Boston College beat Wake Forest today, giving Virginia Tech the No. 6 seed in next week's ACC tournament and putting them on Duke's side of the bracket. Here's how the Hokies' schedule will look next week in Greensboro:
9 p.m. EST Thursday vs. Georgia Tech (ACC Network)
9 p.m. EST Friday Winner vs. Florida State (ACC Network/ESPN2)
3 p.m. EST Saturday Semifinal (ACC Network/ESPN)
1 p.m. EST Sunday Final (ACC Network/ESPN)
The Hokies need to beat both Georgia Tech and Florida State to stand any chance of making the NCAA Tournament and probably need to advance to Sunday's final to feel comfortable about their position on the bubble. Not an easy task with only eight scholarship players.
I think the No. 6 seed does the Hokies a favor. Night games will probably make them a more focused team than the early games we've seen Tech play in the ACC Tournament in recent years. I don't have the records in front of me, but I bet the Hokies' record in day vs. night games in the tournament is, well, night and day.
(Update: Since joining the ACC, Virginia Tech is 2-5 in games that start before 5 p.m., including losses to No. 12 seed Miami and No. 10 seed NC State, and 1-1 in games that start after 5 p.m. in the ACC tournament. Both day game wins came against Miami.)
It also gives Tech the chance to play a team that's probably already in the tournament on Day 2 in Florida State. If Tech had the No. 5 seed and had to play Clemson on Day 2, a win there doesn't do it as many favors as a win over FSU would.
The bracket gives the Hokies a chance to play their way off the bubble. Now they have to take advantage of it.