Hokies just about good to go

RICHMOND, Va. --- I've seen a dozen teams in person over the last couple days and will add another --- Old Dominion --- later this afternoon.

But the one worth vetting the most at the moment is the one whose game I listened to yesterday on the drive from Charlottesville to Richmond.

That would be Virginia Tech, which beat Georgia Tech and clinched the No. 4 seed in the ACC tournament.

What an amazingly odd profile the Hokies own.

A record of 23-7 and an RPI of 49. That's pretty good.

A 6-5 road record and 8-6 mark away from Cassell Coliseum. Nothing wrong there.

A 3-4 mark against the top 50, 7-6 against the top 100 and 15-7 against the top 200. While not overwhelming, it's not the sort of thing that makes anyone wring their hands in disdain.

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.

No one's holding losses to Duke and Maryland against the Hokies. And while falling at Boston College doesn't help, it won't be an eyesore if the Eagles go ahead and beat N.C. State today and Virginia on Thursday like they should.

So here's the assessment of Virginia Tech: It is probably in the tournament. It is not definitely in the tournament.

Hokies fans should love Butler. And Gonzaga. And Northern Iowa. And Old Dominion. the Atlantic 10 favorites. And New Mexico/Brigham Young/UNLV. And on and on and on. If those teams all do what they should, the Hokies won't have to sweat anything.

But one more win would be nice. Losing to Wake Forest or Florida State probably wouldn't be cataclysmic. Falling to Miami again, should the Hurricanes pull the ACC's annual 5/12 upset, would lead to a few Maalox moments.

Virginia Tech should be, to quote Greivis Vasquez's favorite axiom, happy but not satisfied. Most of the work is done. But to eliminate all doubt, locking down one more victory certainly wouldn't hurt.