Quality wins count for Virginia Tech

Analyzing the Hokies

BLACKSBURG At the halfway mark of its ACC schedule, Virginia Tech is 5-3 in the conference. If the Hokies duplicate that record in their final eight league games, they will probably lock up an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. Eleven ACC teams have finished 10-6 in the league. None missed the tournament.

Getting to 10-6 won't be easy. The Hokies certainly could reach eight wins by sweeping their next three games -- Georgia Tech tonight, Maryland on Saturday, Virginia next Wednesday. Those teams currently are 1-8, 4-5 and 1-7 in the league. And they are ranked 156th, 64th and 98th in the Ratings Percentage Index, a formula the NCAA tournament committee uses to help pick its field of 65.

Finding two wins in the final five games will be tougher. This gauntlet is book-ended with games against Florida State -- Feb. 20 at home, March 8 on the road. The Seminoles are 20th in the RPI. The other three games are at No. 8 Clemson and home against No. 2 Duke and No. 6 North Carolina.

The Hokies are 3-5 against the RPI top 50 -- already better than last season's final 1-7 mark, a significant blemish on their tournament résumé. But the bottom line remains: If they don't want to squirm again on Selection Sunday, they'll have to win another game or two against a quality opponent.

Before we look too far ahead, let's examine a four-point progress report from the first half of Tech's ACC schedule.

Most valuable player: Malcolm Delaney. The sophomore has increased his offensive production while continuing to orchestrate the offense at point guard. Tech coach Seth Greenberg likes to slide him over to shooting guard, because he can score more easily from that position.

Delaney seems to be juggling his multiple responsibilities just fine. He leads the Hokies in scoring (18.5 points per game) and makes 38.7 percent of his 3-pointers. Just as important, he has become a leader in a locker room that has just two seniors, including second-leading scorer A.D. Vassallo.

"It's by necessity," Greenberg said. "A.D. leads by example in terms of his competitive spirit. Malcolm kind of brings it all together."

Biggest surprise: Hank Thorns. As Delaney's backup, the 5-9 sophomore plays just 18.4 minutes a game. But when he and Delaney are on the court together, Delaney can move to shooting guard and, players say, the Hokies are more effective in transition.

During conference play, Thorns has 26 assists and three turnovers -- a stunning ratio of 8.7-to-1. Last season, Thorns' ratio in conference games was 1.9-to-1.

Wildest moment: The half-court, buzzer-beating overtime heave that Xavier's Dante' Jackson made against the Hokies was pretty wild. The shot gave the Musketeers a 63-62 win and spoiled Tech's trip to the Puerto Rico Tip-Off tournament.

Coming in a close second: Greenberg's sideline histrionics during Sunday's 91-87 overtime win against North Carolina State. He showed textbook form in hurling his jacket, dropping to his knees and falling forward onto the court after a silly foul -- and drawing a technical foul for arguing a call. It was an outburst he regrets and can't afford to repeat.

"It could have hurt us," he said. "For that, I'm obviously sorry."

Biggest shortcomings: Greenberg cited two on Sunday, rebounding and post defense.

The Hokies were out-rebounded Sunday for the third consecutive game, and State had a 38-25 rebounding advantage after regulation. "We're getting pushed under [the basket]," Greenberg said of his team's rebounding issues. "We've got to pursue the ball a little bit more aggressively."

Though Tech's rebounding margin (plus-3.7 per game) is close to last season's (plus-4.1), it's clear that the Hokies are struggling to stop opposing big men -- in part, Greenberg said, because his post players aren't establishing position in the paint early enough.

The numbers back up his words. State's Ben McCauley had 25 points against Tech. Two games earlier, Clemson's Trevor Booker had 21 points and 13 rebounds. The game before that, Miami's Dwayne Collins scored 23.