The last time a basketball game was played here at the Georgia Dome, a funnel cloud ripped through the facility’s 8.5-acre roof and forced the remainder of last year’s SEC tournament to be moved to Georgia Tech’s Alexander Coliseum.

The newly repaired roof probably won’t be put to the test today, though the forecast calls for a 30 percent chance of rain tonight.

Speaking of natural disasters, the last month for Virginia Tech’s basketball season certainly qualifies as one. The Hokies have lost six of seven games, though to be fair, four of those games were on the road and five were against teams currently ranked in the Associated Press top 25.

Tech will attempt to save its once-promising season in the coming days. The popular opinion is the Hokies need to win two games, today against Miami and tomorrow against No. 1 North Carolina, to warrant NCAA tournament consideration.

Truth is, it’ll probably take more than that. Tech might need to win the whole thing down here in Atlanta to feel comfortable three days from now when the NCAA tournament field is revealed.

The Hurricanes could have a 100 percent healthy Jack McClinton for today’s game. The guard was limited in the previous three games by a sprained knee, but word from the Miami camp is he’s feeling good and ready to go.

McClinton, a first-team all-ACC performer this year, averaged 16.0 points (down from his season average of 19.7) and shot only 24 percent in the Canes’ last three games.

Tech guard Malcolm Delaney says he’s healthy now after battling through hip and wrist injuries down the stretch. He said he felt better at Florida State and could be rested and ready to go today.

A couple of quick notes before heading to press row …

*ACC tournament ticket sales were down this year. According to a story in today’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the league failed to sell out its conference tournament for the first time in year.

On Tuesday, the ACC had sold roughly 26,000 four-day ticket books (at $363 a pop), which cover all 11 of the tournament’s games. There were about 36,000 tickets available.

Still, 26,000 is a lot of tickets, more than any conference tournament will sell this year. The ACC tournament sold out last year at Charlotte’s Bobcats Arena, but that facility holds only 20,000 fans.

The 2001 ACC tournament at the Georgia Dome sold more than 40,000 tickets.

*Virginia Tech is 6-2 against Miami in the last eight games.

*This is the Hokies’ first visit to the Georgia Dome for basketball.

*Tech is 3-4 in ACC tournament games and 0-1 in first-round games.

*The Hokies are 0-2 this season with today’s projected lineup: G/F A.D. Vassallo, C Cheick Diakite, PF Jeff Allen, SG Malcolm Delaney, PG Hank Thorns.

*Rivals.com released its 2010 top 100 football recruit list, and Brookville defensive end made the cut at No. 87. The 6-foot-4, 228-pound McCray, cousin of incoming Tech recruit Logan Thomas, was one of two Virginia players on the list. Oscar Smith quarterback Phillip Sims also made the cut at No. 52. Obviously, both players are on Virginia Tech’s radar.