Virginia Tech Basketball Absent from Preseason Top 25

Well, since football season is over for Virginia Tech (don't blame me, blame the system), time to talk basketball.

While preseason rankings shouldn't matter any more than Ricky Williams smoking marijuana, they're still interesting to dissect. Many of you will be interested to know that Virginia Tech has been left out of the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll. If rankings were based on a team's ability to win games it's supposed to win, Virginia Tech wouldn't be in the Top 100. But, if rankings are based on a school's ability to beat other teams in the Top 25, there should be room for consideration for the Hokies.

Virginia Tech has one of the top junior classes in the ACC with Jeff Allen, Malcolm Delaney, J.T. Thompson (who nursed an injury last season), and Terrell Bell (if he learns how to shoot). Victor Davila, who showed signs of brilliance last season, and Senior Lewis Witcher provide positive options off the bench.

The problem for the Hokies, however, isn't if they can beat Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, or any teams in the ACC, but that they have games out of conference against lesser opponents that they need to go 15-or-so and 0. So, here it is....

Keys to the Hokies' Season

1) Stay Healthy
2) No losses to lesser opponent in out-of-conference games
3) Winning record in the ACC