GREENSBORO, N.C. — College basketball returns to Tournament Town, one year after an abrupt cancelation, with the ACC tournament tipping off in Greensboro.
Fans at home are happy to watch their teams play on TV. Fans in the stands are overjoyed to be there live. At the Greensboro Coliseum, there's a different vibe now than there was this time last year.
In March 2020, the second round of the ACC Tournament underway was underway. Then, it was announced that the UNC would be the very last to have fans in the stands. Within a day, no fans turned into no more games - the tournament, canceled.
"You realized that this thing had taken an extra step. It's canceling basketball. It's almost stopping everything," said Chris Williams, a fan who attended last year.
One year later, with a better understanding of the pandemic, and vaccines rolling out daily, the men's tournament is back along with the devoted fans, like Bill and Becky Faircloth, supporting Wake Forest University.
"If anybody can pull it off - Greensboro can. This is where it belongs and this is where we've got to have it," he said.
Even with limited attendance, Williams and Ronnie Robertson couldn't miss it. Every year since 2007, they've attended the ACC tournament. This year, they say it's bittersweet, after losing a close friend, who used to travel with them on this very trip.
"We ended up losing our friend in May," Robertson said.
"Just to be back and have basketball, back to some type of normalcy, we sit and think, had we not lost him, he would be here with us. Not only that but, he would want us to be here because they are having it," Williams said.
