For years they occupied the Big East’s cellar. Miami and Virginia Tech were easy wins the Big East’s other teams to feast on.

But just a year removed from the bottom half of the Big East, the Hurricanes and the Hokies are doing well in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Well enough that ‘bubble’ is the buzz word in Coral Gables and Blacksburg as the two newcomers remain hopeful for a postseason invitation.

‘(The Hokies) have won enough games where they have kind of peaked the curiosity of a lot of different people,’ said Virginia Tech head coach Seth Greenberg. ‘At least they are being mentioned for postseason play. I gotta believe with 14 wins and already seven wins in our conference, we will be playing in some type of postseason tournament.’

Miami and Virginia Tech departed from the Big East less than a year ago with much scrutiny, but the two schools didn’t wait long for their impact to be felt in the ACC. In the fall, the two rookies played in an unofficial ACC football title game, not perennial powerhouse Florida State.

Now the two schools – brought in for their football, not their basketball success – are gaining notoriety in the league.

‘I don’t think our guys feel pressure,’ Greenberg said. ‘I think this is all unique to them.’

It’s unique alright. Over their final two years in the Big East, the Hokies (14-11, 7-7 ACC) were 26-32 overall and 12-22 in conference play. Virginia Tech currently sits in fourth place behind North Carolina, Wake Forest and Duke in the ACC – not bad company.

The Hurricanes are just a hair behind. Miami (16-10, 7-8) – tied for fifth in the ACC with Maryland – was even worse before leaving the Big East. From 2002-2004, Miami was a putrid 8-26 in the league; Now the ‘Canes are knocking on the Big Dance’s door.

‘As long as you got more games you are still in it,’ said Miami head coach Frank Haith. ‘The off the bubble, on the bubble snide has changed a thousand times.’

One of the main reasons Miami is even on that bubble is guard Guillermo Diaz. The sophomore is third in the ACC in scoring (18.6 pts) and has scored 25 or more points seven times this season.

‘Diaz is as good as any of the guards in our conference,’ Greenberg said. ‘He has a second speed. He is difficult to stop in the open court, he plays above you, and he can get a shot off anytime he wants.’

After a 12-3 start, the Hurricanes are weathered, though. Miami has struggled in its last 11 games (4-7) but wins over Florida, North Carolina State and Maryland have kept them from getting its bubble burst just yet.

Haith believes that a regular season finale with Duke could be what his team needs to get them over the top.

‘Obviously it’s going to be a tough task,’ Haith said. ‘Going into Duke on Senior Night to play. If you are 8-8 and have a win over one of the top teams in the country then you have a good chance (to get in).’

Virginia Tech’s resume isn’t as polished, though it does have a win over Duke (67-65). Their .500 record in conference has them knocking on the selection committee’s door, but with early seasons losses to Virginia Military Institute and St. John’s the Hokies are likely to be denied.

Regardless of whether Miami, Virginia Tech, both or neither makes the tournament, this is still a story of unexpected success. Greenberg has instilled a team system that has worked despite three sophomores and two freshmen who play regularly. Haith and his team have climbed aboard Diaz’s back, and thus far it has worked.

‘Frank has done a great job,’ Greenberg said. ‘He has taken the players that he had available and put them in a system to be successful. And to me, that’s coaching. Coaching is taking the players you have and devising a system to give your team a chance to win and he has done that. He has terrific guards, and put the ball in their hands.’

The fans have responded as well. In Coral Gables, attendance is up from 3,400 a year ago to an average of 6,400 this year. Virginia Tech sold 2,747 season tickets (students included) for the 2002-2003 season. This year, the Hokie faithful have purchased all of the 7,242 available season tickets.

If it is the warmer climate, better proximity to opponents or perhaps a conference that has just been kinder, these two schools have found the middle of the pack in the ACC – a place few thought they would reach.

‘Until you play in this league, you really don’t understand,’ Greenberg said, ‘It’s not 1-9 or 1-11. Every single team is capable of winning at home and on the road. Whether it is Virginia Tech beating Duke, or Maryland sweeping Duke; this league has tremendous parody, especially in the middle.’

Three must-see games as March begins

With conference tournaments beginning and the madness of buzzer beaters, court-rushing and body paint soon to come, here are three big games to kick off the month.

No. 18 Charlotte at No. 9 Louisville – Tomorrow night the two teams tied for first place in Conference USA will square off in the Blue Grass State. The 18th-ranked 49ers (21-4, 12-2 CUSA) have been a major surprise in college hoops this year. Little was expected of head coach Bobby Lutz’s group, but a win over Rick Pitino and the Cardinals would earn Charlotte at least a share of the conference title for the second year in a row. Louisville (24-4, 12-2) has never won a Conference USA title, but it will enter the contest having won 13 of its last 14. Charlotte has lost three close games and is just six points away from having a 24-1 record.

No. 1 Illinois at Ohio State – Sunday at noon – Illinois (28-0, 14-0 Big Ten) has just one final hurdle standing between it and an undefeated regular season. That last obstacle will be Ohio State (18-10, 7-7). The Fighting Illini beat the Buckeyes, 84-65, at the beginning of January. Ohio State is mediocre on the road (4-7), but an impressive 14-3 at St. John Arena.

No. 6 Duke (21-4, 10-4 ACC) at No. 2 North Carolina (24-3, 12-2) – Sunday 4 p.m.: Few rivalries compare with this ACC gem. These two teams have combined for 45 wins this season (eight over top 25 opponents). What is even more mind boggling is that since 1987, one of these two teams has been to the Final Four all but three years (1996, 2002, 2003). Duke has won 15 of the last 18 between the Tobacco Road rivals, but a win Sunday would give the Tar Heels the ACC title.

Number of the week – 1

The number of teams in the ACC with an overall record below .500. Florida State (11-17) gets this dubious distinction.

Published on February 28, 2005 at 12:00 pm