The first place Hokies take a trip to the john tomorrow night for a nationally televised contest against uva. Not only is this game a battle for first place and the #1 seed in next week’s ACC Tournament, but it’s most likely a battle for Coach of the Year honors in the ACC between Tech’s Seth Greenberg and uva’s dave leitao. Since both teams were picked in the pre-season to finish in the 6-8 place range, the winning coach Thursday night will most likely walk away with this year’s hardware.

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The photos from this post have been moved to here.

The Opposing View is written by guest columnists who are alums, or at worst, Super Fans of Virginia Tech’s upcoming opponent. Enjoy the perspective from the other side, and don’t be afraid to post your rebuttal in the Comments section at the bottom of the article.
- TechHoops.com

Go Hoos, uva-c c/o ‘97, returns to write this edition of The Opposing View.

Uncork the Colt 45, Hokies, and break out the real tomato ketchup — this is your year. Get ready to storm the court at Cassell next week, turkey calls a-blazing, to celebrate like Michael Vick found an extra year of eligibility. This is your time. Savor that feeling.

Now slap yourself in the face three times and stop dreaming.

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Match-Up: Get the brooms ready! It seemed like all the pressure was off after the Hokies snapped their four game losing streak against uva in Blacksburg. But as things have turned out, there is pressure in this one — LOTS of pressure. A Hokie victory will assure Tech of no worse than the #2 seed in the ACC Tourney and give VT a shot to win the regular season title on Sunday against clemson. A loss means that the hated hoos will only have to win at last place wake forest on Saturday to assure themselves of at least a tie for the regular season title. I don’t know about you, but seeing uva finish first would be as bitter a pill to swallow as not finishing first ourselves.

For more on this preview and stat comparisons, click ‘Read More’ below…

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So at this point, it is pretty clear that georgia tech, clemson, and florida state are all on the bubble.

What do these teams need to do to get in?

Just win baby. End of story.

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More info at
http://www.hokiesports.com/mbasketball/recaps/20070226aaa.html.

Wednesday, 2/28:

@ clemson (20-9, 6-9) 74, miami (11-18, 4-11) 70

clemson actually managed to win a game and keep their VERY slim NCAA Tourney hopes alive.  They were 14/31 from the line in this one, although that’s not much worse than their normal average.  They head to Blacksburg on Sunday having lost nine of 12.

maryland (23-7, 9-6) 85, @ #14 duke (22-8, 8-7) 77

If I have to watch Scott Van Pelt cream his pants about maryland one more time… is there anyone more biased than him on TV?  You’d think he works for the terps.  BTW: Don’t buy underarmour… big terp contributors (and grads).  duke finished just 4-4 at home in ACC play this year.

@ nc state (15-13, 5-10) 73, wake (13-15, 4-11) 66

What a night for ACC basketball!  You had a 5-9 versus a 4-10, and in this one, two 4-10 teams going at it!  The pack won this NIT bubble game and clinched being eligible for the NIT.  They take sole possession of 10th place with the win.

Thursday, 3/1:

@ #25 uva (20-8, 11-4) 69, #21 Virginia Tech (20-9, 10-5) 56

See our Recap

@ georgia tech (19-10, 7-8) 84, #8 unc (24-6, 10-5) 77

The yellow jackets are making a heck of a case to be in the NCAA Tourney.  Super freshman Thaddeus Young led georgia tech with 25 points.

Saturday, 3/3:

fsu (19-11, 7-9) 98, @ miami (11-19, 4-12) 90 (OT)

The noles kept their slim NCAA hopes alive with a win in miami.  Al Thornton had 45 points!  This is the highest total in the ACC this season.

@ wake (14-14, 5-10) 78, #25 uva (20-9, 11-5) 72

So you’re sayin’ there’s a chance!  “Classic uva choke job,” as my buddy put it.  Seriously, how uva won 11 in this conference is beyond me.  They did finish 3-5 on the road, which is not a good sign for them in the ACC Tournament. 

@ maryland (24-7, 10-6) 79, nc state (15-14, 4-11) 59

The terps won seven straight to finish the regular season and clinched at worst the #5 seed in the ACC Tournamnent.  That pretty much means a first round bye since they are playing miami.  They could still get a real bye if unc loses today.

Sunday, 3/4:

clemson (21-9, 7-9) 75, @ #21 Virginia Tech (20-10, 10-6) 74

Recap

@ georgia tech (20-10, 8-8) 74, bc (19-10, 10-6) 60

Crittenton had 16 points and 10 assists.  If the jackets can beat wake in the first round of the ACC Tourney, they will play VT on Friday night.

@ #8 unc (25-6, 11-5) 86, #14 duke (22-9, 8-8) 72

I gotta admit, I took a little bit of guilty pleasure out of seeing Hansbrough bloodied.  Thankfully he is OK though.  unc locked up the #1 seed in the ACC Tourney with the win.  Roy Williams won his 100th game at unc.

Each day this week TechHoops.com will profile a senior. Today let’s look at the career of Markus Sailes. Tomorrow is Coleman Collins.

r-Senior | Guard | 6′5″ | 210 lb. | Richmond, VA

Markus Sailes came to Virginia Tech as one of the top players in the state in the 2002 Recruiting Class. After limited minutes his freshman year, Sailes started every game at guard his sophomore season in 2003-04. As the talent around Markus has increased on the Virginia Tech basketball team, he has seen his role and minutes reduced. However, he has continued to be a solid contributor for this team throughout his career as a reserve guard. Sailes will take the Cassell Coliseum court for the final time on March 4th as the only current member of the team that played two years in the Big East (he redshirted in 2004-05 after fracturing his tibula on his right leg).

Sailes was a classic Ricky Stokes recruit: a tall, rangy athlete that was a work-in-progress as a basketball player. Markus was the Richmond Times-Dispatch Player of the Year in his final season at Varina High School. He fit right into Virginia Tech’s scheme: have tall guys out there that get there hands on a lot of passes on defense… and who cares about offense? Just give Bryant Matthews the ball!

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Virginia Tech returns to the AP and USA Today/ESPN Coaches polls this week at #21. For the complete Top 25 rankings, check out the Rankings.

Every day this week, TechHoops.com will look back at the career’s of each one of the five VT seniors. These men have led us from our only Big East Tournament appearance, to our second ACC Tourney bye in three seasons.

Let’s start with the guys we don’t have much to say about, and finish with the guys we cannot stop talking about…

Chris Tucker | Forward | 6′6″ | 220 lb. | Fincastle, VA

Chris is one of two Hokie seniors from the state of Virginia, growing up just about 45 miles from the Virginia Tech campus in Fincastle, VA. He graduated from Lord Botetourt High School, where he averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds a game and was 2nd-team AP AA All-State his final year. Chris then played at Fork Union Military Academy for a year in hopes of landing a Division I scholarship. He averaged 11.5 points and seven rebounds in his only season at FUMA.

Tucker decided to walk-on at Virginia Tech after his time at FUMA. Despite not being on scholarship, Chris began playing right away and played in VT’s first game his freshman year. He would only appear in nine games that first season (2003-04), but has appeared in 20 plus games ever since. Tucker saw the most action of his career last year when he appeared in 28 of the 30 games and averaged almost 10 minutes per game. This year, with the addition of Lewis Witcher and the increase play of Cheick Diakite, Chris is only averaging five minutes per game.

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