When the 2025-26 men's college hoops season began, there were high hopes that the Virginia Tech men's basketball team was going to get into the NCAA Tournament. After an 11-2 start through their non-conference slate, things were different.
The Hokies lost a handful of games at the buzzer, and that ended up costing them a berth in the 68-team field. They ended up getting bounced in the first round of the ACC Tournament while somehow still being on the bubble for the big dance. However, their loss to Wake Forest popped their bubble completely.
After another offseason of roster turnover, there are a lot of unknowns facing the Hokies going into the 2026-27 season. There was some good news earlier this spring when it was announced that the field is going to be expanded to 76 teams, which gives more teams a hope of getting in. However, despite the field being expanded, Joe Lunardi of ESPN gave fans a dose of reality in mid-June.
Joe Lunardi has Virginia Tech on the outside looking in on the 76-team NCAA Tournament field
Lunardi released his latest NCAA Tournament bracketology for next season, and he had the Hokies ranked in the 81-84 group, which is far outside the 76-team field. That is par for the course for Virginia Tech if we're being honest.
How, let's pump the brakes on an overreaction in June. Mike Young and his staff made some additions through the Transfer Portal with some veterans, but he also got some major retention. Guard Ben Hammond, and forwards Tyler Johnson and Amani Hansberry returning is gold. Those were the three players that needed to be retained, and they were. Gone are freshmen Neoklis Avdalas and center Christian Gurdak, among others.
It's hard to determine who is and who isn't going to be an NCAA Tournament team next winter at this point in the offseason. It's hard to determine how the portal additions will work out, but this is a huge upcoming season for the Hokies and Young. With the field expanding to 76 teams, there really are not many more excuses to miss the NCAA Tournament.
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