virgiNIa Tech basketball

For the past three years, the Virginia Tech Hokies have been undeservingly left out of the NCAA Tournament...well I guess fourth times a charm.

That's right folks the Selection Committee has snubbed the Hokies for the fourth straight year.  Now it hurts any year that you get passed over by the Tourney, but this year hurt more than any for Seth Greenberg and Company.  

Tech presented its best case for a spot in the Big Dance than any of the past three years.  The Hokies posted a 21-11 record, 9-7 conference record (IN THE ACC),  won two games in the ACC Tournament, and if that's not enough, they beat the number 1 team in the nation (which is also a #1 seed in the Tournament).  All of that coming with a much stronger non-conference schedule, and greater RPI.  Let's also note that the NCAA expanded its field from 64 teams to 68 teams.  Despite all of this, the Hokies get the shaft...again...for the fourth time in a row.

Well ladies and gents, I've got to say that I'm not that surprised.  I know that one look at the statistics posted above should have guaranteed us a spot in the Tournament, but I'm still not surprised that we didn't get in.  I guess I'm just so conditioned to this happening that I almost expect it to happen...and then it does.

I know you must be shocked by the fact that I'm not surprised about the Hokies latest snubbing, but what you'll find even more shocking is that I'm not that disappointed about it either.  Of course I am extremely angered any time someone trashes my team and says they're not good enough, which is exactly what the NCAA Selection committee has done (4 years in a row).  But I am quick to recover for one reason...The NIT.

Yes I'm serious, I actually like the National Invitation Tournament.  Some of the best memories of my college career come from the NIT.  The past 3 years when the Hokies were banished to the NIT, my friends complained while I rejoiced.  I was actually excited.  That's right, excited!  

The gang at "our spot" 2010

You see I was excited because the NIT meant that I got to see the Hokies play three more games in the best roundball house in the country, Cassell Coliseum.  It meant free tickets from Coach Greenburg.  It meant skipping class and waiting in line to get those free tickets.  It meant waking up extremely early to stand in line to get front row seats on gameday.  It meant waking up even earlier than that to carefully etch a sports art masterpiece in maroon and orange on my face.  It meant more students less oldies.  It meant the Cassell would be loud.  It meant my friends and I would be sitting at "our spot" (the first two rows on the rail by the tunnel).  It meant my fraternity brothers would be spelling out HOKIES on their chests with body paint.  It meant we were going to be on ESPN.  It meant we were going to have a great time.  Folks I'm telling you, the NIT is where it's at.  It's just so American.

The Beginning of an Era 2008

It was the same great thing every year.  It was just understood among my friends and I that that's how it was going to be.  Now don't get me wrong.  Each year was different in its own unique way, but they all shared the same format.  It was like same book, different chapter...and it was a fairytale of a book.

Loud and Proud 2009

I'll never forget the great times that the under-appreciated NIT yielded to me.  I'll never forget the sense of good-hearted organized chaos it produced.  It was a feeling that anything could happen and that anything was possible, and we were ready for both.  It was a feeling of fun, joy, and carefree bliss.  It's exactly how college is supposed to be.  The NIT truly embodies all the good things that make college COLLEGE.    

The Last Hoorah 2010

 I would even go so far as to say that the NIT is more collegiate than the NCAA Tournament, and that it has a better format.  I mean think about it: 

The first three rounds of the NIT are played right at the very heart of College Basketball...which is at colleges.  Home is where the heart is.  That's right they're played at the home courts of the top seeds, while the whole NCAA Tournament is played at characterless NBA arenas in big cities.  More students and fans in general can go to the NIT games because they're in places like Blacksburg instead of in places like Denver, or Indianapolis, or Houston.  It just makes more sense.

NIT: Homecourt Advantage at its best

  

The NIT is also more competitive because every team has to have a good enough record to get in, and every team is hungry for wins.  The NIT features a lot of good basketball teams from major conferences who are ticked off from missing the tournament.  They try to show the selection committee what they missed out on by playing their hearts out in the NIT.  The NIT teams are also more evenly matched, which makes it harder to win.  All participating teams have similar records.  There really are no Cindarellas, everyone has a fair chance to win...without the glass slippers.  That means fans get to watch better basketball.  Isn't that what people want?

 And to top things off, every year the NIT ends in the same majestic place: the Mecca of basketball.  I'm talking about the Garden, Madison Square Garden, the World's Most Famous Arena.  I'm talking the biggest stage in basketball, inside the biggest city in the United States.  I'm talking about the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the Big Apple, the four best teams battling for the championship.  How could you ask for a better ending?...when you're in New York!!!

The NIT was even born before its bigger brother.  That doesn't make sense, but it's true.  The National Invitation Tournament started in 1938, while the NCAA Tournament picked up a year later in 1939.  And yes for a while, the NIT was bigger than the NCAA Tourney.  There was a time when it wasn't just a mere consolation prize as the nation's 65th best team (or now 69th), but when it was the prize for the nation's best team.  My how things have changed, and my how fast we are to forget.

Hokie fans should already appreciate the NIT because the NIT represents the apex of our basketball program's success to this point.  The Hokies have won two basketball championships, and both came from the NIT.

In 1973, Allan Bristow led the Fighting Gobblers to a 22-5 record and their first NIT Championship.  Bobby Stevens hit a buzzer beater to give the Gobblers a 1-point win over heavily-favored Notre Dame...in overtime.  Blacksburg was elated.  VPI celebrated as if the Gobblers had won the National Championship.  You see that's when the NIT still meant something.  It was huge for our basketball program.

Commemorative Poster celebrating VPI's
1973 NIT Championship

In 1995, Ace Custis (tha man) led the Hokies to a school record 25 wins on route to Tech's second NIT Championship.  Ace and the Hokies had to battle, scratch, and claw their way to the Big Apple.  This included a last second win against New Mexico State in the Cassell.  Tech's Center (yes, Center) Travis Jackson hit a go ahead three-pointer (yes, three-pointer) to give the Hokies a 64-61 win, and a trip to Madison Square Garden.  Enjoy this video of the last second win.  Just look at how packed the Cassell was, and how excited everyone was...excited for the NIT.  In the NIT Championship game, the excitement reached an apex.  The Hokies once again find themselves in a dog fight with the Marquette Golden Eagles (earlier that year, Marquette won the first meeting between the two teams by a final of 57-54).  The game goes to overtime.  Marquette has a one point lead (64-63) with time expiring, and then SLAP!  Tech Forward Shawn Smith is fouled with 0.7 seconds left on the clock.  It's all up to Smith whether Tech wins, loses, or heads to a second overtime.  Marquette calls a timeout to try and ice him.  Smith, as cool as a cucumber, knocks down both shots and the Hokies win their second NIT Championship!

How about that?  Both of Tech's NIT Championships were one-point overtime victories.  Now that's how championship games should be everytime, and that's how they have been for the Hokies.

Tech fans should also appreciate the NIT because the NIT appreciates Virginia Tech.  They want us, the Tournament does not.  For 3 of the past 4 years Tech has been a one seed in the NIT.  I've got to say that it feels good to be the first person on the guest list...even if it is "just the NIT."  It feels good to be appreciated, and the National Invitation Tournament sure appreciates us.     

Folks I've done almost all I can do to try and change the ugly image of the NIT that you probably have in your eyes.  Almost is the keyword.  I've got one last secret weapon left to polish your thoughts on the National Invitation Tournament.  It's an image that's guaranteed to change your opinion of the NIT in a single glance.  Behold the greatness.  Feast your eyes...

The Man, The Myth, The Legend: Dell Curry
1984 NIT

BAM!!! How 'bout dem apples?  How 'bout dem Hokies?  This is Hokie Hero Dell Curry taking on South Alabama in the 1984 National Invitation Tournament.  Yes he's shooting a red, white, and blue ABA basketball (only in the NIT).  Check out those sweet uniforms.  The classic script Hokies jerseys, with the Maroon and Orange piping. You can't beat that!  How about those shorts?  A tad too short...yes, yet really awesome...you better believe it!  The old school VT logo on the hips, the Maroon and Orange wasteband and trim...that's what's up.  That's effective logo placement.  Legit.  Even South Alabama's uniforms are pretty cool.  I mean they say USA on the front, how cool is that?  Check out Dell's classy (now retro) Converses.  That's what Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were talkin' about.  Oh what I would pay for a pair of those beauties.  The only thing that eclipses this picture's awesomeness is its lack of distribution.  I photocopied this from my throwback mint condition 1984 Tech Basketball Media Guide.  You're Welcome.  Now from this point forward when you think of the NIT, I want you to think of this picture in all of its Hokie Hoops glory.  See, I knew I could get you to see the NIT in a positive light. 

And if you're a Virginia Tech student, I've got some special requests for you.  First I want you to go out, buy yourself some face paint.  Step Two: apply the facepaint.  Step Three: A.D. Vassallo, AD is always for three.  Step Five:  Go to Cassell tonight.  Step Four: Get there early.  Step Six: Be loud, Be proud  Step Seven: Make some memories you'll never forget.  

NIKE: Just Do It.  Go to the NIT games.  You'll be glad you went.  Have fun, yell for me, and most importantly GO HOKIES!!! 

Running with the Devils

A week ago today the Virginia Tech Hokies stunned the number one-ranked Duke Blue Devils by a final score of 64-60 in Cassell Coliseum.

Ladies and Gents if you had the opportunity to watch this game or the extreme pleasure of attending this game, Congratulations!  You have truly witnessed the finest hour of Virginia Tech basketball!

This marks the fourth time in program history that the Techmen have taken down the top team in the land, but folks this one takes the cake.  This is the apex.  A win couldn't possibly get any better than this.

College Gameday made its first visit (of many visits to come) to Blacksburg.  The ecstatic crowd showed other fans around the nation how it's done.  The Hokie faithful had more signs at Gameday than you would see on a hundred mile stretch of an interstate.  From a Tech standpoint, the crowd was more star-studded than a Lakers/Celtics playoff game.  We had 2 of our 4 retired basketball jersey legends in attendance (Dell Curry and Bimbo Coles).  Bruce Smith aka "the Sack Man" aka "BRUUUUUCE" was seen searching through the crowd for quarterbacks.  Frank Beamer aka "the Beam", "the Franchise," "the Godfather," "Frank the Tank" brought over some football prominence power from Lane.  It was prime time.  The whole country watched our Hokies take down the number one team in the country/defending national champs/perennial ACC powerhouse.  The Cassell rocked as loud as ever before.  And most importantly...WE WON!

Hokie Nation rejoice!  Our boys delivered on the biggest stage possible, against the best team out there, in front of the best fans anywhere.  The whole country witnessed just how special of a place Polytech, Virginia really is.  Now we're all on Hokie High.

This game couldn't have gone much better for ole' VPI.  Everything had to go just as planned for Tech to have a chance at winning this thing, and it pretty much did.

1. We knew we'd have to stay out of foul trouble because of our limited bench and lack of big men.  This was tremendously important for Jeff Allen and Victor Davila, who are our best/only big men and are both notorious for getting lots of fouls in short periods of time.  The Result: No Hokies fouled out of the game.  Jeff Allen and Erick Green both finished with four, but Allen's fourth didn't come until late in the game which was key.  Shockingly Davila finished with no fouls.  So Tech staying out of foul trouble allowed them to keep their best players on the floor, and it payed off big...

2.  We knew we'd have to play flawless perimeter defense, or the Dookies would carve us like Thanksgiving turkeys.  The Result:  Thanks to Tech's swarming zone defense and a little help from Duke's best shooters going stone cold, the Blue Devils finished just 4 of 20 from beyond the arc.  That's just 20% from 3-point land.  If you didn't see the game or any other stats from this game, this stat alone would have told you that the Hokies had a chance in this one.

3.  We knew we had to out-rebound the Devils to limit their chances at striking, and give ourselves some extra chances at baskets.  Duke has a surplus of big men, so Jeff Allen and Victor Davila would have to really step it up.  The Result: They did.  Allen grabbed 15 boards, while Davila scooped up 10.  That's two huge performances by our big guys that allowed the Hokies to out-rebound the Dookies by a count of 44 to 38.  Sixteen of our 44 were offensive rebounds, which means we got of lot of much needed extra chances.  Once again the ball bounced our way.

4.  We knew Malcolm Delaney would have to put up big numbers for us to be in the game.  The Result: Surprisingly he didn't.  This was probably the only 1 of the 4 on this list that I would have guaranteed prior to the game, and much to my (and everyone else's) surprise it was the only one that didn't happen.  Usually Malcolm makes more baskets in a game than a third-world country makes in a day, but he was as cold as ice last Saturday.  He did finish with a respectable 11 points, but it was a lot less than what was expected.  He had a rough day shooting, as he finished just 4 of 15 from the floor (1 of 6 from three-point range).  While MD23 didn't light up the scoreboard, his performance was still key to this win for 2 reasons:
            A) He passed.  When he realized he couldn't get anything to drop, he started kickin' the rock around to his friends who could.  He finished with 4 assists, and had a few more two-passers down the court that he didn't get credit for but deserved it.  Passing up a shot is one of the hardest things to do as a player, but one of the easiest to overlook by fans and the media.  (I'm making sure Malcolm gets his props though, I SEE YOU MD, way to go man)
            B) He hit when he had to.  With just around two minutes left in the game, Duke was creeping up on the Hokies.  The Tech lead was a mere two points when...SWISH!  Malcolm's lone 3 in the game flushed to put the Hokies up by 5, clinching the win.  It was the clutch shot that got the Hokies around the final turn, and coasted them into victory lane.

I would also just like to point out that Malcolm grabbed 7 rebounds, not bad for a guard eh?  And he picked Seth Curry's pocket on Duke's last chance/possession, eliminating all possibilities of a Dock-shot re-enactment.  He did all this while having a "bad" day.  Go on wit ya bad self Malcolm.

While Delaney may have come up short on points, the rest of the team united to pick up the slack.

Just look at the box score.  Look at our point breakdown.  It's a thing of beauty.  All 64 of our points were scored by our starters, no points from the bench, and each player contributed evenly (well Jeff contributed a little more evenly than the other four).  This perfectly showcased how a team is supposed to function.  This is the definition of Team.  Working together to reach a common goal.  Master Yoda would say it like this: Work together they did, and reach the goal they did.

Jeff Allen, aka the Big Donut, picked up a little more slack than everyone else on Saturday.  Heck, he put the team on his back.  Jeff played like a man possessed.  The big guy did work across the boards.  I mean really, Jeff did a little bit of everything.  He gobbled up 15 rebounds, 5 of those being offensive.  He led the team in scoring with 18 points, which included going 2 for 2 from 3 ball land.  That's right, the Big Donut's shots were glazed like donuts. He dished out two assists, and blocked a lame Duke shot.  He made a couple of free throws to ice (or glaze if you will) the game, but most importantly he stayed in the game.  The Big Donut is a well-known foul factory, but he controlled the fury, channeled the energy, and took over this ballgame.  Somebody give dat man some Krispy Kremes, he deserves 'em.  

Of all the players in this game I was proudest of Victor Davila.  He came out the tunnel motivated like never before, played inspired basketball, and played his heart out.  He relentlessly battled Duke's big men all game long.  Don't read this next stat too quickly because you might go into a state of shock.  Davila shot 50% from the floor!  He made 5 of his 10 attempts, and added a bonus free throw in just for kicks.  He used his patented banana scoop to tally up 11 points, which you could argue were the difference between our 4-point win and a 7-point loss.  I say that because Davila doesn't usually score that much (let's just say he's not the most coordinated tool in the shed).  And how about that dunk.  When he slammed that puppy, I exploded off the couch like I had just been sitting on a hot nail.  I was just ecstatic.  Here's this guy who usually can't put his foot in his shoe, and here he is stuffing a dunk right down Duke's throat.  I was so happy for him, I was so happy for us, I was so happy he didn't miss!

I was overjoyed to see Tech basketball legend Dell Curry in attendance, but not surprised (as his son plays for Duke).  What surprised me was that he was wearing a Duke shirt.  I mean I guess I can understand that he was pulling for his son, but that doesn't change the fact that it hurt to see that...really hurt.  I now know how Packers fans feIt when they saw Brett Farve run onto Lambeau wearing a Vikings helmet.  It was awful.  It was like when I realized there wasn't a Santa Claus.  But hey at least Dell is still very real, and what he did for advancing Va Tech basketball will never be forgotten.  He will always be one of my heros, and will always be known as the Michael Jordan of Virginia Tech basketball.  And of course I'll forgive him for rocking the Duke shirt, I mean we won didn't we?

Dell's son Seth didn't quite have the same success that his dad did on the Cassell floor.  He didn't have success period.  He fouled out after turning the ball over to the already celebrating Hokies on the Devils final possession, and finished with nary a point.  That's right no points.  Also no assists, no rebounds, no steals, no blocks.  Just 5 fouls, and that final gift-wrapped turnover.  There was just something poetic about it.  It just wouldn't have been right for Seth to come in there and light up the scoreboard.  This was against the team his dad put on the map.  He wouldn't be playing basketball today, if his dad hadn't played in Cassell so many years ago.  This was his dad's court, and it remained that way...rightfully so.  The Tech faithful made sure he knew that too, as they bellowed a perfectly tailored "Who's Your Daddy?" chant to escort him to the bench.  So the legendary stories of Dell Curry working his magic in the Cassell live on unchallenged by anyone...even his offspring.

The whole day was like watching a story from a fairy tale book unfold, while the ending moments of the game were like a well-written novel being played out in real life.  With just 13 seconds remaining in the game, the extremely underdogged Hokies were up 63-60 and holding on with everything they had.  Seth Curry, the son of Tech's greatest basketball player, dribbled the ball frantically up court with Duke's last chance to tie.  Malcolm Delaney, Tech's current best player, swooped in from behind and jarred the ball loose from Curry and into the hands of Jeff Allen, who immediately tucked it into a vice-grip.  The flustered Curry hurridly fouled Allen.  Allen was off to the free throw line to put the game (and the champagne) on ice as Blacksburg erupts, while Curry was on the way to the bench with his fifth foul and no points.  I'm telling you, you couldn't have scripted a better ending.  Tech's current two best players get the game-sealing turnover from the son of Tech's all-time greatest player, while he watches the whole thing unfold in front of him on the very court that he made himself famous on.  You just can't make this stuff up.  It's almost Oscar worthy...an ESPY at the very least.

As the final second ticked off, the raucous crowd reached a jubilant fever pitch.  The rowdy fans who stood by the Techmen through the thick and thin of this battle of a game would soon be standing by their team where it all took place...on the court.  The floor was covered within a half minute.  The view from the upmost corner of Cassell showed emptying seats surrounding a perfect rectangular brick of squirming fans in celebration.  The chaotic brick jumped up and down in waves, while showing no signs of the hardwood floor underneath.  It was a beautiful sight.  One that will be forever remembered by Hokie fans everywhere.

Among the chaos, Coach Seth Greenberg embraced his three daughters who were proud to the point of tears of their dad.  It was a Kodak moment.  I loved seeing the sick looks on the faces of the ESPN Gameday crew.  None of them thought we would win, and none of them wanted us to win.  Well we showed them!  Jay Bilas/Bias, a former Duke player, stared up at the scoreboard in disbelief as swarms of Hokie fans swirled around him.  Bobby Knight always looks madder than a hornet, and he stayed true to form after this game.  Even the happy-go-lucky Dick Vitale lost the pep that's usually in his step.  He made small talk with Coach Greenberg about getting his dancin' shoes ready, but you could tell he was hurtin' inside.  His beloved Dookies that he has such a big soft-spot for had been outplayed by the Fighting Gobblers from Polytech VA.  Sorry Dicky V, but even dah dia-pah dandies were on our side in this one!  

In closing this was an epic signature win for our basketball program.  Wins like this are what you build your program around.  The success waves that will stem from this game can't be measured.  It all but guarantees us a spot in the NCAA Tournament, where possibilities are endless, and you've got to think our chances are pretty good after a win like this.  There's no telling how many young good players were watching this game, and now will give Tech a look when it comes recruiting time.  Most importantly it gives Hokie fans and the rest of the nation an unforgettable portrait of how great of a place Ole' VPI really is.  So give a Hokie, Hokie, Hokie Hi! Tech Tech, VPI! Sola-rex, Sola-rah, Polytech, Virginia! Ray, Rah VPI, TEAM, TEAM, TEAM!