A Look Ahead

(This article originally appeared on www.hokiehaven.com.)

Can the Hokies build on last week's virtual conquering of the state of North Carolina? Just 10 days ago, Tech was 10-4 and trying to figure out where they'd fit into the ACC picture. Three games vs. Carolina schools, two wins over top-10 teams later, the Hokies are unbeaten in the ACC and rank #23 by the Associated Press. Can Greenberg's Gang build on last week's success, and translate their dominance of the Tarheel State to conquering the rest of the eastern seaboard? Let's take a look at this week's opponents:

Florida State (#24 RPI, 12-5, 0-3 ACC)
Good Wins: Florida (#31 RPI, 70-66), Providence (#51 RPI, 92-62)
Bad Losses: none

Danger, Tech fans. This is a scary game for the Hokies. Florida State is only 12-5, but look at the five losses: Pitt (#3 RPI), Wisconsin (#7 RPI), North Carolina (#6 RPI), Clemson (#9 RPI), Georgia Tech (#38 RPI). These ratings don't mean everything, but one thing is indisputable: the 'Noles are coming in to this Wednesday's contest with their backs against the wall, and with only one loss to a team not ranked in the RPI's top ten. That is a dangerous combination for a Tech team coming off a week of smashing success.

Senior forward Al Thornton leads FSU in both scoring (17.3 ppg) and rebounding (5.9 rpg). Thornton is also the minutes-leader in an impressive rotation; nine Seminoles get between 12 and 29 minutes a game. That kind of depth, coupled with a schedule that's only involved two games in the last 13 days, could present trouble for a Hokie squad coming off an extreme emotional high.

FSU doesn't have a lot of height, and therefore sophomore Uche Echefu's emergence as a quality ACC player has been a welcome, and needed surprise. The Nigerian sophomore has tripled his scoring, rebounding, assists and minutes this season, adding a 6'9 body to complement Thornton in the paint. The battle for scraps will be critical to the Hokies' success in Tallahassee. In FSU's five losses this year, they've been outrebounded every time, including an abysmal 17 boards against Pitt. Maintaining a slim rebounding advantage was the key to knocking off Florida.

Maryland (#29 RPI, 15-3, 1-2)
Good Wins: Michigan State (#22 RPI, 62-60), at Illinois (#43 RPI, 72-66), Clemson (#9 RPI, 92-87)
Bad Losses: Miami (#149 RPI, 58-63)

Tech and the Terps have only battled five times since the Eisenhower administration, so if you need help getting psyched for this one, remember that it's the most important Hokie/Maryland battle in over 50 years! Behind Gary Williams, the Terps rebounded from the flat tire against the Hurricanes with a revved up performance over Clemson, handing the Tigers their first and only loss of the season. After a gimme in Charlottesville during the week, Maryland will be keyed up for a huge battle at Cassell Coliseum Sunday night.

Maryland and Virginia Tech have a lot in common; both teams are well coached, experienced, and led by two senior guards that lead the team in scoring. D.J. Strawberry and Mike Jones are both 6-foot-5, about 200-pounds and score between 13 and 16 a game. The senior duo is a worthy adversary to Dowdell and Gordon, and both have been significant players in College Park for all four years of their career.

Like FSU, Maryland has shown an uncanny ability to get flat-out crushed on the boards. Their last two losses have had rebounding deficits of 11 and 8. The Terps might actually have a better chance to win when Strawberry is thinking pass first. Against Clemson, he only scored 14, but dished 6 assists to only two turnovers. Ekene Ibekwe is Maryland's most consistent rebounding threat, and if Tech can keep him in bad position around the basket, the Hokies should be in good position to get a big win and move to 5-0 in the ACC.