Virginia Tech Hokies: 22-10, 10-8 in the ACC
Head coach: Buzz Williams (3rd season)
Players to watch: Zach LeDay (16.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG); Seth Allen (13.4 PPG, 45.1 3PT%); Justin Robinson (10.3 PPG, 4.8 APG)
Season recap: After shocking the ACC by winning their last five regular season games in 2015-16 to finish 10-8 in league play, the Hokies were determined to show that the success was not a fluke with all of their key contributors back. Virginia Tech did just that, running through nonconference play with just one loss and picking up a quality win at Michigan before battling in the brutal ACC. The Hokies opened league play by routing then-No. 5 Duke with a balanced attack and a barrage of 3-pointers, but, like most conference teams, struggled mightily away from home.
After Virginia Tech fell to 5-6 in conference play following four double-digit road losses, it seemed to right the ship with an 80-78 double-overtime win against Virginia. However, the team lost forward Chris Clarke—who averaged nearly 30 minutes with 11.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game—for the season to a torn ACL in that contest, making many wonder whether the Hokies could seal an NCAA tournament bid.
Luckily for Virginia Tech fans, its offensive balance and depth paid off late in the year, as the team went 4-2 without Clarke to finish with fewer than 10 losses in a regular season for the first time since 2009-10.
Zach LeDay and Seth Allen headline the Hokie offense, and if the two veteran redshirt seniors can put up some big offensive numbers this week, Virginia Tech could be be a tough out in the Big Dance. The duo combined for 39 points in their ACC tournament quarterfinal battle against second-seeded Florida State, but the team ran out of steam and fell 74-68.
How they make a run: LeDay and Allen play like all-conference performers after getting left off the All-ACC teams, and the Hokies' ability to spread the court—five players have made at least 39 triples this season, and four have made at least 51—leads to a surprise Sweet 16 run.
How they falter: Virginia Tech's lack of depth—now the Hokies rely on LeDay and freshman Khadim Sy almost exclusively in the frontcout—leads to a first-round loss against a bigger Wisconsin team.
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