Virginia Tech forward Coleman Collins (33) blocks North forward Tyler Hansbrough (50) during second-half action in Blacksburg on Saturday. STEVE HELBER/ASSOCIATED PRESS Visit the Photo Place

Hokies know the road will get tougher

ACC Report

By JIM McCONNELL

Date published: 1/17/2007

By JIM McCONNELL

While the rest of the college basketball world lavishes praise on Virginia Tech after its victories over then-No. 5 Duke and then-No. 1 North Carolina, Hokies coach Seth Greenberg is trying to keep his players' feet firmly on the ground.

"Obviously, it was a good week. That's probably an understatement in terms of Virginia Tech basketball, but it was also last week and now we're in this week," Greenberg said Monday. "I've done this long enough to understand if you live in the past and don't stay in the present in this league, it will suffocate you."

Virginia Tech (13-4 overall, 3-0 ACC) entered the national polls this week for the first time since the final week of the 1995-96 season. The Hokies are ranked 23rd in the Associated Press poll and 25th in the ESPN/USA Today rankings.

Things don't get any easier for Greenberg's squad, however. Tonight, Virginia Tech travels to Tallahassee, Fla., for a 7 p.m. game against Florida State (12-5, 0-3), a team that beat defending national champion Florida earlier this season and is actually 10 spots ahead of the Hokies in the latest Ratings Percentage Index.

"We just have to try and build on what we were able to do last week, not just winning but how we won--competing on the defensive end and getting the shot we want instead of just taking shots," Greenberg added. "The unpredictability of college basketball is evident each and every weekend. We just have to keep practicing well. Hopefully that will carry over to playing well on the road."

Virginia Tech will have to play well to beat Florida State, which still is looking for its first conference win after losses to Clemson, North Carolina and Georgia Tech.

If last year was any indication, the Seminoles are anything but out of the league race. Boston College started 0-3 in the conference but finished 11-5 and made it all the way to the tournament championship game before losing to Duke.

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Date published: 1/17/2007