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The Virginia Tech Hokies seem to have punched their ticket to the tournament for the first time in ten years. Scanning the ESPN forecast, it projects the Hokies as a 10 seed playing in Indianapolis. The Hokies are projected to play the 7 seed, Minnesota. That game is winnable for Virginia Tech. If all goes to plan, the next game would pit Virginia Tech against the mighty Kentucky Wildcats. The Hokies are getting hot at the right time. The Wildcats are limping toward the finish line. Kentucky was down double digits against Vanderbilt, and managed to eek out the win. This is a super long stretch, but if Lunardi’s predictions come true, I like the Hokies in this matchup. March is all about hitting your stride at the right time. The Hokies have demonstrated the ability to come back from large deficits. The Hokies have demonstrated the ability to adjust during ballgames. These are all necessary components for a successful tournament team.
“If the Hokies get in the tournament, the upside is crazy good.”
Kentucky doesn’t scare me. Minnesota, for damn sure, doesn’t scare me. What scares me the most is that this Virginia Tech squad somehow, impossibly, gets forgotten on selection Sunday. Imagine going to the big dance. Imagine upsetting Minnesota. Imagine, somehow, beating BBN. Hokies in the Sweet 16? Crazier things have happened.