2026 ACC Tournament: Duke wins back-to-back ACC Championships

Clemson said forward Carter Welling suffered a torn knee ligament in the Tigers' opening game of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.

The school announced Thursday that Welling had torn the ACL in his right knee. He was hurt when he attempted to drive late in the first half of Wednesday's second-round win against Wake Forest, when he collapsed to the court.

The 6-foot-11, 240-pound junior was helped from the court and later had a brace on his right leg and crutches. He had an MRI on Thursday.

Welling has averaged 10.2 points and 5.4 rebounds for the fifth-seeded Tigers, who are headed to the NCAA tournament. The program announced Welling's diagnosis before Thursday's quarterfinal against No. 19 North Carolina.

-- The Associated Press contributed.

Malik Reneau scored 18 of his 24 points in the second half, Tru Washington added 17, and Miami beat No. 24 Louisville 78-73 on Thursday to advance to the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament semifinals.

Reneau was 5 of 9 from the field and 7 of 8 from the foul line after halftime.

• Box Score

Tre Donaldson scored 14 points for Miami (25-7), which moves on to face No. 10 Virginia in Saturday's semifinals.

Ryan Conwell had 22 points and nine rebounds, and J'Vonne Hadley added 19 points for the Cardinals (24-10).

Miami avenged a 92-89 loss to Louisville just five days earlier. This time, points weren't as easy to come by.

Louisville, playing its second game in two days after failing to secure a top-four seed and a double bye despite its national ranking, led 38-37 at the break after a physical first half that saw three Cardinals players leave with bloodied faces.

The Hurricanes used a swarming defense to take control early in the second half. Dante Allen came up with a steal and fastbreak layup for a three-point play to give Miami a 49-41 lead.

Miami scored 17 points off turnovers.

The Cardinals clawed back, cutting the lead to one with 1:23 left when Hadley came up with a steal, and Issac McKneely put back Hadley's miss off a fastbreak layup.

But Reneau made a layup, and Washington came up with the play of the game when he stole the ensuing inbounds pass and was fouled. He made both free throws to push the lead to five with less than a minute to play.

Reneau added two free throws and Shelton Henderson sealed the win with a steal and a powerful two-handed dunk.

Louisville finished 6 of 24 from 3-point range.

On Friday, the Hurricanes will look to avenge an 86-63 loss to Virginia last month.

Injured Duke players Patrick Ngongba II and Caleb Foster rolled -- literally -- into the arena as the Blue Devils get ready to play Florida State on Thursday night.

Injured Duke players Patrick Ngongba II and Caleb Foster rolled -- literally -- into the arena as the Blue Devils get ready to play Florida State on Thursday night.

The top-ranked Blue Devils are seeking their second consecutive ACC championship. A win against the Seminoles could potentially set up a semifinal matchup against rival No. 19 North Carolina.

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Malik Thomas scored 16 points, Thijs De Ridder added 15 points, and No. 10 Virginia defeated N.C. State for the third time this season, 81-74 on Thursday in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament quarterfinals.

Coach Ryan Odom earned the win on the same floor where he led 16th-seeded UMBC to a historic and shocking upset against then-No. 1 overall seed Virginia in the 2018 NCAA tournament.

• Box Score

Jacari White added 13 points as the Cavaliers (28-5) shot 54.8% from the field in the second half and made 6 of 13 3-point attempts to pull away.

Paul McNeil Jr. had 26 points, and Van-Allen Lubin added 14 for the Wolfpack (20-13).

NC State had lost by 15 points at home and 29 points on the road earlier this season to Virginia and never led either game. Wolfpack coach Will Wade said before the game that his team had "been outclassed" by the Cavaliers.

But NC State stormed to a 22-16 lead behind eight early points from Lubin as Wade seemed content to pound the ball inside.

The Cavaliers would battle back to take a 33-32 lead after De Ridder knocked down a corner 3 just before halftime and began to pull away in the third quarter when Dallin Hall drilled a 3 for a double-digit lead.

NC State would cut the lead to four with 26.8 seconds left on a 3 by McNeil, and then forced a turnover under their own basket on the ensuing rebound. But they missed two short-range shots, and Virginia sealed the game with some late free throws.

Despite losing seven of their last nine games, the Wolfpack are expected to make the NCAA tournament as an at-large team.

Virginia will face Miami or No. 24 Louisville in Friday's semifinals.

-- The Associated Press contributed.