This post is being brought to you by Wild Turkey 101. Because that's what I'm drinking right now to unsee what I just saw. My buddy Mike, who was unfortunate enough to have to watch that game with me, and I started off with a shot that was half 101 and half Jager.
According to Webtender, it doesn't exist so I'm taking it upon myself to name it. From here on, a shot that is half 101 and half Jager will be called a "Brandon Flowers" because it knocks you the fuck out.
Yeah, we played great. Yeah, it was nice that we played so well against the No. 1 team in the land. But we lost in the worst way imaginable. We led the whole way and Tyler Fucking Hansbrough ripped my heart out. At least it was the player of the year and not the dook player who shall remain nameless who added salt to the wound one day after the football team laid an egg in the ACC Title Game in '05.
This one hurts more than that dook game because it probably knocked us out of The Tournament. I like that the ESPN guys are talking about how we deserve to be in because of how well we played. What I don't like is that the committee doesn't give a shit about almost beating No. 1. The committee takes the Yoda approach to things like that. Do or do not, there is no try.
I'm glad they played well, but this team had two chances in six days to come up with a win that would have put them in the field, no questions asked. And twice they got complacent and choked down the stretch. Both the UNC game and the Clemson game are on the coaches. We stopped attacking, we started bleeding the shot clock and having empty possessions late because we were trying to shorten the game. And twice it led to tough losses. Tournament teams keep attacking, keep putting pressure on their opponents and get the job done.
I'll have a Selection Sunday post later today that will basically be a homer rant as to why we should be in. Until then, I'm going back to my 101 and diet.
Now things get interesting. The Hokies hit the boards to beat Miami, 63-49 Friday in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament. Tech needed the win to have a shot at making the NCAA Tournament and came through. Tech is now 19-12 with 10 wins against ACC opponents.
The Hokies dominated in the rebound column, collecting 51 rebounds to Miami’s 25. Tech’s 51 boards included 20 offensive rebounds that led to 19 second-chance points. In the preview for the game, we said the Hokies needed to get the ball inside. They did just that with 30 points in the paint, 22 in the second half. Tech looked very good in transition both offensively and defensively and it showed in the box score. The Hokies had a 12-2 advantage in fast break points.
Was the win enough to put the Hokies in the Big Dance? We won’t know for sure until tomorrow, but my feeling right now is that it did not. Miami was a “lock” team (despite my efforts to put them on the bubble) with 22 wins and the win came away from Cassell Coliseum. The failure of any bubble teams to make a statement in their conference tournaments also helps the Hokies. They finished fourth in the ACC and made the tournament semifinals. They’ve finished well, winning five of six going into the North Carolina game.
However, their RPI and SOS aren’t great, they have losses to Old Dominion and Richmond on their resume and they don’t any eye-popping wins. The committee will justify leaving them out by saying they never did anything to stand out from the other bubble teams.
Everyone I see on ESPN has Tech out of the field. Joe Lunardi is especially down on the Hokies and has them near the bottom of the bubble. However, I think it will be closer than people think because they play in the ACC and won Friday. They are one of the few teams who won when they needed to win. The pressure got to most teams, but Tech was able to come through with a very impressive win when it mattered most. I think the committee will look at that. The Hokies need help to get in, and if they get it they could sneak in as the last team on the bracket. It’s going to be close. Right now I think the Hokies are one of the last two teams out of The Tournament.
The point is moot if the Hokies can beat No. 1 North Carolina in Saturday’s semifinal game. The Hokies lost by 39 to North Carolina in their only regular season meeting Feb. 16 in Chapel Hill. Tech swept the series with the Tar Heels in 2007 and North Carolina definitely got their revenge in this season’s match-up. But if the Hokies pull the upset today, it gives them a marquee win over the nation’s best team in a tournament environment.
The problem is Carolina’s really, really good. Barring another injury to Ty Lawson between now and when the bracket comes out, they will be my pick to win it all. They’re too strong in all facets of the game and there isn’t a single player in the top seven of Tech’s rotation that I would take over anyone in the top seven of Carolina’s rotation. Still, the game will be played, so we just have to be a bunch of Don Quixotes and dream the impossible dream.
Game Guide Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina
Time: 1:30 p.m. Place: Bobcats Arena, Charlotte, N.C. TV: Raycom in the ACC viewing area, ESPN everywhere else
Regular Season: It wasn’t pretty. It was on national TV.
Trends: Virginia Tech won its last game, 63-49 over Miami Friday in the ACC quarterfinal. The Hokies have won five of their last six and eight of their last 12 games. North Carolina won its last game, 82-70 over FSU Friday in the ACC quarterfinal and has won nine consecutive games since losing to Duke Feb. 6. The Tar Heels have not lost a road or neutral court game this season (15-0).
What to expect: North Carolina will run, run, run to get points in transition. The good news is Tech is good at transition D. The bad news is once the break is stopped, Carolina will just throw it down to Tyler Hansbrough and hope for the best. Usually this ends well for the Tar Heels. There probably won’t be much outside shooting in this one. The Tar Heels don’t shoot a lot of threes because they don’t have to and the Hokies don’t shoot a lot of threes because they aren’t very good at it. In the half-court, Tech will try to work down low or drive to the basket to get Hansbrough in foul trouble. This doesn’t work a lot. Hansbrough has fouled out twice in his career, none this season.
Hokies win if: They force turnovers in their transition defense, somehow get Hansbrough in foul trouble and pretty much play a Villanova-in-85 type perfect game.
Tar Heels win if: They don’t beat themselves.
Dot-dot-dots: The Hokies are making their second consecutive appearance in the ACC semifinals…they lost to NC State in last year’s semis…the Tar Heels are looking for their record 29th appearance in the ACC finals…they have 16 ACC tourney championships…Tech is 0-5 all-time vs. UNC in Charlotte.
Rooting Guide The best part about being a bubble team is rooting against other bubble teams. That’s probably just because I’m a schadenfreude. Here’s who we’re rooting against/for on Saturday and Sunday:
Saturday TBA – Georgia (out) over Kentucky (bubble) TBA – Tennessee (lock) over Arkansas (bubble) TBA – MississippiState (lock) over Ga./Ky. winner (out/bubble) 11:35 a.m. – Memphis (lock) over Tulsa (out) 1 p.m. – Tennessee (lock) over Arkansas (bubble) 4:30 p.m. – Kansas (lock) over Texas A&M (bubble) 6 p.m. – Saint Joseph’s (bubble) over Temple (out) Saint Joseph’s is likely in after beating Xavier. A loss by them could keep Tech out. 7 p.m. – BYU (lock) over UNLV (bubble) 7 p.m. – KentState (lock) over Akron (out)
Sunday 1 p.m. – SEC – Tennessee or MississippiState 3 p.m. – Big 12 – Anyone but Texas A&M 3:30 p.m. – Big Ten – MichiganState or Wisconsin
Today’s Schedule/Picks 1:30 p.m. – UNC over VT 3ish p.m. – Duke over Clemson
The Hokies' game against Miami is essentially a play-in game for the NCAA Tournament thanks to BC's win over Maryland last night. I doubt the selection committee will only take three teams from the ACC. The Terps should be out of contention for the fourth ACC bid, meaning it will go to either Tech or Miami.
This all could have been avoided if the Hokies had beaten Clemson on Sunday. Now, because nearly every bubble team lost yesterday, Tech has been given a second chance. What they do with it is up to them.
Game Guide Virginia Tech vs. Miami
Time: 2:30ish p.m. (Game starts appx. 30 minutes after the UNC-FSU game at noon) Place: Bobcats Arena, Charlotte, N.C. TV: Raycom in the ACC viewing area, ESPN2 everywhere else
Regular Season: Tech and Miami met once in the regular season, Feb. 9 in Blacksburg. Miami won, 74-71 for its first win in Blacksburg since 2004. A.D. Vassallo made four threes and scored 24 points to lead all scorers. Tech shot 63 percent (17-27) in the second half, including five-for-nine from behind the arc, but couldn't overcome a 10 point deficit in the final 12 minutes. The difference came at the line, where Miami made 21 of 25 free throws. The Hokies made eight of their 12 foul shots.
Trends: Miami won its last game, 63-50 vs. NC State yesterday in the ACC Tournament. The Hurricanes have now won seven of their last nine games. They lost six of their previous seven. The Hokies lost their last game, 70-69 at Clemson on Sunday. The Hokies had won their previous four and seven of their previous 10 games.
What to expect: Should be close. The previous meeting was decided by three points and most of the games in the ACC this year have been tight.
Hokies win if: They make their free throws down the stretch, keep Miami from going to the line and they can get points in the paint from Vassallo and Jeff Allen.
Canes win if: Jack McClinton goes off and they're able to force turnovers from Tech's inexperienced ball handlers.
Dot-dot-dots: The Hokies are 6-10 and the Canes are 9-7 in road and neutral court games this season...Tech is 1-3 and Miami is 4-3 all-time in the ACC Tournament...the Hokies have received a first round bye in the ACC Tournament in three of four seasons since joining the conference in 2004-05.
Today's schedule/picks: Noon - UNC over FSU 2:30ish p.m. - Miami over VT 7 p.m. - Duke over GT 9:30ish p.m. - Tyrese Rice over Clemson
Our buddy Clark lives and Charlotte and will be trying to get tickets to the ACC Tournament this week. If he's successful, we should have plenty of photos from the action inside Bobcats Arena and of the events around the tournament.
Clark's Web site, cruhland.com, is the best source of Hokie desktops on the Internet.
Hopefully more photos from the ACC Tournament to come...
Tech's first game is scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday against today's Miami-NC State winner. The game will be televised on Raycom in the ACC viewing area and nationally on ESPN2. The actual game time will depend on how long the early game on Friday lasts. Tech will tip 30 minutes after the conclusion of the noon game between UNC and the Wake/FSU winner.
Today's schedule/picks: Noon - Wake over FSU 2:30ish p.m. - Miami over NC State 7 p.m. - Georgia Tech over UVa 9:30ish p.m. - BC over Maryland
And if you're a Tech fan rooting for NC State to pull the upset this afternoon, apparently you haven't been paying any attention to the Hokies' recent history with the Pack.
We've lost six consecutive games against NC State, including three games last season.
This post is being brought to you by Wild Turkey 101. Because that's what I'm drinking right now to unsee what I just saw. My buddy Mike, who was unfortunate enough to have to watch that game with me, and I started off with a shot that was half 101 and half Jager.
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