BLACKSBURG, VA. - Virginia Tech men's basketball coach Seth Greenberg lobbied for a larger NCAA Tournament field and complained about the selective use of the RPI after the selection committee left out the Hokies on Sunday.

"Do we feel like we were capable of competing in the tournament? Without a doubt," Greenberg said. "Do we feel like if we were a [No.] 12 seed that people wouldn't want to play us? Yeah."

The Hokies (19-13) will host Morgan State (22-10) in the first round of the NIT at 7 p.m. Wednesday in a game that will air on ESPN Classic.

Greenberg said he and some boosters will pay for NIT tickets for 3,000 Tech students.

Only four ACC teams made the NCAA field, and it was the first time since N.C. State in 1975 that a team with at least 10 ACC wins in the regular season and ACC Tournament combined failed to make the field.

Virginia Tech was No. 53 in the Ratings Percentage Index, and Greenberg complained that the selection committee's use of the RPI is inconsistent.

"They selectively decide when they want to use it," he said. "Maybe they should just eliminate the RPI."

Tom O'Connor, chairman of the selection committee, said Tech was lacking in four areas:

* Only one win against the NCAA field (Friday's ACC quarterfinal win over Miami).

* Four losses against teams below No. 100 in the Rating Percentage Index (No. 102 N.C. State, No. 120 Richmond, No. 129 Old Dominion and No. 155 Penn State).

* No non-league wins against the top 120 in the RPI.

* No wins against teams in the top 50 of the RPI until the ACC Tournament.

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