Wednesday, March 2, 2011

My Take on What it will take for the Virginia Tech Hokies Men's Hoops Team to Dance in the NCAA Tournament!!

Good afternoon. Tech Hoops has a great recap of the Virginia Tech - Boston College Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) men's hoops game, so I will not talk more about that... Tech Hoops unlocks the mystery to Virginia Tech men's hoops victories. In short, it's who shoots the three ball better.

On to the next men's hoops game vs. Clemson on Saturday, March 5, 2011. This may well be an NCAA tournament play-in game.

As Tech Hoops' Niemo says, Virginia Tech is still in control of its own destiny... beat Clemson on Saturday and the Hokies will have the fourth seed in the ACC men's hoops tournament. That's big for a team that has only eight scholarship players because the lack of depth could cause some problems in the ACC tournament. Lose and the Hokies fall to the sixth seed... there's a big difference in playing a potential of four nights and three nights.

Let's move onto where I stand on Virginia Tech's NCAA men's hoops tournament prospects... I'll give you several scenarios:

1.) Scenario One - Virginia Tech defeats Clemson on Saturday and finishes 10-6 in the ACC. I still firmly believe that Virginia Tech needs to win one more game in the ACC tournament (which would be the quarterfinals) in order to feel good about its chances for an invite to the NCAA tournament. The Hokies also cannot get blown out of the water in the ACC tournament semifinals.

2.) Scenario Two - Virginia Tech loses to Clemson on Saturday and finishes 9-7 in the ACC. In this case, I believe the Hokies must win two games (the opening round game and the quarterfinal). As in scenario one, the Hokies also cannot get blown out of the water in the ACC tournament semifinals.

3.) Scenario Three - Virginia Tech loses to Clemson on Saturday and finishes 9-7 in the ACC. Then, the Hokies win only the opening round game in the ACC tourney, but lose the quarter final (or lose the opening round game and do not make the quarterfinals at all). There will be no invite to the NCAA tournament.

4.) Scenario Four - Virginia Tech loses
to Clemson on Saturday and finishes 9-7 in the ACC. Then, the Hokies win three ACC tournament games enroute to the finals. Virginia Tech gets an invite to the NCAA tournament.

5.) Scenario Five - If Virginia Tech wins the ACC tournament, the Hokies will be in the NCAA tournament.

Virginia Tech was a 10-6 ACC team last year, yet did not make the NCAA tournament. However, the Hokies did not have a win over #1 Duke. This year, we do. The short of it is that I think we need two more wins and it would be preferable to get achieve this goal beginning Saturday, March 5, 2011 vs. Clemson. We want that ACC tournament bye.

GO HOKIES!!!!