Virginia Tech Basketball: CBS experts have promising takes on Hokies

The 2023-24 men’s college basketball season is right around the corner. Virginia Tech opens the season on Nov. 6 at home against Coppin State as part of a doubleheader with the women hosting High Point earlier in the evening.

Last season, the Hokies began the season 11-1 under Mike Young but sputtered into a seven-game losing streak that saw them fall from a possible NCAA Tournament berth to an NIT bid. They fell in the first round to the University of Cincinnati. The Hokies are looking to rebound this season and recently, the college basketball experts at CBS Sports made their predictions for the upcoming season.

CBS Sports experts have Virginia Tech improving in 2023-24

Cameron Salerno predicted how he sees the ACC season playing out and it was a little surprising to see where he had the Hokies finishing. Out of the 15 teams in the conference, he picked the Hikies to finish seventh, right in the middle of a conference that is a battle year in and year out. Just ask Young.

Last season, Virginia Tech lost not one, but two games to Boston College, which led to their 9-11 finish in conference play and ended any hopes they had of making the NCAA Tournament. Here is what Salerno said about the Hokies,

"Virginia Tech started the 2022-23 season hot. At one point, the Hokies were 11-1, but then they lost seven consecutive games and finished No. 11 overall in the ACC with an 8-12 record. Virginia Tech lost two of its best players this offseason in Grant Basile and Justyn Mutts, but the good news is Sean Pedulla and Hunter Cattoor are back. The Hokies added Robbie Beran from Northwestern and Mekhi Long from Old Dominion for depth in the frontcourt that should make them an NCAA Tournament bubble team."

The transfer portal can be a nice thing in helping teams from year to year and Young two players to help to attempt to offset the losses of Grant Basile and Justyn Mutts.

Here is where five other CSB experts predict where the Hokies will finish this season in the ACC,

• Gary Parrish – 9th
• Matt Norlander – 7th
• Kyle Boone – 6th
• David Cobb – 7th
• Jerry Palm – 6th

Salerno predicted Duke to finish first in the regular season, with North Carolina, Miami, Clemson, Virginia, and Wake Forest finishing ahead of Virginia Tech. You can bet some teams behind the Hokies will have a say as things unfold over the winter, but Salerno has Tech as a fringe NCAA Tournament team, which with Sean Pedulla at guard, anything is possible this season.