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Dick Vitale calls out ACC ahead of March Madness, calls for major changes to adapt

Wade-Peeryby:Wade Peery•03/15/25
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(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Dick Vitale has to limit his broadcasting each week due to the extreme number of surgeries and medical issues he’s dealt with over the years. But when he does broadcast games, he’s not afraid to share his takes on numerous topics. And on Saturday night in the 2025 ACC Tournament Championship Game, Vitale called out the conference and called for major changes to adapt to NIL and the Transfer Portal.

“This league’s gotta do a better job of handling the NIL and the Transfer Portal and get stronger. This conference, for years, was the best. And I’m telling you right now, it has taken a real hit,” Vitale explained.

It’s been the year of the SEC in the 2024-2025 campaign in college hoops. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has included 13 teams from the SEC in his Bracketology projections for the 2025 NCAA Tournament for much of the year.

But there’s still plenty of basketball to be played in the big dance. The Duke Blue Devils have still been the class of the ACC all season long. Saturday night was no different, and they came out on top to win the 2025 ACC Tournament Championship. They did so without Cooper Flagg, who was resting to get ready for the upcoming NCAA Tourney.

It’s the second ACC Tournament Championship in three seasons for the Blue Devils. And the school’s 23rd ACC title overall–the most of any team in conference history.

Tyrese Proctor stepped up big-time in the ACC Tournament Championship game, pouring in 19 points on six three-pointers. Kon Knueppel stuffed the stat sheet with 18 points as Duke managed to pull away for a 73-62 win. Maliq Brown also sat out the game for the Blue Devils, dealing with a shoulder injury. Sion James also tacked on 15 points for Duke, who pushed their overall record to 31-3.

Duke is projected to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tourney, according to the projections from On3’s James Fletcher III. While the Blue Devils have enjoyed a historically dominant season, the injury status of Cooper Flagg and Maliq Brown could play pivotal roles in deciding their fate in the NCAA Tournament.