Virginia Tech Hokies: 24-8, 12-6 in the ACC
Head coach: Buzz Williams (5th season)
Players to watch: Nickeil Alexander-Walker (16.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.0 APG); Kerry Blackshear Jr.(14.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG); Justin Robinson (13.7 PPG, 5.2 APG, 41.1 3PT%)
Season recap: With plenty of talent, Virginia Tech entered the season more than capable of earning a double-bye in the ACC tournament. And while the Hokies came up just shy of fourth place, they showed why they were Buzz Williams' best team since arriving in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech won three straight to capture the Charleston Classic, taking out then-No. 23 Purdue in the final, before the Hokies were stunned at Penn State in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.
Thanks to a soon-to-be NBA talent in Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Virginia Tech won all but two games in December and January, only losing on the road to the ACC's two top teams—Virginia and North Carolina. The Hokies then opened February with a memorable win, holding N.C. State to just 24 points in an entire game, and closed the month with a signature victory, taking out Duke at home for the third straight season.
But it remains to be seen whether star guard Justin Robinson will play in the NCAA tournament. The senior has not played since injuring his foot Jan. 30 against Miami, but is out of his walking boot as he continues with his recovery.
How they make a run: The return of Robinson paired with the electric play of Alexander-Walker gets Virginia Tech back to the way it was playing at the start of the year and make it to the Sweet 16 for the first time in more than a half-century.
How they falter: Sans Robinson, the Hokies have a cold night from the field and get upset in their opening game of the tournament.
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Twitter: @mpgladstone13
A junior from just outside Philadelphia, Mitchell is probably reminding you how the Eagles won the Super Bowl this year and that the Phillies are definitely on the rebound. Outside of The Chronicle, he majors in Economics, minors in Statistics and is working toward the PJMS certificate, in addition to playing trombone in the Duke University Marching Band. And if you're getting him a sandwich with beef and cheese outside the state of Pennsylvania, you best not call it a "Philly cheesesteak."