Add ACC commissioner John Swofford to the list of those who were disappointed that Virginia Tech was not selected to the NCAA tournament field.

"I'm surprised that Virginia Tech was excluded from the NCAA Tournament," Swofford said in a statement he released this afternoon. "I believe they are a quality team that earned and deserved to be in the field of 68."

In decisions that have prompted much controversy and criticism nationally, the Division I men's basketball committee awarded at-large NCAA tournament bids to Alabama-Birmingham and Virginia Commonwealth while leaving Virginia Tech and Colorado out of the tournament.

updated 7:45 p.m.

GREENSBORO – Duke guard Nolan Smith said his injured toe felt “brand new” when he woke up Saturday morning.

His game looked as good as ever Saturday afternoon.

Smith, the ACC player of the year, shrugged off a bruise on the second toe of his left foot to lead Duke to a 77-63 ACC semifinal win over Virginia Tech at the Greensboro Coliseum.

He played all but the final 34 seconds, scoring 27 points and handing out six assists in a dominating performance.

GREENSBORO - Duke senior guard Nolan Smith is listed in the starting lineup for the Blue Devils on the Greensboro Coliseum scoreboard one day after suffering an injury to the second toe on his left foot.

X-rays were negative, and a Duke spokesman said the team would wait until pre-game warmups to decide if Smith would start.

The Blue Devils meet Virginia Tech in an ACC semifinal game scheduled to start at about 4 p.m.

GREENSBORO - It's going to be difficult for the ACC to top what happened Friday.

The fans who just about packed the Greensboro Coliseum (and yes, the crowds were strong) for Friday's ACC quarterfinals got their money's worth.

There was a buzzer beater in the opener (Tyler Zeller of North Carolina), a near buzzer beater in the finale (Derwin Kitchen's shot was ruled to have occurred after the buzzer for Florida State) and a dramatic turn of events for Duke with Nolan Smith's toe injury.

But there will be plenty worth watching in the ACC semifinals today:

GREENSBORO — For once, Virginia Tech is taking the easy way into the NCAA tournament. Even the easy way is hard for the Hokies.

The Hokies knocked off Florida State 52-51 in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament to cement their NCAA resume but only after an apparent game-winning shot by FSU's Derwin Kitchen was disallowed.

Kitchen's runner from the right wing as the clock hit zero was ruled good on the court but overturned by head official Bryan Kersey after the replay showed the ball hadn't left Kitchen's hands in time.

GREENSBORO -- Virginia Tech’s seniors, who have never been to the NCAA tournament, played Thursday night like they’re desperate to get in.

Senior guard Malcolm Delaney scored 15 points and senior forward Jeff Allen added 14 in a 59-43 defeat of Georgia Tech in the final first-round game of the night at the ACC tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum.

GREENSBORO - Because the four top seeds get byes, the opening day of the ACC tournament often gets a lukewarm reception from the media and fans.

Beginning at noon today, there will be four games at the Greensboro Coliseum that don’t showcase the best the ACC has to offer.

Nonetheless, there are plenty of reasons to tune in today as Wake Forest’s Jeff Bzdelik coaches in his first ACC tournament and Sidney Lowe may coach N.C. State for the last time.

Here are five things to watch today: 

N.C. State will open the ACC tournament against Maryland on Thursday at the Greensboro Coliseum. UNC, the No. 1 seed, and Duke, No. 2, have the first day off.

The Wolfpack finished the regular season at 5-11 in the ACC and as the No. 10 seed. The Terps, No. 7, have won eight straight against the Wolfpack, including an 87-80 win in College Park on Feb. 20.

BLACKSBURG, Va. – As Duke’s players exited the floor at Cassell Coliseum on Saturday night, Virginia Tech’s students were rushing on to celebrate one of the school’s biggest basketball wins ever.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski had warned that the Blue Devils would be playing teams desperate for wins over the last few games of the regular season.

Top-ranked Duke led by five with 5 minutes, 20 seconds remaining, but Virginia Tech scored nine straight points and won 64-60. Terrell Bell hit a tying 3-pointer and then made two free throws with 4:19 left to give the Hokies the lead for good.

Although Duke finished 3-9 on the football field last season, the Blue Devils were No. 1 in the ACC in the classroom by a wide margin, according to the All-ACC Academic awards announced this morning.

Duke led the conference with 13 All-ACC Academic selections. Clemson was next with six, and Virginia Tech had five.

To be eligible, athletes needed to have at least a 3.00 grade-point average for the past semester and to have maintained at least a 3.00 GPA throughout their college career.

North Carolina had four All-ACC Academic selections - fullback Curtis Byrd, offensive tackle James Hurst, tight end Zack Pianalto and offensive tackle Michael Ingersoll. N.C. State had one selection - quarterback Russell Wilson.