With three schools in Sweet 16, Triangle feels like center of college basketball world

N.C. State, UNC and Duke men's basketball teams are all in the Sweet 16 — the first time that's happened since 2015 .

Why it matters: The Triangle once again feels like the center of the college basketball universe — at least for the next few days.

Driving the news: North Carolina's big basketball weekend kicks off tonight when No. 1 UNC faces No. 4 Alabama. N.C. State and Duke play tomorrow.

The big picture: The three North Carolina schools' success in this year's tournament so far underscores the ACC's college basketball dominance.

• "It speaks really well of the ACC," ESPN's Jay Bilas, a former Duke basketball standout, tells Axios. "Traditionally it's been the best league in the country — as good as any league in the county. Some people don't look at tournament results as being indicative of that but I do."

Flashback: UNC is hoping for a return to March Madness glory after missing the tournament last year. In a storybook matchup in 2022, UNC beat Duke in the Final Four, the first time the two storied programs had ever played each other in the NCAA Tournament.

• It was a magical run for the Tar Heels and coach Hubert Davis, and it capped off Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski's final game. Now, many of those same UNC players are back.
• Duke is looking for a comeback after falling to Tennessee in the second round of last year's tournament.
• N.C. State is looking to make the Elite Eight for the first time since 1986.

What they're saying: "I don't think there were many observers thinking N.C. State would rip off five teams in five days . That's only been done once before in college history," Bilas says. "To do that is extraordinary."

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