Fans at the ACC tournament

Sports

Fans at the ACC tournament

Fans attending the ACC basketball tournament at the Georgia Dome.

The Georgia Dome was slow to fill as the 56th annual ACC basketball tournament began in Atlanta. This was the first time since 1966 that the ACC tournament did not sell out in advance. When it was last played in the Georgia Dome in 2001, a record 40,000 ticket books for all the tournament games were sold.

Jerry Germrota, a Virginia fan, scouts the scene early Thursday. It was going to be a long day for Germrota as his Cavaliers weren't scheduled to play until 9:30 p.m., against Boston college.

Miami and Virginia Tech took the court for the day's opening game at noon.

The passion of some fans may have been deceptive. Thomas Leggett appears to be catching up on his sleep before the start of Thursday's noon game. Leggett, a UNC fan, arrived in Atlanta at 2 a.m. with his wife Fran. The two attended Thursday's session even though their Tar Heels don't play until Friday.

Ellie Exner reads a book before the start of the Miami-Virginia Tech game. Exner and her friend Ryan Scofield are Duke fans, and their team plays Friday.

Pam Hoag of Culpeper, Va., cheers for her Hokies against Miami.

The Miami dance team brought some energy to the court during a timeout of the Miami-Virginia Tech game.

T.O. watches a timeout: NFL receiver Terrell Owens, who recently signed with the Buffalo Bills, takes in the afternoon action.

Anjirlic Aminu cheers for her son, Georgia Tech's Alade Aminu, as the Jackets took on Clemson in the second game of the day.

Third-generation Clemson alumni Lisa Hendrix from Rock Hill, S.C., roars for the Tigers against Georgia Tech.

At 21 months, Makayla Miller already can play the role of Georgia Tech cheerleader.

Tech fans Tom Gould and Matt Holt (in Braves cap) root on the Yellow Jackets.

Help for the hometown team: Fans celebrate the closing seconds of Tech's upset of fifh-seeded Clemson. Tech came in as the tournament's 12th, or last, seed.

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The Georgia Dome was slow to fill as the 56th annual ACC basketball tournament began in Atlanta. This was the first time since 1966 that the ACC tournament did not sell out in advance. When it was last played in the Georgia Dome in 2001, a record 40,000 ticket books for all the tournament games were sold.

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