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CHAPEL HILL – An interesting debate surfaces every year at conference tournament time, and there really is no right answer: To lose or not to lose.

Or something along those lines.

Each of the ACC’s 15 teams that ventured up to Brooklyn last week did so hoping to win a conference championship. Not one team secretly hoped they would lose so they could be fresher for the bigger tournament that starts this week.

That said, losing before the title game Saturday night has its benefits. And if you’re a team like North Carolina, that doesn’t play its bench much, falling to Virginia Tech in the semifinals last Friday night was a blessing in disguise. At least with respect to the rest and recharge the Heels got over the weekend upon returning to campus.

"It was good to have Saturday off and Sunday, we didn't do anything physical, just more mental stuff,” UNC junior forward Armando Bacot said Tuesday morning at a press conference before the Tar Heels departed for Texas, where they will open NCAA Tournament play Thursday.

“So, it's been great just having these few days off. It's like our first time really having a two-day stretch off of physical work since the season has started. So, we are pretty well rested and feel good."

The Tar Heels (24-9) looked tired versus the Hokies, and afterward, Carolina Coach Hubert Davis acknowledged his team was tired. Asked in the postgame press conference for clarification if it was physical, mental, or both, and Davis said it was all physical.

Maybe so. But nobody would blame the team if it was also a bit mental.

They had been through a taxing couple of weeks. The overtime win at home over Syracuse was exhausting in how it almost didn’t happen. Then, the Heels had to insulate in a tube, essentially, all week ignoring and trying not to be exposed to all the hoopla surrounding their game that following Saturday night at Duke.

It was Blue Devils Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s last home game and the national media and non-sports media were all over the event. Carolina wasn’t, and went into Cameron Indoor Stadium and spoiled the party.

Then, the Heels moved to Brooklyn where they took apart ACC nemesis Virginia in the quarterfinals – their second rout of the Cavaliers this season – before stumbling, and perhaps running out of gas, versus Virginia Tech.

So, a heck of a two weeks, but draining, too. So, falling last Friday didn’t bring tears to anyone’s eyes.

“I told the team right after the game I was disappointed because I wanted them to have that experience of playing an ACC final and winning an ACC Tournament Championship,” Davis said Tuesday morning. “That's something that I experienced as a player and that's something that I want all of our players to experience.

“So, I was disappointed, but I told them not to be discouraged, to be encouraged about the year that they have had, and the position that we're in… So, yes, rest is really good for this group. And the long timeouts in the NCAA tournament are really good for this group as well, so I'm looking forward to that.”

The starters have averaged around 90 percent of the minutes in competitive games over the last six weeks. So the team had Saturday off and didn’t do much Sunday. They could get up some shots if they wanted, but they absolutely had to be together to watch the NCAA Selection show. The Heels learned they are a No. 8 seed in the East Region and will face No. 9 seed Marquette (19-12) on Thursday afternoon (4:30 PMEST) at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, TX.

And it’s a good thing they got that extra break, especially now that they’re playing one of the first games of the tournament.

"It was super beneficial,” senior wing Leaky Black said. “We had a great practice (Monday), I really like where this team is at momentum-wise, despite the last loss. I feel like we are really playing great and I don’t want it to end.”

The next step is almost here, and North Carolina will be plenty rested by the time tip time arrives.