We are just four days away from the 2025-26 college basketball season beginning. This year is expected to be a big bounce-back season for veteran coach Mike Young and Virginia Tech.
It was a busy offseason for Young in terms of roster turnover in Blacksburg, where he got some key retention along with some key Transfer Portal additions and incoming freshmen. Neoklis Avdalas is the biggest incoming freshman name after he withdrew from the NBA Draft process in May and kept his word in signing with the Hokies.
You get the feeling that it is an NCAA Tournament year or bust for Young and Virginia Tech. Several college basketball insiders have been in on the Hokies this year, and ESPN was the latest to link Tech to being a potential NCAA Tournament team.
ESPN latest to link Virginia Tech as a potential NCAA Tournament team
Myron Medcalf and Jeff Borzello of ESPN ranked 80 men's basketball teams by March Madness potential, and the Hokies came in with 'The (potential) comeback kids' tier. Joining them were LSU, Georgetown, Syracuse, and Nebraska.
"Virginia Tech is a potential NCAA tournament team. Neoklis Avdalas should be one of the best international players in college, and head coach Mike Young is high on West Virginia transfer Amani Hansberry. Throw in the return of NBA prospect Tobi Lawal and three other rotation players, and this team has the potential to move up in the ACC standings,'' they wrote.
The Hokies begin the season on Monday night at home against Charleston Southern and then face a tough road game at Providence next weekend. There are a handful of tournament résumé wins on the schedule in the non-conference portion of it before ACC play begins. A good start to the season and some key early-season wins would set Young and his team up for success.