The Virginia Tech men's basketball team thrilled fans by making the NCAA tournament in 2007 for the first time in 11 years.

The past two seasons, however, the Hokies had to settle for the NIT.

This year's squad boasts two of the top eight returning scorers in the ACC -- juniors Malcolm Delaney and Jeff Allen. But the performance of their supporting cast will determine whether the team can slip into the NCAA field in March.

Others must become consistent scorers, especially with the departure of A.D. Vassallo.

Can junior off-guard Dorenzo Hudson and junior forwards Terrell Bell and J.T. Thompson increase their production? Can sophomore power forward Victor Davila provide more scoring in the paint? Can freshman reserve Erick Green help out at point guard?

"It's very important to the team to make it to the NCAA tournament, but a lot of people got to step up to do that," Hudson said. "We're just looking for more guys to contribute."

Tech went 19-15 last season and tied for seventh place in the ACC at 7-9. The Hokies fell in the second round of the NIT.

The Hokies have been picked to finish eighth in the league this year in the ACC's preseason media poll. They have been picked to finish anywhere from seventh to ninth in three national magazines, with only one of those magazines predicting Tech will make the NCAAs.

"We're a lot better overall team" this year, Delaney said. "We haven't had people playing to their potential [before]. So with them being better this year and stepping up to the potential they had coming out of high school, it's going to be a lot easier.

"We're going to make the NCAA tournament."

Delaney is back as the floor general after averaging 18.1 points and 4.5 assists last season. Tech will add some motion offense, screening so Delaney can be freed up for shots even when he is at point guard.

"We're going to run a lot more motion, try to move Malcolm more different places," coach Seth Greenberg said. "We've got to get the ball back in his hands [after he passes it]. Plus I don't want to be as predictable in terms of him coming off sets and people being ready for him."

Motion offense could also enable the Hokies to be more spontaneous, once they get a knack for it.

"It gives them a lot more freedom," Greenberg said. "It's Basketball 101: pass and screen."

Tech also hopes to run a bit more on offense and pressure some on defense.

The Hokies ranked eighth in the ACC in scoring offense (72.6 ppg) last season -- their highest ranking in that category in their five years in the league.

But they no longer have Vassallo, who finished his college career as the fifth-leading scorer and top 3-point shooter in Tech history. The swingman averaged a team-high 19.1 points as a senior last season, earning a spot on the All-ACC third team. Vassallo, who was also the team's second-leading rebounder (6.2 rpg), is now playing in France.

"A.D. was a big loss for us," Allen said. "Me and Malcolm are going to have to step up. And we have other players that's been working on their game over the summer that came back looking better. They're going to help."

Allen returns at power forward. He averaged 13.7 points and ranked fourth in the ACC in rebounding (8.4 rpg) last season.

Hudson will again start at off-guard, but he averaged just 4.6 points and shot 36.2 percent from the field last year.

"Coach is telling me I need to be a scoring threat," Hudson said. "There should be no excuses why I shouldn't do that."

Hudson spent time in Chicago last summer with personal trainer Tim Grover, who has worked with Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.

"Dorenzo made a big improvement this year," Delaney said. "He's been shooting the ball a lot better."

Bell, who averaged just 2.3 points and 12.4 minutes last season, is the likely starter at small forward.

"There's some improvement in my shot and driving ability," Bell said.

Davila will inherit the starting job of post player Cheick Diakite, who averaged 3.8 points as a senior.

Davila, who lost 12 pounds while suffering from the flu last week, averaged only 3.1 points and 2 rebounds last season. But Allen said Davila has improved his hook shot.

"You could see the light bulb go on," Greenberg said of Davila's preseason play. "You could see him say, 'I can score.' "

Thompson, who was hindered by a sprained ankle in preseason practice, will again see action at both forward spots. He averaged 6.5 points and 3.7 rebounds last season.

"Coach said he wants me to double my points from last year and grab extra rebounds," Thompson said. "I've been working on my jumper."

Tech will get help in the paint from freshman Cadarian Raines when he returns next month from a fractured foot.

"He's got an ACC body," Greenberg said.

Delaney would slide over to off-guard when point guard Hank Thorns came off the bench. But Thorns transferred to TCU last spring.

Green will see action as the new backup point guard so Delaney can again spend time at off-guard.

Green "is shooting the ball well," Greenberg said. "He's still trying to grasp what we're doing offensively. ... He's got to be able to lead."

Greenberg wants to improve the defense. The Hokies ranked eighth in scoring defense (70.7 ppg) last season after leading the ACC two years ago (64.7 ppg).

"The attitude of last year's team wasn't to stop people. We knew we could score with anybody," Delaney said. "In the offseason this year, we worked a lot on defense.

"Every game in pickup this summer, we probably had somebody about to fight -- it was just so competitive. I think we're back to where teams [are] not going to want to play us.

"Last year in practice we probably had one or two people that would take a charge. This year everybody on this team tries to take charges."

The Hokies' chances of an at-large bid last season were hurt by their 3-11 record against the 2009 NCAA field. Three of those 11 defeats came on a basket in the final second.

Tech wound up 8-8 last season in games decided by five points or fewer or by overtime.

"We have to finish off close games," Allen said.