Hokies announce opening Men’s Basketball schedule

It’s been about seven and half months since the last time we saw the Virginia Tech Men’s Basketball team. Anything happen since then? The Hokies lost to UNC in the ACC Tournament on March 10th, in what was one of the last college basketball games played last year. Now as we head into the most uncertain season in modern history, VT fans can at least begin planning their schedule to see the second year under Mike Young in Blacksburg.

While the absence of last season’s top scorer, Landers Nolley will be the big talking point about the Hokies to most media outside of Blacksburg, the team has plenty of new faces to make up for his departure. True freshmen Joe Bamisile, Darius Maddox, David N’Guessan and walk-on Gill Williamson. Tech added several transfers in the off-season as well, Justyn Mutts (Delaware), Cartier Diarra (Kansas State), & Cordell Pemsl (Iowa). Toss in Keve Aluma from Wofford who sat out last season, but is now eligible, and about half the team will be new faces to fans.

On Monday the school announced that the Hokies will be one of eight schools taking part in the Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament. Virginia Tech will line up in the Naismith side of the bracket facing Rhode Island, South Florida, Temple in Uncasville, Conn., which the organizers have nicknamed ‘Bubblesville’. Tech will start their season on either November 28th or 29th (the weekend following Thanksgiving) and play it’s trio of games over the following period.

The other half of the bracket dubbed the ‘Springfield bracket’ will feature Albany, Drexel, Long Island and Quinnipiac and take place the following week in the same location. TV details for the tournament will be announced at a later date. No word on if the two winners would later meet to face off, but it’s unlikely given the unique circumstances this season.

The rest of Tech’s basketball schedule should be released in the next few weeks and it’s expected to still feature a 20-game ACC slate. The Hokies were scheduled to have the following ACC slate, but everything is up in the air this year:

Home & Away: Miami, UVA, Florida State, Louisville, Notre Dame and Wake Forest.
Home Only: Boston College, Clemson, Duke and Georgia Tech.
Away Only: North Carolina, N.C. State, Pitt and Syracuse.

As we should all know by now, expect delays, postponements, cancellations & absences from both the coaching staff and the players. However, one positive for the basketball team is that the season will start as students are leaving campus for the conclusion of the fall semester (remotely) and winter break. We aren’t sure how much of the season we will get to see, but there should be a lot of interest in Mike Young’s squad heading into year two. As well as the excitement to see the Hokies in action once again.