'We Need To Play Well': Virginia Tech Prepares for ACC Tournament First-Round Bout with Wake Forest

Virginia Tech men's basketball head coach Mike Young was candid about his team at Monday's practice, a day away from the Hokies' ACC tournament opener vs. Wake Forest.

"We need to play well," Young said.

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— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) March 9, 2026

Virginia Tech (19-12, 8-10 ACC) has reached the end of the road in league play, wrapping up its regular-season conference slate with a 76-72 heartbreaker at No. 13 Virginia. The Hokies equalized the game at 51-all in the second half, but a 9-0 run to open the first half and a 12-2 run to close it from the Cavaliers ultimately proved too much for Virginia Tech to combat.

There's a season within a season now: Virginia Tech has an opportunity to right the wrongs that beset its start to league play. The Hokies can either cement their case to make their first NCAA Tournament since the 2021-22 campaign. That, or it presumably earns a bid to the NIT Tournament if it bows out to the Demon Deacons tomorrow.

Either is on the table for the Hokies. They have proven as much throughout the season. There have been highs: Virginia Tech's 95-85 triple-overtime victory over then-No. 21 Virginia comes to mind, as does the Hokies' 76-66 road triumph over Clemson on Feb. 11.

There have also been lows: Virginia Tech's quartet of one-score losses, and particularly, SMU's contest that ended on a half-court buzzer-beater from guard Boopie Miller. The Mustangs are not in Virginia Tech's side of the bracket and would not draw the Hokies save for a VT-SMU final. The opponents who are? Wake Forest, Clemson, North Carolina, Duke. Florida State and California. Virginia Tech has a 3-4 combined record against the six.

Other things are simpler. For Jaden Schutt, Young's assessment of how to get him going is simple.

"Make a goddamn shot," Young said.

Schutt struggled against Virginia, logging no points on a 0-for-7 clip from the field. In the final 30 seconds, he missed a pair of deep looks when the Hokies were down four, forcing Virginia Tech to foul with the game essentially out of reach. However, Young is confident that Schutt can return to his accurate sharpshooting ways.

"He's a hell of a player," Young said. "He's a heck of a player, but has had a couple of struggles. But I know him, he's really serious about it, and to see him come in here tomorrow and go 4-for-6 wouldn't surprise any of us."

One note to follow is the status of forward Amani Hansberry. Hansberry was present and practicing, but the majority of drills at Monday's practice occurred with him off to the side, away from the rest of the team going through its practice motions.

Young was noncommittal on concrete details of Hansberry's status, saying that he's "getting better and better" but that his status is day-to-day and that the team would wait and see.

Several other contributors for Virginia Tech have picked up injuries throughout the course of the season. The Hokies were without Tobi Lawal for nine games, Antonio Dorn for eight and Tyler Johnson for 15. Virginia Tech has suffered more injuries than most collegiate squads have this season. Young pointed to that as a reason why his team should be considered for NCAA Tournament consideration, pointing to the mettle of the unit when it was down Lawal, Dorn and Johnson.

Despite that, they've stayed in the hunt, albeit sometimes not long enough to finish out full 40-minute contests. Virginia Tech has sustained five losses in league play by two or fewer possessions and seven single-digit ACC losses this season. One of those losses was to Wake Forest.

"I've got an NCAA Tournament team, fellas," Young said. "I haven't been on that soapbox, but I am now, and you consider what we lived through, the two losses in the Bahamas. And take nothing away from St Mary's and VCU, [but] to do that without Tobi much of the January schedule. Correct me if I'm wrong, without Tyler, Tobi and Dorn. This team has done some really cool things, and I'm proud of them."

Virginia Tech's contest against Wake Forest gets underway at 7 p.m. ET tomorrow evening, with coverage for the game on the ACC Network. It's a chance for the Hokies to take care of business ahead of a potential second-round draw with fifth-seeded Clemson if they win.

Should Tech win that, fourth-seeded North Carolina is the team awaiting the Hokies in the quarterfinals if they can get that far. It's a solid draw for the Hokies, who beat or held tough with all three opponents. Does Young think that it sets up well for the Hokies to prove they're deserving of an at-large slot?

"Yes," he said.