By one reckoning, Virginia Tech really should be favored Saturday night over Duke: no one has played better in Brooklyn than the Hokies. Just look:
- Clemson was playing championship-level basketball. Virginia Tech was better and confident enough to pull Keve Aluma on the final play which essentially announced they were going to live or die on a three. That took huge balls - and confidence.
- The Hokies just dismantled Notre Dame early and held on to beat the Irish who are an equally adept offensive team.
- Then UNC swaggered into Brooklyn, certain they had arrived.