Two years ago, Virginia Tech entered the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament as the No. 7 seed, believing it needed a deep run to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
Forget the deep run. The Hokies removed all doubt as they rolled to four straight wins to capture their first-ever ACC basketball title and earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
This week as Virginia Tech (18-13) enters the conference tournament as the No. 8 seed, the mission is similar.
Also looking for a charmed run is the Hokies’ opponent Wednesday in Washington, D.C., ninth-seeded Florida State (16-15).
On paper it’s hard to find teams more evenly matched. They tied in the regular season standings and split their two matchups, each winning on its home floor.
“The hope that we hang onto is there have been teams that have played their way into the NCAA Tournament and all the way to the Final Four that had similar years to what we’ve had,” Seminoles coach Leonard Hamilton said.
Both teams enter on a high note with home wins on Saturday.
Sean Pedulla had two baskets in the final 52 seconds and finished with 28 points as Virginia Tech won its third straight game with an 82-76 victory over Notre Dame.
Hokies coach Mike Young said the team’s fine form entering the tournament means little.
“I’ve lost my last regular season game on Senior Night and went and won the tournament,” Young said. “My team has won three in a row, four in a row and gone up there and not played very well and lost. It’s a new world. Our sole focus will be winning one game.”
The Hokies also will depend on Pedulla’s backcourt mate, Hunter Cattoor, who was MVP of the 2022 ACC tournament as he scored 31 points in the title game where Virginia Tech upended top-seeded Duke.
In Florida State’s 83-75 win over Miami on Saturday, Darin Green Jr. knocked down eight 3-pointers to score 26 points in his final home game.
Florida State also got 16 points and 11 rebounds from its frontcourt mainstay Jamir Watkins.
The Florida State-Virginia Tech winner will have a tough assignment in the ACC tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, facing top-seeded and fourth-ranked North Carolina. Neither team beat the Tar Heels in the regular season.
–Field Level Media