Strangely, when Georgia Tech and Virginia play tonight, it will be a meeting of two relatively hot teams.

The Cavaliers spent much of the season in last place but have won four of their past six games, and Tech has won three of its past four —- losing only on a 3-point shot to Virginia with four seconds left.

Virginia's first-team All-ACC point guard Sean Singletary is as healthy as he's been, and the 15-14 Cavs —- like the 14-16 Jackets —- are playing as if they have nothing to lose. They might, however, lose an NIT bid.

Tech?

"As much as we're saying we're playing with more intensity and energy, Georgia Tech can say the same thing," Virginia coach Dave Leitao said.

Virginia reserve junior forward Laurynas Mikalauskas of Lithuania chalked up career highs of 16 points and 13 rebounds March 1 in a narrow loss at Miami, and came back two days later with 13 points and seven rebounds in a win at Tech.

Leitao said Tech —- like Mikalauskas —- is morphing.

The Jackets were one of the ACC's most turnover-prone teams only to find a handle in the past two games (turning the ball over 25 percent less frequently than in their first 14 ACC games).

Tech also improved as burglars, forcing a whopping 41 turnovers (with 28 steals) in consecutive wins over Clemson and Boston College. Perhaps the Jackets have finally figured out how to play coach Paul Hewitt's pressure defense.

Leitao said: "They're changing the way they play, a little bit more up-tempo, which is scary because they fast-broke all year, but they're forcing things with their defensive pressure."

Never mind the run-on.

It's what Hewitt has in mind.

Games are usually a fight

Many suggest that the ACC is top-heavy with UNC (29-2) and Duke (26-4), but 35 of the 96 conference games were decided by three points or fewer, or in overtime. A season-record 12 games went to overtime.

Freshmen make selves known

While the ACC may not be overloaded with freshmen who show up nightly on ESPN's SportsCenter, there are plenty who are talented.

Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg started freshmen 65 times this season, the most in the league. Forward Jeff Allen made the All-Freshman team for the Hokies after registering nine double-doubles and finishing second in the conference in steals (2.1). VT freshmen average 35.1 points.

He was joined on the All-Frosh team by N.C. State's J.J. Hickson (of Marietta's Wheeler High), Wake Forest's Jeff Teague and James Johnson, and Duke's Kyle Singler.

Teague, from Indianapolis, leads all ACC freshmen in scoring in league games (16.4). ACC freshmen registered 32 double-doubles, as Johnson also had nine.

Hokies battling on the boards

Virginia Tech, which just missed finishing in third place after a one-point loss at Clemson on Sunday, has out-rebounded its past four opponents by an average of 16.3 per game. The Hokies have a bye today and will play the winner of today's Miami-N.C. State game.

"We've played a little bit bigger [lineup], and when we compete with people on the boards, our wing guys got to rebound," Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg said.

"Now everyone says there's even a greater importance [in conference tournaments] ... these are like play-in games [because of the increased number of mid-major schools earning bids in recent years]."

RISING & FALLING STOCKS

Here's a look at preseason ACC media predictions vs. actual finish:

Predicted order....Actual order

..................(relative to prediction)

North Carolina ....North Carolina —

Duke ..............Duke —

N.C. State ........Clemson +1

Clemson............Virginia Tech +6

Virginia ..........Miami +7

Maryland ..........Maryland —

Georgia Tech ......Georgia Tech —

Boston College ....Wake Forest +3

Florida State......Florida State —

Virginia Tech......Virginia -5

Wake Forest........Boston College -3

Miami..............N.C. State -9

Crunch time for teams on bubble

North Carolina, Duke and Clemson have all but punched their tickets to the NCAA tournament, and although any team in Charlotte can earn a trip by winning the ACC tournament, the fates of Virginia Tech, Miami, Florida State and Maryland likely rest on what happens.

> The Hurricanes (21-9, 8-8) have won six of their past eight games and have a win over Duke on their resume. Four of Miami's losses were by six points or fewer, including two in OT the road.

The 'Canes also have a marquee player in All-ACC guard Jack McClinton, who is averaging 18.8 points per conference game while leading the ACC in 3-point (44.2 percent) and free-throw shooting (90).

"I like the way history stands in terms of us being .500 and winning 20 games," Miami coach Frank Haith said. "Since the [NCAA] field expanded to 65 teams, no team from our league has not gotten in [with those accomplishments], and with our strong RPI [28] and our strength of schedule [32], I've got to believe we're going to be in."

> Virginia Tech (18-12, 9-7 ACC) has won four of its past five games. The Hokies' RPI is 57 and strength of schedule 45th.

> Florida State (18-13, 7-9) has won four of its past five, suffered six losses by three or fewer points, and has an RPI of 63 and a strength of schedule of 18th.

> Maryland (18-13, 8-8) has lost four of five and five of seven, recently blowing a 20-point second-half lead against Clemson and a 14-point second-half lead against Virginia Tech —- both at home.

OF LOCAL INTEREST

There will be quite a few players with Georgia connections in the ACC tournament beyond Matt Causey, Lewis Clinch, Alade Aminu, Ty Anderson, Gary Cage, Gani Lawal and Lance Storrs of Georgia Tech. Here's a glance at some who play prominent roles on their teams with position, school and hometown:

> Cliff Hammonds (G, Clemson, Cairo): Third-team All-ACC senior is averaging 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and four assists, and is one of just five players in ACC history to total 1,400 points, 400 rebounds, 400 assists and 200 steals. Georgia Tech's Bruce Dalrymple was the first.

> Toney Douglas (PG, FSU, Jonesboro): Third-team All-ACC junior is averaging a team-high 15.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.8 steals.

> J.J. Hickson (C, N.C. State, Wheeler): Member of the ACC All-Freshman team. Averaging 14.4 points and 8.3 rebounds, both team highs.

> Landon Milbourne (F, Maryland, Roswell): Former St. Francis High player (later went to Oak Hill in Virginia) is averaging 8.5 points and 3.7 rebounds.

> Others: Florida State forward Jordan DeMercy of Norcross; Maryland forward Jerome Burney of Atlanta; Virginia Tech forwards Terrell Bell of Stone Mountain and Terrance Vinson of Valdosta.

BY THE NUMBERS

1: The number of times the lower-seeded teams have won all first-round games (last year)

39: Consecutive ACC games in which Georgia Tech's Anthony Morrow has made at least one 3-pointer

32: Career double-doubles by North Carolina center Tyler Hansbrough

0-4: Georgia Tech's record in ACC tournament first-round (Thursday) games

11.1: Percent of ACC tournaments won by non-North Carolina teams when the tournament is played in North Carolina

0-0: North Carolina's record in first-round games