ACC/SEC Slaughterhouse.
The ACC went 1-9 yesterday in the challenge. Clemson upset #4 Kentucky.
Tonight the ACC is favored in two of the remaining six games. If that holds it will be a 15-3 blowout. But the ACC is a basketball conference. RIGHT?
Back at the crib for the SEC/ACC Challenge π°π₯π VanderbiltπΊ ACCNβοΈ 9:15 p.m. ETπ https://t.co/Ypqs6c7UWE pic.twitter.com/rK1eQFuGxpβ Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) December 4, 2024
Vanderbilt (7-1)
at
Virginia Tech (3-4)
Cassell Coliseum
915pm
ACCN/ESPN+
Familiar Faces
Hokies come home after extending their non-conference losing streak to four games. That is the longest streak since the 1952-53 season. Yes it had two Big 10 teams and a SEC team which is unusual for non-con play. It was more how they lost than who they lost to. In the last four games we witnessed one, maybe two good halves of basketball. The first half against Jacksonville and the second half against South Carolina.
The Hokies just can't seem to avoid the scoring droughts and turning the ball over. The last four games they have turned it over 68 times and shot 38% from the floor. Their perimeter shooting was 32% over that span. Between turnovers and scoring, the Hokies score on only 30% of their possessions. I am honestly surprised it's that high.
All of that said, the Hokies are currently 233rd in NET rankings which is the lowest of any P4 team by almost 30 spots.
This leads up to this tweet showing the availability of seating for tonight's game.
VT Men's team plays Vandy in a big matchup in the ACC/SEC challenge. The commodores have two former Hokies on roster. Here are all the available seats for the game tomorrow less than 30% full. Doesn't help season tickets don't include non conference games and a 9pm start.... pic.twitter.com/KydgvZYYpMβ Nathan Gray (@nathangray_1) December 4, 2024
As of last night, there were nearly 70% of the tickets for this game available. It's a confluence of bad basketball, not including the OOC tickets as part of season package and making the ticket price for this game $50 each for non-season ticket holders. Our Athletic Departments continues to make compounding errors.
As a basketball guy, all of the above was hard to write, let alone digest. We are a couple years removed from an ACC Championship run only to have been shoved off a cliff. At this point I really hope Coach Young focuses on youth development rather than final results. You should always aim to win the game but getting the young guys minutes will also be critical. In all of this, I feel bad for Poteat, who clearly invested extraordinary effort to be stronger and more durable for this season.
Somehow after all this Vandy is only favored by 5.5 points.
On to Vanderbilt, who comes in 7-1. After last season, the Commodores focused some of that SEC money on buying a new team. They got Coach Byington from JMU. He then got McGlockton from Boston College, Nickel and Collins from the Hokies, Hoggard from Michigan State, Manon from Cornell, and Huffman from Davidson. Eight of the ten top scorers for Vanderbilt are transfers or freshman. Three of the six transfers are grad transfers bringing four years of experience with them to this lineup.
Their top win is over Cal, who is 6-2. They also beat a mediocre Seton Hall team. Their only loss is to this seasons early Cinderella favorite Drake. Drake is 7-0 with wins over Vandy, FGCU, Miami, and FAU. All but FGCU were by double-digits.
Vanderbilt has blown out most of their Buy games. The only close one was a two point win over Nevada. They are led by point guard Jason Edwards. He is putting up 18 points per game on 45% shooting. Familiar Faces Tyler Nickel is adding 10.3 points per game as one of four double-digit scorers. Other familiar MJ Collins has once again found himself the 6th man. He is adding in 7 points in about 20 minutes per game.
The Commodores focus on ball movement and spacing to create open shots. They rely on penetrating the defense to either score or kick the ball out for three-point shots.
The team often utilizes pick-and-roll plays, which enable the Guards to find defensive weaknesses and penetrate the lane.
Key players in this strategy include Nickel and Edwards who can stretch the floor. This not only boosts their scoring options but frees up big men in the paint.
Defensively, Vanderbilt employs an aggressive man-to-man scheme complemented by pack line zone tendencies. This strategy focuses on pressure, aiming to force turnovers and create transition scoring chances.
The team also focuses on defensive rebounding to limit opponents' second-chance opportunities. Coach Byington expects his players to be able to guard multiple positions.
Hokies Starting Five
Toibu Lawal
1 JR F 6-8 200
12.7 Pts, 6.9 Reb, 0.4 Ast
Mylyjael Poteat
34 SR F 6-9 260
11.0 Pts, 5.3 Reb, 2.0 Ast
Tyler Johnson
10 FR G 6-5 215
5.9 Pts, 4.9 Reb, 0.9 Ast
Brandon Rechsteiner
7 SO G 6-1 185
9.1 Pts, 1.7 Reb, 3.1 Ast
Jaden Schutt
2 SO G 6-5 185
8.6 Pts, 3.3 Reb, 2.0 Ast
Key Bench Players
Jaydon Young
3 SO G 6-4 205
9.7 Pts, 2.3 Reb, 1.7 Ast
Ben Burnham
13 SR F 6-7 200
4.6 Pts, 3.4 Reb, 0.7 Ast
Ben Hammond
11 FR G 5-11 170
3.3 Pts, 1.0 Reb, 1.4 Ast
Patrick Wessler
5 SO C 7-0 245
3.3 Pts, 3.4 Reb, 0.0 Ast
At least the students will get free wings.
π π²πΎππ π²ππΉππππΉπΆπ π₯π VandyβοΈ 9:15 p.m. ETπ Free chicken wings for students while supplies lastπ Wing-eating contestsποΈ https://t.co/7cCkqR4WjG pic.twitter.com/TLJfcWllfrβ Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) December 2, 2024
Commodores Starting Five
Jason Edwards
1 JR G 6-1 170
17.9 Pts, 2.0 Reb, 2.0 Ast
Devin McGlockton
99 JR F 6-7 220
11.9 Pts, 8.6 Reb, 1.0 Ast
A.J. Hoggard
11 SR G 6-3 220
11.7 Pts, 3.3 Reb, 4.3 Ast
Tyler Nickel
5 JR F 6-7 200
10.3 Pts, 2.9 Reb, 0.9 Ast
Grant Huffman
4 SR G 6-3 185
5.0 Pts, 3.1 Reb, 2.9 Ast
Key Bench Players
MJ Collins
2 JR G 6-4 190
7.0 Pts, 1.6 Reb, 0.8 Ast
Tyler Tanner
3 FR G 6-0 170
6.8 Pts, 1.9 Reb, 1.8 Ast
Jaylen Carey
22 FR F 6-8 245
6.6 Pts, 6.3 Reb, 0.6 Ast
Chris Manon
30 SR G 6-5 195
5.6 Pts, 3.1 Reb, 1.1 Ast
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