Episode Details

NCAA Tournament Preview + Bacon & Basketball Bracket Breakdown (ACC's 8 Bids, Duke No. 1, UNC, NC State, UVA, Louisville, Miami, Clemson, SMU)The North Carolina Sports Network's TIME-OUT show previews the 2026 NCAA Tournament field of 68 and promotes the third annual Bacon and Basketball Bracket Mayhem Challenge on Yahoo (group ID 14348) with prizes from NC Pork and Stitch Golf. Host Mike Waddell and ACC journalist David Glenn discuss North Carolina’s five tournament teams (Duke, UNC, NC State, High Point, and first-time qualifier Queens) and the ACC's eight bids, emphasizing the financial and brand impact. They break down key matchups and storylines: • Queens as a 15 seed vs Purdue; • High Point as a 12 seed vs Wisconsin;• NC State's First Four path vs Texas, then BYU; • UNC’s strengths around Veesaar + concerns with guard/bench play; • Duke as the No. 1 overall seed led by National POTY Cameron Boozer; • Virginia's depth and Sweet 16 potential; • Louisville’s backcourt and health; Miami’s fast rebuild under Jai Lucas; • Clemson’s offensive limitations and injury; • SMU's offense-heavy profile in Dayton. The episode also covers Wake Forest’s NIT and Steve Forbes’ pressure, plus ACC coaching vacancies at Syracuse, Georgia Tech, and Boston College with candidate names and context.00:00 Bracket Reveal and Hype00:25 Bacon and Basketball Promo01:56 Field Overview and ACC Bids04:44 Queens and High Point Spotlight06:45 Queens Culture and Fast Offense13:37 High Point Analytics and Upset Case18:55 Wake Forest Left Out Again25:02 NC State First Four Gauntlet33:13 UNC Strengths and Weaknesses40:16 Hubert Davis Roster Fit Debate50:13 Duke No 1 Seed Outlook54:36 Duke X Factor56:12 Point Guard Legacy57:39 Early Matchups59:35 Virginia Depth Edge01:05:03 Louisville Backcourt01:10:47 Miami Jay Lucas Build01:15:17 Clemson Ceiling01:19:15 SMU First Four Path01:23:49 ACC Big Picture01:27:18 Coaching Carousel01:38:58 Brackets And WrapWelcome to the North Carolina Sports Network!Your home for all things sports in the Bold North State — from the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, PGA TOUR, and NASCAR to the heart of ACC and college athletics.🎥 Stories. 🎙️ Podcasts. 📊 Analysis.Covering the legends, the rising stars, and everything in between.👇 Subscribe & follow:🌐 ncsportsnetwork.com🎧 Podcasts: Spotify, Apple & more📲 @TheNCSportsNet on all platforms#NCsports #BoldNorthState