Pilchard
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After getting worked over in Durham on Saturday night, the Deacs have a short turnaround to face the young and surprising VT Hokies tomorrow night. Here is the rundown on Mike Young's first VT squad:
This season: Despite losing all 5 starters and their coach from last year's Sweet 16 team, VT started this season impressively: they are 12-4 (3-2). VT sprinted to a 6-0 start to the season, the Hokies then split the next 8, and have won two straight before heading to W-S. VT has top 100 wins over #86 Clemson (on the road), #5 Michigan State (in Hawaii), #51 Cuse (on the road) and #51 State (without CJ Bryce). When VT has lost, they have been crushed: by 27 to #6 Dayton, by 13 to #26 BYU, by 14 to #1 Duke and by 26 to #42 UVA. VT is 4-0 in games decided by 9 or less - so coaching does matter. VT relies on the 3 point shot for its offense (43% of the Hokie offense comes from behind the arc - #5 in the nation - #1 by far among Power 6 teams). While they have become slightly more TO prone in ACC play, the Hokies are careful with ball (#3 in the nation in fewest TOs per offensive possession). Because VT is small and guard oriented, they don't get many offensive rebounds and don't go to the line often. The Hokies are #1 in the ACC in FT% in conference games (78%). On defense, VT doesn't foul (a big part of WF's offense), and they defend the perimeter (#3 in the ACC in 3 point defense), but they also don't force many TOs (last in the ACC in conference games), they don't block shots (last in the ACC). VT plays at a very slow pace averaging 65.5 possessions per game (#55).
The lineup: VT is small and inexperienced. They are dead last in the ACC and among the lowest rated in the country in average height (#339) and experience (#350). Against State on Saturday, nine VT players logged minutes: 6 freshman, 1 sophomore and 2 juniors. The tallest player in VT's regular rotation is 6-7. VT's starting lineup is: 6-0 Wabissa Bede, 6-1 Tyrese Radford, 6-3 Nahiem Alleyne, 6-6 PJ Horne and 6-7 Landers Nolley. Off the bench, VT inserts 5-10 Jalen Cone (local product), 6-3 Hunter Cattoor and 6-4 Isiah Wilkins. Nolley is their stud. He has scored double figures in 14 of their 16 games, and scored 30 in the win over Clemson and 29 in the win over State. Everyone except for Bede is a threat from 3. Cone is hitting a ridiculous 56% from 3, Nolley and Cattoor are hitting over 40%. Freshman guard Tyrece Radford is shooting an unfathomable 72% on 2 point shots; he was 8 for 11 from the field against State on Saturday.
The bottom line: KP projects a 70-69 VT win. If Chaundee was healthy, I would call for a WF win. If Brown remains out, still think WF has a chance. Obviously, Young knows what he is doing, and the ACC is down, but still don't think VT's success is sustainable given their size, experience and depth issues. As teams continue to gameplan against VT, it will be harder for the Hokies to continue to be so reliant on the 3 (UVA destroyed VT, by defending the 3 point line). Think this game comes down to Olivier Sarr. He is 5 inches plus taller than anyone VT typically uses (the Hokies have 6-10 freshman John Ojiako, but he hasn't played more than 8 minutes in any of VT's 5 ACC games); Sarr should be unstoppable on offense, but who does he cover on defense as Nolley is VT's biggest player, but he plays beyond the arc? Maybe WF will play a lot of extended zone. Got a tingle that WF finds a way to win tomorrow.
This season: Despite losing all 5 starters and their coach from last year's Sweet 16 team, VT started this season impressively: they are 12-4 (3-2). VT sprinted to a 6-0 start to the season, the Hokies then split the next 8, and have won two straight before heading to W-S. VT has top 100 wins over #86 Clemson (on the road), #5 Michigan State (in Hawaii), #51 Cuse (on the road) and #51 State (without CJ Bryce). When VT has lost, they have been crushed: by 27 to #6 Dayton, by 13 to #26 BYU, by 14 to #1 Duke and by 26 to #42 UVA. VT is 4-0 in games decided by 9 or less - so coaching does matter. VT relies on the 3 point shot for its offense (43% of the Hokie offense comes from behind the arc - #5 in the nation - #1 by far among Power 6 teams). While they have become slightly more TO prone in ACC play, the Hokies are careful with ball (#3 in the nation in fewest TOs per offensive possession). Because VT is small and guard oriented, they don't get many offensive rebounds and don't go to the line often. The Hokies are #1 in the ACC in FT% in conference games (78%). On defense, VT doesn't foul (a big part of WF's offense), and they defend the perimeter (#3 in the ACC in 3 point defense), but they also don't force many TOs (last in the ACC in conference games), they don't block shots (last in the ACC). VT plays at a very slow pace averaging 65.5 possessions per game (#55).
The lineup: VT is small and inexperienced. They are dead last in the ACC and among the lowest rated in the country in average height (#339) and experience (#350). Against State on Saturday, nine VT players logged minutes: 6 freshman, 1 sophomore and 2 juniors. The tallest player in VT's regular rotation is 6-7. VT's starting lineup is: 6-0 Wabissa Bede, 6-1 Tyrese Radford, 6-3 Nahiem Alleyne, 6-6 PJ Horne and 6-7 Landers Nolley. Off the bench, VT inserts 5-10 Jalen Cone (local product), 6-3 Hunter Cattoor and 6-4 Isiah Wilkins. Nolley is their stud. He has scored double figures in 14 of their 16 games, and scored 30 in the win over Clemson and 29 in the win over State. Everyone except for Bede is a threat from 3. Cone is hitting a ridiculous 56% from 3, Nolley and Cattoor are hitting over 40%. Freshman guard Tyrece Radford is shooting an unfathomable 72% on 2 point shots; he was 8 for 11 from the field against State on Saturday.
The bottom line: KP projects a 70-69 VT win. If Chaundee was healthy, I would call for a WF win. If Brown remains out, still think WF has a chance. Obviously, Young knows what he is doing, and the ACC is down, but still don't think VT's success is sustainable given their size, experience and depth issues. As teams continue to gameplan against VT, it will be harder for the Hokies to continue to be so reliant on the 3 (UVA destroyed VT, by defending the 3 point line). Think this game comes down to Olivier Sarr. He is 5 inches plus taller than anyone VT typically uses (the Hokies have 6-10 freshman John Ojiako, but he hasn't played more than 8 minutes in any of VT's 5 ACC games); Sarr should be unstoppable on offense, but who does he cover on defense as Nolley is VT's biggest player, but he plays beyond the arc? Maybe WF will play a lot of extended zone. Got a tingle that WF finds a way to win tomorrow.
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