Shane Larkin pass the ball against Joey van Zegeren (2) during the first half of the game. Photo by David Santiago / El Nuevo Herald

Here is a sentence University of Miami men’s basketball fans probably never thought they would read: The fifth-ranked Hurricanes can clinch their first Atlantic Coast Conference championship by beating Duke on Saturday.

Their first ACC title. In basketball. Not football.

Take a moment to digest that thought.

The UM team that started the season unranked and a middle-of-the-pack pick in the ACC is on the verge of earning the league title after cruising past Virginia Tech 76-58 on Wednesday night in front of a near-capacity crowd of 7,434 at BankUnited Center.

UM (23-4, 14-1) now heads into the nationally televised road showdown against No.3 Duke.