Busting Brackets
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ACC Basketball: Conference tournament preview

By Matt Ostrowski

Mar 5, 2016; Durham, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams questions a call by the officials in the second half of their game against the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 5, 2016; Durham, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams questions a call by the officials in the second half of their game against the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 5, 2016; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies forward Zach LeDay (32) reacts with forward Greg Donlon (14) during a time out against the Miami Hurricanes in the first half at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Michael Shroyer-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 5, 2016; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies forward Zach LeDay (32) reacts with forward Greg Donlon (14) during a time out against the Miami Hurricanes in the first half at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Michael Shroyer-USA TODAY Sports /

6. Virginia Tech

The Hokies this year are a prime example of a team that is a victim of their strength of schedule. Despite finishing sixth in the ACC, ahead of projected tournament teams like Syracuse and Pitt, Joe Lunardi left Virginia Tech out of his latest bracketology.

If you take a look at their non-conference schedule, and who they have beaten, it’s easy to see why. West Virginia, Iowa State, and St. Joe’s were the only three non-conference teams they played that are projected to receive at-large bids into the NCAA Tournament, and they lost those three games by a combined 64 points.

Other than that, they had losses to lowly Northwestern and Alabama State.

Their ACC performance was actually pretty solid if not for a stretch in which they lost seven of eight in the middle of the season. They began the year with a win over Virginia, and ended the year with a win over Miami, so we know they have the ability to do some damage.

So maybe they’ll come out with something to prove this week. They’ll play the winner of Florida State versus Boston College on Wednesday, so they should win at least one game. Win that, and they play Miami in the quarterfinals with an opportunity to make a final run at a tournament berth, although it seems very unlikely.

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The issue with Virginia Tech this year has been a lack of identity. Their defense isn’t very good, finishing with a defensive rating of 129th in the country, and in ACC play, they allowed opponents to shoot 53 percent from inside the arc, 14th in the ACC.

On offense, they’re an iso-heavy team that lacks a true point guard. Zach LeDay is good, but again, there’s no real point guard to set him up in the paint.

I guess Seth Allen is the closest thing they have to a point guard, but he has an assist to turnover ratio of .87 and is shooting just 38 percent from the floor.

In ACC play, the Hokies averaged just 11 assists per game, 14th in the conference. All of this combined gives Virginia Tech a very mediocre offense, and combined with a very mediocre defense.

I find it unlikely that they get the big wins in the ACC Tournament that they need to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

Next: Number five