Paul Abell | US Presswire

Virginia Tech guard Malcolm Delaney (right) pulls up for a shot against Georgia Tech. Delaney scored 32 points.

ATLANTA -- Even without one of its most important players, the Virginia Tech men's basketball team managed to win its most important game of the season Saturday.

The Hokies became an extremely safe bet for an NCAA tournament at-large bid and clinched a first-round bye in the ACC Tournament by fending off Georgia Tech 88-82.

"Maybe the cameras are going to be in our room [on Selection Sunday] this year," forward Jeff Allen said with a grin. "It was a win that we needed, so we came in on fire."

Allen raised his arms in triumph at the end of the regular-season finale. Manny Atkins, who got his first career start in place of injured Dorenzo Hudson, pumped his fist.

"That's a big-time win," Tech coach Seth Greenberg told his players in the locker room.

Virginia Tech (23-7, 10-6 ACC) boosted its NCAA tournament resume by improving to 3-4 against teams ranked in the top 50 of the RPI -- as many top-50 wins as it had the previous two seasons combined. Georgia Tech (19-11, 7-9) began the day at No. 35.

"I'm just happy for those kids," Greenberg said. "I can't describe just how happy I am for them."

The Hokies clinched the No. 4 seed in the ACC Tournament. They will end the weekend in a two- or three-team tie for third place. This is the first time they have won 10 ACC games since 2007, the last time they made the NCAAs.

Now the Hokies won't be in the position they were in the past two years, needing to improve their resume in the ACC Tournament but falling short against North Carolina and winding up in the NIT both times.

"We're more relaxed [because of this win]," said Malcolm Delaney, who had 32 points and nine assists. "Last two years, it was always, 'Well, we've got to go into the tournament and win a certain amount of games.' But now ... we're freed up."

The Hokies will play an ACC quarterfinal at 2 p.m. Friday in Greensboro, N.C., against the winner of a first-round game between the No. 5 seed (Wake Forest or Florida State) and No. 12 seed Miami.

"We [were] focused on getting the bye," Delaney said.

Hudson, the team's second-leading scorer (14.4 ppg), did not play Saturday because of a bruised bone in his right foot. He re-injured his foot against Maryland last weekend and played in pain in Wednesday's win over North Carolina State.

It was decided Saturday morning that he wouldn't play. Hudson said he was in more pain than he had been on Wednesday. But he said he will be ready for the ACC Tournament.

The Hokies won without him Saturday, just as they had beaten Seton Hall without an injured Delaney, and just as they had won at Virginia after Allen was ejected.

"They're the most resilient group I've ever been around," Greenberg said.

Atkins, Terrell Bell and Victor Davila made up for Hudson's absence.

Atkins, a freshman from suburban Atlanta, had five points, seven rebounds and five assists.

"It's my hometown; that's what made me even more eager to play," he said. "I stepped up big."

Bell, also from suburban Atlanta, had a career-high 14 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

"It feels good to be back home," he said.

Davila had 10 points, the most he has ever scored in ACC play.

Allen had 17 points and 10 rebounds in his first visit to Alexander Memorial Coliseum since he was ejected for elbowing an official in a 2008 game here.

"It's probably more exciting [to win] for me than anybody because last time we played here, I had to walk up this hallway by myself with my head down," he said. "This time I'm walking up the hallway happy."

The Hokies entered the game averaging just 4.4 3-pointers, but they were 8-of-10 from 3-point range in the first half Saturday. They led the entire second half.

Down 75-58 with 8:53 to go, the Yellow Jackets went on an 18-5 run to cut the lead to 80-76 with 1:19 to go. But the Hokies made eight free throws the rest of the way to seal the win.

VIRGINIA TECH (23-7)

Allen 4-11 7-8 17, Davila 5-5 0-1 10, Bell 4-7 4-4 14, Delaney 7-15 14-17 32, Atkins 1-3 2-4 5, Raines 0-1 0-0 0, Green 0-1 0-0 0, Witcher 1-1 0-0 2, Thompson 3-5 2-2 8. Totals 25-49 29-36 88.

GEORGIA TECH (19-11)

Lawal 7-10 4-8 18, Peacock 2-9 4-4 9, Shumpert 5-15 1-2 16, Bell 2-9 2-2 6, Rice Jr. 3-12 0-0 8, Udofia 1-3 0-0 3, M.Miller 0-1 0-0 0, Oliver 1-5 1-3 4, Favors 6-7 6-7 18. Totals 27-71 18-26 82.

Halftime--Virginia Tech 45-39. 3-Point Goals--Virginia Tech 9-17 (Delaney 4-7, Allen 2-3, Bell 2-5, Atkins 1-2), Georgia Tech 10-27 (Shumpert 5-10, Rice Jr. 2-4, Peacock 1-3, Udofia 1-3, Oliver 1-3, M.Miller 0-1, Bell 0-3). Fouled Out--Shumpert. Rebounds--Virginia Tech 38 (Bell 13), Georgia Tech 36 (Favors 9). Assists--Virginia Tech 16 (Delaney 9), Georgia Tech 19 (Shumpert 5). Total Fouls--Virginia Tech 22, Georgia Tech 26. Technical--Peacock. A--8,725.