Gobbler Country

Houston Wins C-USA Tournament, Hokies Move Down the Ladder

2010-03-13T19:25:15Z

Chris Dobbertean of SB Nation's Blogging the Bracket has updated his Last Four In/Last Four Out following Houston's win over UTEP to claim Conference USA's automatic bid. The Hokies are currently his second-to-last team in the NCAA Tournament field, ahead of Washington and behind San Diego State.

The last four teams out include Rhode Island, Minnesota and Mississippi State, all of whom are still alive in the conference tournaments, along with UDub. The good news is Rhode Island is currently getting blown out by Temple in the Atlantic 10 tournament (Update: URI lost, 57-44. Rams probably out of the tournament). The rest of the bubble schedule is after the jump.

Big Ten Semi: Minnesota vs. Purdue, 4 p.m. EST, CBS
SEC Semi: Mississippi State vs. Vanderbilt, 3 p.m. EST, ABC
ACC Semi: Georgia Tech vs. NC State, 3:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Pac 10 Final: Washington vs. California, 6 p.m. EST, CBS
MWC Final: San Diego State vs. UNLV, 7 p.m. EST, Versus
WAC Final: Utah State vs. New Mexico State, 10 p.m. EST, ESPN2

Hokies fans need to root for Purdue, Vanderbilt, Cal and Utah State. Georgia Tech and San Diego State are on the bubble, so losses on their part could hurt or help in the end.

2010 ACC Tournament: Greensboro is Upset City (Plus Rooting Guide for Virginia Tech Fans)

2010-03-13T05:18:24Z

Turns out misery loves company. After the Hokies were upset in the afternoon session by 12th-seeded Miami, both 2-seed Maryland and 3-seed Florida State went down in the night session. This is bad news for the Hokies NCAA Tournament chances because two teams that are out and one team on the bubble are still alive for the league's automatic bid.

Tech needs to root for ... ugh ... Duke to win the tournament and keep Miami or NC State from stealing a bid and moving the Hokies farther down the ladder toward the NIT. Georgia Tech is probably in the tournament thanks to its win over Maryland, but I'm not willing to take any chances. We need Duke to take care of business.

Here's a run down of who Tech fans need to be rooting for in the conference tournaments:

Atlantic 10: Anyone but Rhode Island. The Rams are probably lower than the Hokies on the bubble.
Big Ten: Ohio State and Purdue. Illini and Gophers could steal a bid.
C-USA: UTEP. Houston is nowhere near being in the tournament.
MWC: Not San Diego State. The Aztecs are lower on the ladder than the Hokies, but still probably in the tournament.
Pac 10: Cal. Washington is down on the bubble and Stanford is out. Game in progress as of this post.
SEC: Anyone but Mississippi State. The Bulldogs could be left out without an automatic bid.
WAC: Utah State. Aggies might have an argument even without an automatic bid. Leave nothing to chance.

Miami 70, Virginia Tech 65: Hokies' Weekend Just Got More Interesting

2010-03-12T21:56:44Z

More photos » Gerry Broome - AP

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Final - 3.12.2010	1	2	Total
Miami Hurricanes	35	35	70
Virginia Tech Hokies	37	28	65

Complete Coverage >

Virginia Tech had a chance to take it out of the selection committee's hands Friday in Greensboro. By beating Miami, a team that finished D.A.L. in the ACC, the Hokies could have cemented their place in the NCAA Tournament. However, the Hokies gag reflex reared its ugly head and Tech fell to Miami, 70-65 in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament.

Tech made 22 of its first 48 shots from the field (46 percent) but made only two of its last 15 shots coming down the stretch. The Hokies were out-rebounded 46-29 and saw their first-team All-ACC guard Malcolm Delaney shoot 3-for-15 from the floor.

The Hokies have a bad SOS and a below-average RPI. They could ill-afford to give the selection committee the opportunity to leave them out of the tournament for a third consecutive season. They may have just done that.

"I would hope that the team that tied for 3rd in the ACC would be in pretty good shape," Seth Greenberg said during the post-game press conference. "Certain things are in my control and out of my control. That ones out of my control."

The good news for the Hokies is there aren't a lot of other bubble teams playing their way into the tournament. Tech was in good standing coming into Friday's game and other teams will need to do work to bump the Hokies out of the tournament.

But it wouldn't have come to that if Tech had simply beaten a team they should have beaten in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament.

Virginia Tech vs. Miami: 2010 ACC Tournament Quarterfinal Game Thread

2010-03-12T18:45:10Z

Virginia Tech Hokies (23-7, 10-6) vs. Miami Hurricanes (19-12, 4-12)

Time: Approximately 2 p.m. EST
Date: Friday, March 12, 2010
Place: Greensboro Coliseum (23,500), Greensboro, NC
TV: Raycom Sports/ESPN2
Radio: XM 190
Online: Raycom/ESPN360.com
Spread: Virginia Tech -3.5

The Hokies will open the ACC tournament against Miami for the third consecutive year. You're never safe until your name appears during the Selection Sunday show and the Hokies can't afford to put any doubt into the minds of committee members. This may not be an absolute must-win for Tech, but a win would probably solidify its place in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007.

TV Coverage: If you live in the ACC geographic footprint, you will have to watch the game on your local Raycom affiliate or on Raycom.Swarmcast.com. The game will be blacked out on ESPN2 and ESPN360.com. If you live outside of the ACC, you can watch on ESPN2 or ESPN360.com.

Game Thread! Use the comments section of this post to discuss the game. I'll be watching from work, so I'll be around. I'll be on Twitter during the game as well.

Seth Greenberg to St. John's Rumors Heating Up

2010-03-12T16:24:16Z

More photos » Sara D. Davis - AP

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The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported this morning on a story that broke last night in the New York Post: Seth Greenberg is on St. John's short list for potential head coaches.

Just over a week ago, I said that this was going to be a move the Johnnies would seriously consider, and it looks like they were already thinking that way.

When your hometown team comes calling with an offer of nearly double your current salary, it makes for a tough, tough decision.

Has he built a stable program in Blacksburg? Yes.

Do his daughters go to Virginia Tech? Yes, well only one of them will after his eldest Paige graduates in May.

I'm not saying Seth is already out the door, but there is no way in hell he doesn't entertain the offer. I know this is his dream job, and even if the timing might be less than ideal, dreams don't hang around forever.

ACC Quarterfinal Friday: An in-depth look at each matchup

2010-03-12T07:01:38Z

More photos » Gerry Broome - AP

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Day one was a doozy, here's a look ahead to Friday's quarterfinal round.

#1 Duke vs.

#9 Virginia, 12:00 p.m.

Regular season results – Duke 67-49 at Virginia on Feb. 28

Team records – Duke 26-5 (13-3) Virginia 15-5 (6-11)

Projected starters –

Duke

G- Jon Scheyer (18.9 ppg, 40% 3pt, 89% FT)

G- Nolan Smith (17.6 ppg, 3.0 apg)

F- Kyle Singler (17.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg)

F- Lance Thomas (5.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg)

C- Brian Zoubek (5.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg)

Virginia (ACC Tournament stats)

G- Mustapha Farrakhan (10 points, 4 assists)

G- Sammy Zeglinski (21 points, 5-10 3pt)

G- Jeff Jones (14 points, 3-5 3pt)

F- Mike Scott (11 points, 13 rebounds)

C- Jerome Meyinsse (12 points, 4 rebounds)

Team statistical comparison –

DUKE	STAT	UVA
79.1	Points per game	66.0
38.9%	Three-point percentage	35.2%
39.2	Rebounds per game	34.0
27.1%	Opponents 3-point %	35.6

Overview –

This one really shouldn’t be very close. The number that jumps off the page with Duke is three-point shooting both offensively and defensively. Not only do the Blue Devils shoot 39 percent from behind the arc, but also they are the number one team in the country in three-point percentage on defense. Duke averages 23.4 points per game from threes, while its opponents average only 10.1.

Virginia already exceeded expectations by snapping a nine-game losing streak sans its leading scorer in round one. Sammy Zeglinski erupted against Boston College, shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc. Virginia is not a very strong outside shooting team typically, but would need a similar performance on Friday to even hang close.

Plain and simple, Duke has too much size for Virginia to handle. The Devils constantly throw large bodies out on the floor, and Virginia is not deep enough to hang around. Expect Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler to have huge games. It would not be surprising to see one or both creep towards the 30-point mark in this game.

Virginia’s best chance in this game is to force those two Devils into foul trouble, and shoot an even higher percentage from three-point range than it did Thursday.

Prediction – Duke 84, Virginia 69

#4 Virginia Tech vs.

#12 Miami, 2:30 p.m.

Regular season results –VT 81-66 at home on Jan. 13, Mia 82-75 at home on Jan. 31

Team records – VT 23-7 (10-6) Miami 19-12 (4-12)

Projected starters –

Virginia Tech

G- Malcolm Delaney (20.9 ppg, 4.2 apg, 3.1 t.o per game)

G- Dorenzo Hudson (14.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg)

F- Terrell Bell (6.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg)

F- Jeff Allen (12.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.2 spg)

C- Victor Davila (5.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg)

Miami (First round stats)

G-Durand Scott (6 points, 4 assists)

G-Malcolm Grant (9 points, 5 assists)

G- James Dews (15 points, 4 rebounds)

F- DeQuan Jones (14 points, 4 rebounds)

F- Reggie Johnson (22 points, 4 rebounds)

Team statistical comparison –

VA TECH	STAT	MIAMI
73.0	Points per game	72.1
72.5%	Free throw percentage	66.8%
42.6%	Field goal percentage	46.2%
13.8	Points off three-pointers	22.5

Overview –

There may never be as dominating of a victory by the last-place team in a conference tournament ever again like Miami’s 83-62 beatdown of Wake on Thursday. The Hurricanes exploited the Deacons’ weak outside shooting by playing a 2-3 zone much of the game.

Virginia Tech is in the same boat as Wake. The Hokies are one of the weakest three-point shooting teams in the country. In the first matchup between Tech and Miami, the Hokies torched the Hurricanes’ zone, shooting over 60 percent from the field in the first half.

If Seth Greenberg’s club is making outside shots, they are very tough to beat. Malcolm Delaney, Dorenzo Hudson, Terrell Bell and Jeff Allen are all capable of knocking down outside shots, but none do so on a very consistent basis.

Hudson is expected to play despite a foot injury that held him out of the Hokies’ season finale at Georgia Tech.

The X-factor in this game will be Malcolm Delaney, and how effective his jump shot will be. Against a zone, he is less likely to reach the foul line as often as he does (more than seven times per game). This game will be very close, but the Hokies know that a one-and-done in Greensboro just might keep them out of the big dance.

Prediction – Virginia Tech 72, Miami 69

#2 Maryland vs.

#7 Georgia Tech, 7:00 p.m.

Regular season results – Maryland 76-74 at home on Feb. 20

Team records – Maryland 23-7 (13-3) Georgia Tech 20-11 (8-9)

Projected starters –

Maryland

G- Greives Vasquez (19.6 ppg, 6.3 apg, 4.6 rpg)

G- Eric Hayes (11.0 ppg, 45.2% 3pt.)

F- Landon Milbourne (12.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg)

F- Sean Mosley (10.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg)

C- Jordan Williams (9.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg)

Georgia Tech (ACC Tourney stats)

G- Iman Shumpert (9 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists)

G- De’Andre Bell (8 points, 5 rebounds)

G- Glen Rice, Jr. (8 points, 2-4 3pt.)

F- Derrick Favors (18 points, 9 rebounds)

F- Gani Lawal (12 points, 4 rebounds)

Team statistical comparison –

UMD	STAT	GA TECH
79.8	Points per game	74.7
72.1%	Free throw percentage	65.4%
11.8	Turnovers per game	16.2
71.0	Points allowed per game	71.7

Overview –

Maryland has one of the best teams nobody is talking about as we hit mid-March. Vasquez is the unquestionable leader and go-to guy for Gary Williams’ team, but the Terrapins are deceptively balanced. Eric Hayes is a dynamite outside shooter, and Jordan Williams has emerged as a viable threat in the low post.

Williams will have his hands full with Lawal and Favors, who carried the Jackets past North Carolina in round one. Milbourne and Mosley will have to match the physical play of Georgia Tech to allow Vasquez and Hayes to win the game for them.

The backcourt advantage leans heavily towards the Terrapins. Georgia Tech’s guards have been inconsistent all season. Glen Rice, Jr. is a 45-percent shooter from three-point range, and he will have to knock down shots to give Tech hope.

Favors was ultra-impressive against Carolina Thursday night, and there is no reason to think he won’t build on that as he makes his case as one of the country’s best players. If he comes through with a big game, Tech has a chance.

Prediction – Maryland 74, Georgia Tech 69

#3 Florida State vs.

#11 North Carolina State, 9:30 p.m.

Regular season results – NC St. 88-81 at FSU on Jan. 12

Team records – Florida State 22-8 (10-6) NC State 18-14 (6-11)

Projected starters –

Florida State

G- Michael Snaer (8.9 ppg, 1.3 apg, 2.4 t.o per game)

G- Deividas Dulkys (8.6 ppg, 40.1% 3pt)

G- Derwin Kitchen (8.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg)

F- Chris Singleton (10.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg)

C- Solomon Alabi (11.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.3 bpg)

NC State (ACC Tourney Stats)

G- Javier Gonzalez (2 points, 4 turnovers)

G- Julius Mays (4 points, 3 turnovers)

F- Dennis Horner (2 points, 4 rebounds)

F- C.J. Williams (8 points, 4-4 FT)

F- Tracy Smith (19 points, 8 rebounds)

Team statistical comparison –

FSU	STAT	NC STATE
69.0	Points per game	68.0
64.9%	Free throw percentage	68.7%
8.4	Steals per game	6.4
60.2	Points allowed per game	65.1

Overview –

In reality, the Wolfpack had no means winning their first-round game against Clemson. They defeated the Tigers 59-57 in a game where Clemson shot 10-of-18 from the foul line and 20-of-51 from the field. Many of the Tigers’ misses were open looks, as David Potter and Andre Young went a combined one-for-12 from the field.

Florida State doesn’t boast much better shooters than Clemson, which is a good sign for the ‘Pack. Sidney Lowe’s gang, which has a knack for winning games in the conference tournament year after year, relies heavily on big man Tracy Smith to lead the way. Smith was the only scorer in double figures for NC State Thursday night.

Florida State likes to play aggressive half-court man-to-man defense, and are one of the best in the country at doing so. The Wolfpack turned the ball over 19 times against Clemson, another anomalistic number considering the fact they won the game. As I’ve said before, State has the worst ball-handling club in the ACC, and it has to catch up to them at some point.

As you can see above, though, Florida State also struggles from the foul line. Freshman guard Michael Snaer was named to the conference’s all-rookie team this week despite an appalling 1:1.8 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Just as Miami was for Wake Forest, NC State is a tough matchup for the ‘Noles, who already lost to the Wolfpack at home in 2010. This could be one ugly game.

Prediction – Florida State 64, NC State 62

Poll

Which game surprised you the most on day one?

2010 ACC Tournament Bracket: UVa, Miami, Georgia Tech and NC State advance. Virginia Tech will meet...

2010-03-12T04:55:51Z

2010 ACC Tournament Bracket: UVa, Miami, Georgia Tech and NC State advance. Virginia Tech will meet Miami at approximately 2 p.m. EST Friday on Raycom/ESPN2.

Virginia Tech Will Face Miami in Quarterfinals of 2010 ACC Tournament

2010-03-11T22:38:41Z

Virginia Tech learned its opponent for Friday's quarterfinal game in the 2010 ACC Tournament. Miami, the No. 12 seed in the tournament, upset Wake Forest 83-62 in the first round Thursday afternoon in Greensboro. It will be the third consecutive year the Hokies have opened the conference tournament against Miami. They beat the Hurricanes in each of the last two ACC tournaments.

The Hurricanes shot over 51 percent for the game and were led by Reggie Johnson, who had 22 points. Miami was 6-for-13 from behind the arc in the first half and led by 14 at the break.

I really don't like this situation for the Hokies. They'll come into their quarterfinal game with nothing to gain by beating Miami but everything to lose if they fall. You don't want the last time the committee sees you to be a bad loss to a bad team.

On the positive side, there's no way Miami's going to shoot nearly as well as they did Thursday afternoon. At least that's what I'm telling myself.

Nubian Peak for Name of the Year

2010-03-11T17:07:51Z

Nubian Peak for Name of the Year

Help CGB get Nubian the NOTY. Pharaoh says to vote Nubian and vote often.

2010 ACC Tournament -- Day One Preview

2010-03-11T08:11:28Z

It's finally here! My favorite four-day weekend of the year is upon us. The ACC Tournament tips off Thursday at noon, starting the festivities that will end Sunday afternoon by crowning its 57th champion.

Let's take an in-depth look at the four games slated for Thursday.

#9 Virginia vs.

#8 Boston College, 12:00 p.m.

ACC Championships –

Virginia – 1 (1976)

Boston College – 0

Regular season results: Boston College won at home 68-55

Team Records: UVA 14-15 (5-11) Boston College 15-15 (6-10)

Projected Starters:

Boston College

G- Reggie Jackson (12.7 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4.5 apg)

G/F- Rakim Sanders (10.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.1 apg)

F- Joe Trapani (14.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg)

F- Corey Raji (11.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg)

C- Josh Southern (4.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg)

Virginia

G- Mustapha Farrakhan (6.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg)

G- Sammy Zeglinski (8.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 38% 3pt.)

F- Mike Scott (11.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg)

F- Will Sherill (3.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg)

C- Jerome Meyinsse (6.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg)

Team Statistical Comparison

BC	STAT	UVA
69.4	Points Per Game	66.0
12.9	Turnovers Per Game	10.8
4-9	Record Away From Home	3-9

Overview – Virginia will play tomorrow’s game, and any possible game after that, without leading scorer Sylvan Landesburg, who was suspended indefinitely for academic reasons. The Cavaliers began the conference season very promising, winning five of their first seven games, before ending the season on a nine-game losing streak.

Boston College has played about to its ability level this season. After losing Tyrese Rice to graduation, the cupboard was pretty empty for coach Al Skinner. Winning six games in conference play is nothing to brag about, but it doesn’t have Skinner, a well respected coach in the league, anywhere near the hot seat.

As for the game itself, the loss of Landesburg will make it very hard for the Cavaliers to advance past this game. His 17 points per game are virtually irreplaceable. Tony Bennett placed an emphasis on defense when he took over as Virginia’s head coach, but that is what has plagued them this season. The Eagles’ flex offense can be very effective, especially against slower teams – like Virginia.

The Cavaliers’ best hope in this game is for Zeglinski to shoot exceptionally well from beyond the arc, and Jeff Jones to come up big off the bench. Neither team is very deep, so expect a slow-paced, low scoring game.

Prediction – Boston College 61, Virginia 51

#5 Wake Forest vs.

#12 Miami, 2:30 p.m.

ACC Championships –

Wake Forest – 4 (Most recent: 1996)

Miami -- 0

Regular season results – Miami 67-66 at home Jan. 9, Wake 62-53 at home Feb. 2

Team records – Miami 18-12 (4-12) Wake Forest 19-9 (9-7)

Projected starters –

Wake Forest

G- Ishmael Smith (13.3 ppg, 6.0 apg, 4.7 rpg)

G- C.J. Harris (10.0 ppg, 84% FT)

G- L.D. Williams (9.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg)

F- Al-Farouq Aminu (15.9 ppg, 10.8 rpg)

C- Chas McFarland (7.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg)

Miami

G-Malcolm Grant (9.4 ppg, 40.9 3pt. %)

G- James Dews (11.7 ppg. 2.8 rpg)

F- Adrian Thomas (7.3 ppg, 41.8 3pt %)

F- Reggie Johnson (5.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg)

C- Julian Gamble (3.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg)

Team statistical comparison –

WAKE	STAT	MIAMI
73.4	Points Per Game	72.1
31.7	3-point %	36.2
42.1	Rebounds Per Game	35.9

Overview –

This game has the makings of a potential upset. The Demon Deacons ended a four-game skid by closing out the regular season beating Clemson 70-65. Before the losing streak, Wake seemed to be on its way to a big season. Wake seems to be a lock for the NCAA Tournament still, but a loss to Miami would force the Deacs to sweat it out on Selection Sunday.

Miami’s leading scorer Dwayne Collins is out with stress reaction in his tibia. The injury kept him out of the Hurricanes’ season finale against Florida State. Durand Scott may not start, but he will have a big impact on the game. The freshman guard has been sensational at times for coach Frank Haith, scoring 10 points and dishing out 3.5 assists per game.

This game will come down to Miami’s ability to control Wake in the paint. The Deacons average the third most rebounds in the country, and Al-Farouq Aminu is one of the most ferocious players on the boards you’ll find anywhere. He disappeared at times during the losing streak, but he will have to play well tomorrow and the rest of the way for Wake. If Miami can force turnovers, score in transition, and shoot the ball well in the half-court, they have a chance.

Prediction – Wake Forest 75, Miami 71

#7 Georgia Tech vs.

#10 North Carolina, 7:00 p.m.

ACC Championships –

Georgia Tech – 3 (Most recent: 1993)

UNC – 17 (Most recent: 2008)

Regular season results – GT 73-71 at UNC Jan. 13, 68-51 at home Feb. 16

Team records – GT 19-11 (7-9) UNC 16-15 (5-11)

Projected starters –

Georgia Tech

G- Iman Shumpert (10.0 ppg, 4.0 apg)

G- De’Andre Bell (6.4 ppg, 40.6 3pt %)

G – Glen Rice, Jr. (5.3 ppg, 46.9 3pt%)

F- Derrick Favors (11.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg)

F- Gani Lawal (13.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg)

UNC

G- Larry Drew II (8.6 ppg, 5.9 apg)

G- Will Graves (9.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg)

F-Marcus Ginyard (8.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg)

F- John Henson (5.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg)

F- Deon Thompson (13.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg)

Team Statistical Comparison –

GA TECH	STAT	UNC
74.7	Points Per Game	75.7
16.2	Turnovers Per Game	15.6
0.9:1	Assist/Turnover Ratio	1:1
66.3	Points Allowed Per Game	72.6

Overview –

The most glorified on-court struggles North Carolina have had this season deal with offensive inefficiency. Statistically speaking, the Yellow Jackets are equally inept. They average more turnovers, score fewer points per possession, and are equally as poor from the free throw line.

What the Jackets do have entering this game is motivation. A loss to Virginia Tech last Saturday made this first round game a must-win if they want to make the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels, on the other hand, have gone on record saying their season was "screwed" and doomed from the start. The buzz out of Chapel Hill is not of a team on a mission to salvage a forgettable season.

Despite that aspect of the game, the Heels match up fairly well with the Jackets. The Heels have a deeper bench, and boast the kind of length on the interior that will make life difficult for Favors and Lawal. Glen Rice, Jr. and De’Andre Bell are deadly outside shooters, something the Heels have struggled guarding against all season.

Prediction – Georgia Tech 80, North Carolina 63

#6 Clemson vs.

#11 North Carolina State, 9:30 p.m.

ACC Championships –

Clemson – 0

NC State – 10 (Most recent: 1987)

Regular season results – Clemson 73-70 at NC St. Jan. 16

Team records – Clemson 21-9 (9-7) NC State 17-14 (5-11)

Projected starters –

Clemson

G- Demontez Stitt (11.2 ppg, 3.3 apg, 2.6 t.o. per game)

G- Andre Young (9.1 ppg, 1.7 spg)

F- Tanner Smith (9.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg)

F- David Potter (7.2 ppg, 39.2 3pt. %)

C- Trevor Booker (15.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.5 bpg)

NC State

G- Javier Gonzalez (10.0 ppg, 3.8 apg, 3.1 t.o. per game)

G- Julius Mays (5.0 ppg, 88.5 FT%)

F- Dennis Horner (11.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg)

F- C.J. Williams (4.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg)

F- Tracy Smith (17.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg)

Team Statistical Comparison –

CLEMSON	STAT	NC STATE
73.8	Points Per Game	68.3
70.3	Possessions Per Game	66.3
9.6	Steals Per Game	6.3
45.5%	Field Goal Percentage	43.9%

Overview –

Clemson is a tough team to figure out. Athletically, they can keep up with anyone in the league. They lack a true scorer on the perimeter. Stitt is a solid player who fits coach Oliver Purnell’s system well, but he is not a good creator in the half-court. Trevor Booker needs to have a strong performance all weekend for the Tigers to have a chance. Tracy Smith is a hard worker in the post for the ‘Pack; watching him and Booker battle it out under the rim will be fun.

The Wolfpack have one of the more anemic offenses in the country, which is not a good sign considering how heavily Clemson relies on creating extra possessions with heavy defensive pressure. The Tigers will give up easy scores on occasion, but Gonzalez and Mays turn the ball over nearly 6 times per game between themselves.

This game is not a foregone Clemson victory, mainly given the Tigers’ inconsistent performances during February. That being said, Clemson is the better team and had better win this game, or they’ll be headed in the wrong direction when the NCAA Tournament begins next week.

Prediction – Clemson 74, NC State 67

Poll

Which team should be on upset alert Thursday?

Bourbon Shots: 2010 ACC Tournament Edition

2010-03-10T23:00:33Z

The conference tournament starts Thursday (Spoiler alert: Duke's going to win it.) but before the festivities get underway let's take a trip around the ACC to see what everyone's saying going into the games in Greensboro. We'll also check in with a few teams that are preparing to start spring football practice and see what those crazy hockey-playing BC Eagles are doing going into the only postseason tournament they'll be involved in this spring.

Links after the jump.

Virginia Tech Hokies

Big Dancing (Kyle Tucker)
"And so the Hokies are, against today’s long odds, almost certainly dancing. They are 23-7 overall, 10-6 in the ACC. No 10-win team in this league has ever been excluded from the NCAA tournament field. Virginia Tech also scored its third win over a top-50 team in the RPI. Georgia Tech was No. 35 entering the game and No. 42 immediately afterward."

Malcolm Delaney wanted ACC player of year (Mark Viera)
"Delaney arguably had less to work with at Virginia Tech and he has has been nagged this season by sprains in both ankles, which has adversely impacted his typically dead-on shot. But while Vasquez's selection doesn't come as a surprise, Delaney said he wouldn't have picked the Terrapins guard to receive the award. Delaney would have picked himself."

More honors for Virginia Tech guard Malcolm Delaney (Nathan Warters)
"He was a fourth-team selection on the Sporting News All-America team and was also named to the United States Basketball Writers Association’s All-District 3 team. The junior from Baltimore is the first Hokies player to earn All-America honors since Zabian Dowdell was an honorable mention selection to the 2007 Associated Press All-America team."

Tournament Time (The A-Line)
"Attempting to predict winners in the Tournament is usually an exercise in futility. It does seem safe to assume, however, that the ACC Tournament Champion will not be playing Thursday. History teaches that winning four games in as many days is a tall order bordering on impossible."

ACC Tournament Outlook (Tech Hoops)
"The pros for VT are this is a down year for the ACC and the Hokies can play with anyone. A con is the Hokies’ starters play too many minutes and if they keep winning, may tire as the tournament goes on, especially guys like Hudson and Allen that are battling injuries."

2010 ACC Tournament Preview and Predictions (Tech Sideline)
"Virginia Tech isn't quite as hot as Duke or Maryland, but they are entering the ACC tournament playing good basketball. The Hokies are also in a position they are used to being in: playing with a first round bye in the ACC tournament. Since conference expansion, only Duke and Carolina have a better average seed than Virginia Tech, and only Duke and Carolina have had more top four finishes in ACC play."

2010 ACC Tournament

Hokies just about good to go (D1SCOURSE)
"But that heinous nonconference schedule strength --- checking in at No. 338 of 347 today --- still sticks out. The best thing happening for the Hokies is that while much of the rest of college basketball is frittering away games it shouldn't, they've generally done what they were supposed to do since the start of February."

ACC Tournament Preview: Miami/WF vs. VT (Blogger So Dear)
"Wake definitely wants another crack at Virginia Tech. The game set the Deacs back and started their losing streak and they would love to take down the Hokies in Greensboro. They have a good shot too, especially if Hudson is unable to go or has to play limited minutes. Ish Smith needs to play under control, get in the lane and finish around the hoop, something he did a great job of in the first half of the meeting in Blacksburg."

OTB in Greensboro! (On The B.Rink)
"The best quarterfinal matchup of the day is naturally the 4-5 matchup with Virginia Tech/Wake Forest–I’m excited this potential game as it was great up in Blacksburg already this season. If Miami pulls off the upset–I’m not excited anymore, but good luck to the Canes anymore."

2010 ACC Tournament Preview (ACC Sports Journal)
"What the Hokies must avoid: The Hokies can win with an off game from Delaney or Hudson, but if both struggle in the same game it will be tough to beat anyone."

ACC Tournament 2010: A Brief Primer (Testudo Times)
"History isn't on Maryland's side. The last time Maryland went into the ACC tournament with a 7 game winning streak? Lost in the first round to Miami. The last time Maryland was #2 in the tournament and Duke was #1? 2000, when the Dukies won in the championship game. Maryland, however, did meet up with them in the finals, losing by 13."

ACC and Opponents

ACC Football

We're Fixin' to Get Hoodwinked (Barrel of Rum)
"Who do we have? You guessed it.....John Swofford. The sound you just heard was indeed a painful groan. John Swofford is heading the charge on our behalf. The same guy that ran the BCS (you may now punch yourself in the groin). This is something akin to the settlers (ESPN) negotiating with the Indians (the ACC) upon their arrival in the New World."

4 questions for the start of Spring camp (OBNUG)
"At this point, it is no longer fashionable to question Moore's abilities or his level of competition...he's met all challenges and legitimately cemented himself into the national discussion. What Moore can do for another encore (don't forget, we have him for two more seasons) will largely be based on how he starts preparing for this next season...and that starts in mere days."

Thoughts as Spring Practice Begins (Shakin The Southland)
"I have a suspicion that Tajh Boyd will be built up so much by writers this Spring that he will be the favorite player on the team this fall by TardNetters, especially if he doesnt play. Everybody loves the backup, and you'll hear people screaming for Boyd at the first sign of Parker struggling. Just remember, Parker has one year of reading NCAA defenses, and that experience counts. I also suspect you'll see at least 10 articles about Parker's baseball/football dilemma."

FSU Spring Football Position Preview: Offensive Line (Tomahawk Nation)
"This season, FSU returns all 5 starters and 6 reserves. The only loss was Senior Brandon Davis, who elected to graduate and pursue employment. The only way this unit can get any better is to become the best offensive line in the country. For Spring then, what questions are facing this unit? Surprisingly, there are a few."

ACC Crown or Shannon Gets the Boot? (AllCanes)
"Entering the 2010 season, logic needs to prevail... which is proving difficult as the Canes' skid is running over half a decade now. The natives are restless - and understandably so. Still, it's not the 1980s and this entitled mindset or cliche sayings ("we only play for national championships at Miami", etc.) - it has to go."

ACC Hockey

College Hockey's Tournament Selection Process Flawed (BC Interruption)
Brian has much more time for blogging now that Mrs. Brian has replaced him with an iTouch and he isn't needed for social interaction: "College hockey doesn't believe in the subjective merit of arguing the case of Team X over Team Y in an attempt to whittle down the tournament field from 58 to 16. Instead, to do the job, college hockey employs a statistical formula known as the PairWise Rankings. This year, however, I'm here to tell you that the PairWise is failing college hockey. Take, for instance, the case of the Vermont Catamounts men's hockey team."

ACC Basketball

Living the dream (From Old Virginia)
"Yeah, but that's not the way it works when the school's BMOC (or BMOG in our case) decides .... well, you know that dream you have where you have to go to class, maybe take the final, and suddenly you realize you haven't even been to this class all year and you aren't even sure you know where it is and if you go, you'll probably fail in front of everyone and if you don't you'll definitely fail, and the whole thing really sucks? Welcome to the world of dreams, Sylven Landesberg."

Paul Hewitt, we have given up on you (From The Rumble Seat)
"The worst thing to happen to Paul Hewitt was Paul Johnson. With Chan Gailey swimming in mediocrity it was easy for Hewitt to maintain the basketball status quo as long as he did something that made it seem like we were doing something worthwhile. We never looked at the basketball numbers too deeply because we were all grumbling about the king sport of football."

A Blast from the NCAA Tournament Past (Carolina March)
"There are a lot of similarities between the 2000 squad and this year's team. Both started the season highly ranked, but fell out of the polls in January. What evicted that year's team was a four game losing streak, and although they righted the ship to finish 9-7 in the conference, they lost in the first round of the ACC tournament and were generally though to have only squeaked into the NCAAs on the basis of their name."

Henson: We didn’t care about each other (Tar Heel Fan)
"Personally, I don’t think caring about each other causes defensive lapses or throwing the ball into the stands, but it does figure into how hard the team plays and how they respond to adversity. And for the past two games, Carolina has shown an ability to hold it together that was not there throughout most of the ACC season."

Cost per Win in ACC Football and Basketball

2010-03-10T18:31:11Z

Ed. Note: This idea was stolen from this and uses data from this.

Pete Thamel's story in the New York Times yesterday about spending for success in Big East basketball made me interested to see if there was a similar trend in the ACC. The answer for our conference wasn't quite as definite as the Big East's.

Because the numbers used from the Department of Education is for the 08-09 athletics year, we have to look at last year's basketball standings. Sure enough, the two biggest spenders finished one-two in the standings: Duke and North Carolina. But the next biggest basketball spenders, Virginia and Boston College, finished 11th and 6th, respectively.

Wake Forest and Florida State, who finished 3rd and 4th in the 08-09 standings, had two of the smaller budgets in the league. Wake had the 3rd-smallest budget and FSU the 4th-smallest. The Deacs and Noles used their money more efficiently than the league's other schools.

Using conference wins, we can see which schools got more bang for their buck in both basketball and football. I channeled my inner Bird and made a couple of charts outlining how much each school spent per conference win in the 2008-09 basketball season and the 2008 football season. I used the previous seasons because that's where the financial data came from and I used conference wins because as we learned this year, not all non-conference records are created equal.

To give credit for winning conference titles, I included wins in the ACC Tournament and ACCCG in the win totals.

A few things need to be mentioned. First, this is far from an exact science, but it's still kinda cool. Second, the numbers for this past football season will give a much better idea of which teams are spending efficiently on the oblong. Unfortunately, the expense reports won't be available from the Department of Education until this summer. Since 2008 was such a weird and groovy time to be playing football in the ACC, these numbers are a little skewed. It was the fall of love, baby, everybody got a share of their division title. Third, if you think the expense reports from these football teams are outrageous, God's Conference laughs in your general direction.

**2008-09 ACC Basketball Cost Per Win**
School	Expenses	Wins	$/W
Florida State	$4,286,536	12	$375,211
Wake Forest	$4,185,149	11	$380,468
Clemson	$4,119,249	9	$457,694
North Carolina	$7,488,429	14	$534,888
Maryland	$4,891,205	9	$543,467
Virginia Tech	$4,482,300	8	$560,288
NC State	$3,747,426	6	$624,571
Boston College	$5,688,912	9	$632,101
Miami	$4,803,226	7	$686,175
Duke	$13,873,859	14	$990,990
Georgia Tech	$4,411,839	3	$1,470,613
Virginia	$7,188,025	4	$1,797,006
League	$69,166,155	106	$652,511

**2008 ACC Football Cost Per Win**
School	Expenses	Wins	$/W
NC State	$11,009,793	4	$2,752,448
Maryland	$11,729,095	4	$2,932,274
Virginia Tech	$18,276,468	6	$3,046,078
Georgia Tech	$16,128,865	5	$3,225,773
Florida State	$16,706,311	5	$3,341,262
Wake Forest	$13,419,935	4	$3,354,984
North Carolina	$15,363,472	4	$3,840,868
Boston College	$19,408,065	5	$3,881,613
Clemson	$18,842,872	4	$4,710,718
Miami	$20,972,026	4	$5,243,007
Virginia	$17,226,350	3	$5,742,117
Duke	$15,746,727	1	$15,746,727
League	$194,829,979	49	$3,976,122

ACC Tournament is Up for Grabs

2010-03-10T16:24:46Z

ACC Tournament is Up for Grabs

Your SB Nation story stream and game thread(s) for the ACC Tournament. It will be updated often.

Hokies Should Steal a Page from UVa's Playbook

2010-03-09T22:13:31Z

Yes, I realize I'm way late on this. Deal with it.

It's not too often that I read something about UVa that elicits a reaction other than a wanking motion and look of disdain. But when I read this from Annette, it certainly raised my eyebrows. The Hoos are changing the playing field in the battle for 757 recruits by, well, changing their playing field. They'll hold a scrimmage at Old Dominion's Foreman Field in Norfolk, hold a meet and greet and put on a coaching clinic.

The Hoos have a young, energetic coach in Mike London and CGB has said that the Hokies won't have as many scholarships to offer this upcoming recruiting season because of the success they've had with recent classes. If London plays his cards right, he could make up a lot of the ground UVa has to the Hokies in recruiting the Commonwealth's finest.

I think taking Tech's show on the road in the spring is something the coaching staff should look into. It's one thing to go on the road and shake hands with boosters at Hokie Club functions, but it's another to bring the whole team to the Eastern part of the state and connect with fans and future recruits who can't make it out to Blacksburg. London has the right idea. Why wait for recruits to come to you when you can go to them?

London has the potential to build a good program at UVa. As a Hokie fan, I think there's no chance in hell the Hoos will ever be as good as us in football, but London will still be a thorn in our side. There's a lot of great football talent in Virginia, but I don't think there's enough to sustain two solid programs. Tech can compete for championships by getting most of the talent the state has to offer, but I don't think either school can with just half of it.

2010 ACC Basketball Tournament Roundtable

2010-03-09T19:13:58Z

Clark from the ACC & SEC Blog has organized a roundtable to help preview this year's ACC basketball postseason. Let's get to it.

1. The national perception is that the ACC is down this year. Duke has been in the top 10 all year, but no one else has come close. Does the conference deserve this reputation? Why or Why not?

Of course the ACC is down. It lost the ACC/Big Ten Challenge for the first time ever this year, what more proof do you need?

2. Does Duke have what it takes to make a run to a National Championship? Why or Why not?

Duke is a team that is built to win an ACC title, but not a national title. They can play tough and physical when they need and they shoot well, but they don't have the guard play or the quality depth to get it done in the ACC tournament.

There's another reason that Duke and a lot of other ACC teams don't perform well in the NCAA tournament. Officiating in the ACC is extremely inconsistent. I'm not saying it's biased for one team or another, I'm saying that what's a foul one night in the ACC might not be one the next night.

And ACC officials let a lot of physical play go in conference play that gets called in the NCAA tournament. It takes a team like UNC had last year to make a run. UNC could play well regardless of how close a game was being called or at what tempo it was being played.

Duke, and really most teams in the ACC, can't do that. I think the team best equipped to make an NCAA run in this conference is Maryland. The Terps can get out and run and take Eric Hayes is really good at taking care of the ball. Duke is probably a Sweet 16 team regardless. Maryland will be more boom or bust. It could go out in the first or second round or make a Final Four run depending on its draw.

3. We know Duke and Maryland are in, but who else gets in from the ACC? Will we see any surprises on Selection Sunday?

There will be at least six with a possible seventh in Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets are trying hard to play themselves out of a tournament berth. They absolutely have to beat UNC in the first round of the tournament and could need another win depending on how other bubble teams fare in their conference tournaments.

Virginia Tech could be in trouble as well if they lose to Miami in the quarterfinals.

4. What is the biggest surprise of the season (good or bad)?

It has to be North Carolina's season. I didn't think the Heels would come anywhere close to winning the league, but I didn't think they'd be this miserable. It wasn't a collapse because that would mean they were good at some point in the season. They weren't it was more of a debacle with no leadership or chemistry or desire from the players to turn things around. They mirrored Oklahoma's season pretty well.

5. A couple of teams have had disappointing seasons. Whose seat is the hottest?

Looking at From the Rumble Seat's approval ratings it has to be Paul Hewitt.

6. Who is your player and coach of the year? Why?

Both awards head to Maryland. Greivis Vasquez is your player of the year and Gary Williams is your coach of the year. Vasquez was a difference maker all year and made big shots game after game, even when they didn't count. Maryland has improved with just about every game it's played, thanks in large part to Williams.

2009-10 Virginia Tech Basketball: 2010 ACC Tournament Bracket, Notes and Predictions

2010-03-09T16:46:28Z

Virginia Tech will receive a first-round bye in the 2010 ACC Tournament thanks to its win Saturday at Georgia Tech. The Hokies will face either Wake Forest or Miami in the quarterfinals at approximately 2 p.m. EST on Friday, March 12 in Greensboro, NC. The game will be televised on Raycom Sports in the ACC footprint (listings) and on ESPN2 in the rest of the country.

This is the fourth time in six seasons the Hokies have finished in the Top 4 in the ACC and had a first-round bye in the tournament since joining the ACC prior to the 2004-2005 season. Tech is 3-5 all-time in the ACC tournament, 2-2 in the quarterfinal round and 2-1 in the quarterfinals after a first-round bye.

Should Miami beat Wake Forest, it would be the third consecutive year the Hokies have played the Hurricanes in their first ACC tournament game. Tech played Miami in the quarterfinals of the 2008 ACC Tournament after receiving a first-round bye and played it again in the first round of last year's tournament. The Hokies won both meetings.

The bye will give the Hokies some much-needed rests. They'll go five calendar days between their win in Atlanta and their first game in Greensboro, their longest layoff since early January when they went seven calendar days between games against Seton Hall and North Carolina.

My pIcks:

First Round
Boston College
Wake Forest
Georgia Tech
NC State

Quarterfinals
Duke
Wake Forest
Maryland
Florida State

Semifinals
Duke
Florida State

Champion
Duke

Questions for the Masses:

- Who ya got? Wake or Miami?
- Does Tech need another W to make the NCAA field?
- Will the layoff be long enough to get Dorenzo Hudson back on the court?
- How far will the Hokies go in the tournament?
- Who's going to win this thing?

Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech: Q&A with From the Rumble Seat

2010-03-06T01:32:11Z

More photos » Ethan Hyman - AP

Browse more photos »

Bird from the fine upstanding Georgia Tech blog From the Rumble Seat was nice enough to help us prepare for Saturday's game against the Yellow Jackets by answering a few questions. But since neither of us really care that much about basketball, it kind of devolved into chest thumping and jocularity about November's football game.

GC: Why has Georgia Tech's basketball team been so bi-polar this year?

FTRS: Youth is the number one excuse in our book. A lot of Tech fans don't want to hear this excuse but imagine a football team that allocates 40% of its playing time to freshmen. 43% of our starting lineups have been freshmen. That's the equivalent of starting nine true freshmen on a football team. The inexperience has proven to be a true burden on the road as costly end-of-game turnovers have done us in in single possession games.

GC: Should Paul Hewitt start updating his resume?

FTRS: FTRS is a big time Georgia Tech homer blog but the sentiment is currently 221:23 in opposition of Hewitt's ability to coach our team. A lot of faith has been lost over the years as Tech has failed to win ANY postseason games since 2005's win over George Washington in the first round of the NCAAT.

FTRS doesn't think Hewitt is leaving any time soon though. Hewitt has a 7 million dollar buyout due to some weird clauses put in his contract by previous athletic director, Dave Braine. If Hewitt doesn't reach the tournament this season, then it may be time for him to respectfully step down. But we don't think Tech fans have the financial motivation to push him out.

GC: You guys coming to the 'Burg Nov. 4?

FTRS: Bird - I'm going. My G/F is from the Richmond area but has friends scattered all across Virginia including family (free place to stay) near Blacksburg. I plan on attending the shamockery that is a night game in Blacksburg. My only concern is crowd hostility. I've been fortunate enough to only attend games in the early day where VT's finest are more subdued.

Winfield/Dane/Ted were unavailable for questioning so I am telepathing their thoughts through my typing hands:

Ted - I will not be able to make it because I am in Kansas. Have arrived to find Fort Sedgewick deserted. Am now waiting for garrison's return or word from headquarters. The post is in exceedingly poor condition, and I have assigned myself clean-up duty beginning tomorrow. Supplies are abundant, and the country is everything I dreamed it would be. There can be no place like this on earth.

Dane - Why wouldn't I go to Blacksburg on November 4th? Did someone tell you I wouldn't be? Is there something wrong with Virginia in November? If I come, can I listen to Red Hot Chili Peppers for sixteen straight hours on the car ride there and back? What food is good in Blacksburg?

Winfield - Depends on my job's location when I graduate. My life is a twisting, turning path of choice and there's no telling where the wind may take me. If my final destination is Bermuda or Inuit Territory, I probably will not make it. If my final destination is D.C., then I'll be there with one of those hard hats that has two cans of brew on the sides. I will also wear a t-shirt that reads, "|-|0|

GC: Which departing assistant was the biggest blow for the Jackets? My pick is Ciano.

FTRS: While your pick is a good start, FTRS believes that the loss of defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Giff Smith was a greater blow. Giff's units usually performed (minus the 2009 travesty). Giff pulled in some solid recruiting classes including the 2006 class that may have up to four guys drafted in the first two rounds. Only time will tell with our new recruiting coordinator from NC State.

GC: Al Groh?

FTRS: Dan Radakovich and Paul Johnson sat in a dark, smoke filled room and discussed what fire needed more gasoline. Clemson is already a pretty solid rivalry as we've met the Tigers about 75 times. The uga rivalry doesn't need anymore fuel - it's nasty enough. But VT is our only legitimate perennial division title competition.

Who hates VT? Who hates UVA (another Coastal rival)? Who has seen more game film on VT than Frank Beamer and Bud Foster combined? Who is cheap because of a weird line in his buyout deal? Al Groh. He'll work extra special hard to ensure that VT doesn't defeat the Jackets next season. He'll also ensure that we pound the Cavs again. Hell, he can't be worse than what we had in that terrible zone blitz 4-2-5 stack scheme. That garbage stymied the Hokies somehow so Tech fans feel with some semblance of a defense, we can repeat as division champs and TCOB. It's all about the Battle of the Techs and we're the ones with the Belt.

Virginia Tech Linebacker Barquell Rivers Out 3-4 Months

2010-03-04T03:19:22Z

More photos » Dave Martin - AP

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Rising junior linebacker Barquell Rivers tore a quadriceps tendon Wednesday and will be sidelined three to four months according to the BeamerBlog (per EBJ). Rivers will be out during spring practice and summer conditioning, but should return in time for practice in August.

The problem with the quad is it's easy to tweak. If Rivers tries to push it and come back too quickly, this is an injury that could nag through the season. Rivers is our best linebacker and we can ill afford to have him at anything less than full strength this season.

In the meantime, rising sophomore Bruce Taylor will fill in for Rivers at the mike linebacker spot.

Rivers made his first start for the Hokies in the 2009 Orange Bowl and had a great game, cementing himself for the starting mike spot in the 2009 season. He started all 13 games last year and had 96 tackles, 6.5 for loss. Rivers was consistent in the middle of the field for Tech and was its best run-stopper.

The silver lining from Rivers injury is that Taylor and other young players will get more reps in the spring. That will be important in Rivers' injury becomes a nagging one as the season goes on.

Virginia Tech 71, NC State 59: Hokies Stop the Skid

2010-03-04T02:36:31Z

Nothing like the playing the worst team in the ACC to stop a three-game losing streak at the right time.

The Hokies took care of business Wednesday against NC State to improve to to 22-7 overall and 9-6 in league play. The trio of Malcolm Delaney, Jeff Allen and Dorenzo Hudson combined for 60 points shot 19-36 from the floor in a game that was never in doubt.

Tech was tenacious defensively, scoring 15 points off 20 turnovers. Terrell Bell was shut out, but made up for it with two steals, a block and five assists.

Senior Night wasn't all seashells and balloons for the Hokies, though. The Hokies were outrebounded 35-29 and got worked on the offensive glass.

The Hokies will travel to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech Saturday. If the Hokies were going to pick a time to come up with a big conference road win, Saturday is the time. Tech has struggled on the road in the ACC this year at 2-5 with wins over Virginia and NC State.

Last season, Tech needed a big road win at Florida State in its last regular season game to bolster its tournament resume. They lost by 10. In 2008, the Hokies could have guaranteed themselves a spot in the tournament with a win at Clemson in their last regular season game. They folded down the stretch and lost by one. What will be their fate Saturday in Atlanta?

Seth Greenberg to St. John's? Don't Count It Out

2010-03-03T20:35:51Z

More photos » Sara D. Davis - AP

20 days ago: Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg reacts to a missed basket by his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Sunday, Feb. 21, 2010. Duke won 67-55. (AP Photo/Sara D. Davis)

Browse more photos »

I am the sports fan who is never really satisfied with only the present. Whether it’s remembering the history, or predicting the future, either is more fascinating to me than what is happening right now.

So of course, I am already looking into the coaching carousel that will start to spin in the coming weeks, and as it begins to turn, there is the distinct possibility it could make a stop in Blacksburg along the way.

And so I speculate.

St. John’s is in the midst of its own dark age. Once an elite program in the Big East, the Red Storm have hidden in the dungeons of the conference for the better part of this decade.

In 2004, St. John’s hired Kansas assistant Norm Roberts to revive the program. In his first five seasons, his teams never finished better than 11^th in the conference, and only had one winning season.

So far this season, the Johnnies are 15-14, 5-12 in the Big East. After several years of Roberts’ job being in limbo, this finally might be the year he is ousted.

Barring any miraculous run in the Big East Tournament, Roberts will be shown the door.

When he is, Seth Greenberg will be on the extremely short list of potential successors.

And he just might take the bait.

Though his career path hasn’t taken him anywhere near home, Greenberg is a Yankee at heart. Born and raised in Plainview, NY on Long Island, Greenberg graduated from New Jersey’s Farleigh Dickinson University in 1978.

While he has never indicated publicly he would even consider leaving Blacksburg for anywhere, it’s not far-fetched to think that he would jump at the chance to return to the Empire State.

Would it be a smart move? Maybe, maybe not. Virginia Tech has become a relevant program while St. John’s faces extinction in the meantime.

The reason the Hokies matter now is purely because of Greenberg. There is little to no tradition in Blacksburg, save for a couple NIT championships, but in the grand scheme of things, Greenberg’s tenure and the entrance into the ACC have brought Tech to another level.

Despite the two programs’ recent fortunes, a move from Tech to St. John’s would be a lateral move at worst.

In its history, St. John’s has made it to six elite eights and two final fours.

I would also argue that the Big East has supplanted the ACC as the premier league in college basketball. Even with 16 teams, no conference boasts as many elite teams as the Big East.

The Big East Tournament is now the best of its kind. For five days in Madison Square Garden, the tournament guarantees at least two or three games between top fifteen teams.

Recently the ACC Tournament has turned into a ho-hum affair in either the St. Petersburg Times forum or the Charlotte Bobcats Arena, where if you don’t face Duke or North Carolina, nobody really cares.

Greenberg has proven he can recruit at the highest level. He’s pulled in talent to Blacksburg that hardly anyone expected him to. He’s succeeded at three places that are far from national powers. Some of his biggest recruits in Blacksburg have come from inner cities. Baltimore/Washington D.C. and Philadelphia are the two developing pipelines Greenberg has developed at Tech.

At Saint John’s, he would have the streets of New York in his backyard to pick talent out of. The lack of nearby talent is one of the biggest problems the Red Storm have faced in recent years.

The timing might be perfect for the move. Key word: might. The Hokies return virtually all of their key players from this year’s team in 2010-11, setting up the season Greenberg dreamed of when he took the job.

However, Malcolm Delaney will certainly take a look at turning pro, and if he opts to leave school, it would knock Tech back to the middle of the pack next year.

This is far from a certainty. Hell, it doesn’t even qualify as a prediction. But Hokie fans, ye be warned of the Greenberg-to-Queens talk heating up should Norm Roberts be shown the door.

Poll

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