

Pitt: A New Era

Pitt is in a transition year with a brand-new head coach, Robin Harmony, who came over from Charleston and brought twins Taryn and Taylor Barbot with her. The Panthers went 8-23 and 1-17 in the ACC last season, so a fresh start is exactly what they're after.

Harmony stressed the transition but said the team will stay gritty and eager through it.

SMU: "Winning Is Fun"

Second-year coach Adia Barnes lit up when she talked about her team and basketball. She said she has some good young players who are exciting to coach, and she is building a dynamic backcourt with the right formula for longevity and winning.

Her message was simple: "Winning is fun." She wants players who love to win, but who are also hard-working, blue-collar types.

Barnes also said the game is changing and has become very "transactional," and that she has had to adjust to keep the winning formula going and recruit well. She even said scrimmaging in the region this year was intentional, to bring fans, notability and revenue to the school and the area.

Asked to describe the program, SMU said: fiery, gritty, blue-collar and hardworking.

Stanford: Keeping the Success Going

Stanford is looking to keep winning and to bring its younger players into "the Stanford way."

A Packed House for the Commissioner

When the women wrapped up, the Commissioner's Forum began, and it was really a packed house to hear ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips speak.

Phillips went through the league's accolades and where it is headed. He spoke on the Protect College Sports Act and said student-athletes had a huge part in the process and were very vocal when they met with the government. He said efforts have been made, and will continue, to make sure the students are always the top priority. He also acknowledged that all 18 schools aren't in lockstep on the bill.

He said the ACC is in the spotlight "where it should be." Phillips pointed to viewership gains, with women's basketball on The CW up 25% and men's basketball up 44%, the largest increase among the Power 4 conferences.

He highlighted eight All-ACC first-team returners on the women's side, and Duke coach Kara Lawson leading Team USA to gold at the FIBA World Cup. He also noted that the 2027 ACC Women's Tournament will be the 50th, played at Spectrum Center, the longest-running women's conference tournament in the country. It will be the first time in Charlotte since 1999. The men's tournament will be in Greensboro.

There will also be 35 games played with 18 HBCU programs as part of an initiative to celebrate HBCUs and the former coaches from those schools and where they are now.

On the NCAA Tournament expansion, Phillips said he thought it was great and something he pushed for. It gives more schools the chance to fight for a championship and better reflects the share of teams compared with the pro leagues.

Men's Basketball Begins

A Legacy of Success

The ACC is the winningest conference in NCAA Tournament history. Based on yearly conference membership, the league leads all conferences with 498 NCAA Tournament wins and has the highest winning percentage. Since the tournament expanded in 1985, nearly half the ACC teams that earned bids reached the Sweet 16.

ACC men's basketball has won 15 national championships, including three since 2015. Teams currently in the league have combined for 19: North Carolina (6), Duke (5), Louisville (2), NC State (2), California (1), Stanford (1), Syracuse (1) and Virginia (1).

Since 2015, the ACC leads all conferences with 10 Final Four appearances and 122 NCAA Tournament wins, going 122-69 (63.8%). Six different programs have reached the Final Four in that span: Duke, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia and Syracuse.

The Road to the Pros

A dozen ACC players were picked in the 2026 NBA Draft, the most since 13 were chosen in 2019, led by four first-round selections. It was the 19th time at least 10 players were picked, the most of any conference.

The league has 214 draft selections since 2000, by far the most, and has had a lottery pick in 18 straight years, 42 in total over that stretch. This year's draft extended the ACC's streak of at least one first-round selection to 38 straight years, dating to 1989.

In all, 83 alumni from current schools played in at least one NBA game in 2025-26, and 16 ACC programs had at least one alum in the league. Overall, 782 players from the 18 current schools have appeared in an NBA, ABA or NBL regular-season game. That list includes Georgia Tech alumnus Jose Alvarado, who helped the New York Knicks win the 2026 NBA championship.

Men's Teams Take the Mic

Men's basketball picked up after the lunch break, and the afternoon was full of personality.

California: Joining Virtually

Cal opened the afternoon without its head coach in the room. Mark Madsen is recovering from knee surgery, so he joined virtually. His message for fans was one word: "excitement." He's eager to get the season going with nine returners.

In Cal's third ACC season, Madsen and guard Lee Dort both said the team is getting better each year. Asked about his previous schools, Dort said leadership has been his "best teacher," and that is what he brings to Cal.

Boston College: "Togetherness"

The Eagles hammered home one word: togetherness. With a new head coach from UConn in Luke Murray, there's a sense of having something to prove.

Guard Money Williams, who comes to Chestnut Hill from Montana, said he's bringing "the mentality" from his previous schools. He also pointed to his Oakland roots as part of that mentality, and being able to fight through adversity.

Georgia Tech: Winning the Day

The Yellow Jackets said they worked on team chemistry. Their motto is that winning the day, every day, leads to the best days. Under new coach Scott Cross, they have a lot to prove. They want 20-plus wins and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Jackson Fields is excited for a winning season, since he has never had a losing one in college.

Louisville: A Crowd Favorite

Louisville was a crowd favorite. Coach Pat Kelsey arrived excited, full of energy and having fun. He said the roster was built on purpose to grow in length, size and power, with the goal of an "elite defense" that can help the team "get over the hump." Speed combined with muscle, he said, is a recipe for success.

Flory Bidunga said he believes "we can do something special as a team," a sign of how much faith there is in this group. Adrian Wooley called it a "day by day" process, and said making it to the next day makes it the best day. That applied mostly to a tough schedule and how the team handles things right now.

Stanford: "Good to Great"

Stanford's slogan is "good to great." Last year the Cardinal were good but not great, and that needs to change this year. The team is led by four juniors and one senior, who will make up the core leadership. Coach Kyle Smith called them an "unselfish group." Their message to fans: "Be ready."

Wrapping Up Day 2

The day ended with Stanford, and everyone took it all in. Day 2 was a success and revealed a lot about what is to come this season.