Good afternoon, Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) sports fans. Just a quick post here. The Virginia Tech Athletic Department just released men’s basketball home schedule (h/t @VTPromotions) and I have a few observations on that:
- Virginia Tech will welcome back Ace Custis as the University of Maryland at Eastern Shore pays a visit to Blacksburg (unfortunately, this is not mentioned in the press release). I’m really glad this is happening. Ace Custis is a Virginia Tech legend – and it’s fun to have him come back to the Cassell.
- Ole Miss will visit Blacksburg on Sunday, December 11 – the game will be on ESPNU – will be fun to see the Hokies have an SEC opponent at home.
- It is a complete disservice to the Virginia Tech students (who will be on semester break) and fanbase by the ACC to have Duke visit Blacksburg, VA on New Year’s Eve – the same day as the National College Football Playoff semi-finals. It is unacceptable that the biggest game of the year in the Cassell is on New Year’s Eve – this is a big event that many students might not be a part of (it is during semester break).
- Other nationally televised ACC home games include Syracuse, Virginia (and the students will be back for that one), Boston College, Clemson, and Miami.
- Also visiting the Cassell are the following ACC opponents: Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, and Wake Forest.
- All in all, the home schedule is pretty good, but the non-conference portion is pretty light.
- See tweets from Norm Wood and Chris Coleman below:
Seems unbelievable, but #Hokies won’t play a single Saturday men’s hoops home game this coming season when students aren’t on break. #goacc
— Norm Wood (@normwood) September 12, 2016
Overall, 4 of VT’s 9 ACC home games come with the students on Winter Break or Spring Break.
— Chris Coleman (@ChrisColemanTSL) September 12, 2016
GTHO.
Other items of note from the Virginia Tech Athletics Department press release:
Tech will travel to Southern California to compete in the Wooden Legacy on Nov. 24-27. The Hokies will play New Mexico on Thanksgiving afternoon on ESPN and either Texas A&M or Cal. State Northridge on Friday night, both nights being played in Fullerton, California. The tournament’s final day will be played on Sunday in the Honda Center in Anaheim, home of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks. All games in the event will be televised by the ESPN family of networks.
Immediately following the Wooden Legacy, the Hokies will travel to Ann Arbor, Michigan to take on the University of Michigan in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The game will be played on Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.
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Road foes for the Hokies, in addition to Virginia on Feb. 1, are NC State, Florida State, Clemson, national runner-up North Carolina, Miami, Pittsburgh, Louisville and Boston College.
Overall, the schedule is pretty good with the Hokies playing Virginia, Clemson, Miami, and Boston College twice, one game vs. and games against Duke Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Syracuse, NC State, Florida State, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, and Louisville. But Virginia Tech not playing a single Saturday game at home when students aren’t on break? GTHO. And having the Duke at game at home on New Year’s Eve is unacceptable scheduling by the ACC on many levels (especially when the National College Football Playoff semifinals are the same day!). I was there in February 2011 when Virginia Tech defeated Duke at home – and the atmosphere was incredible (the students need to be part of this game).
Here’s looking forward to a great season by Virginia Tech men’s basketball!! Go Hokies!
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