Game Preview: Virginia Tech at Virginia

Virginia Tech has been a difficult team to figure out this season with many highs and lows. Fortunately and unfortunately, the Hokies come up against a Virginia Cavaliers team that is in the same boat so this battle in the Commonwealth has multiple unknowns entering this contest. The Hokies (9-12, 4-6) have started to figure some pieces out and turn things around while the Cavaliers (10-11, 3-7) have won two of their last three with some talented players starting to emerge. Virginia opened as 4.5-point favorites for the 4 PM tipoff on the ACC Network. 

Virginia started the season through some turmoil when legendary coach Tony Bennett announced his retirement shortly before the season began and Ron Sanchez took over. Some players decided to leave the program at that point and the team had to rally together to steady the ship. There have been some rough stretches but defending John Paul Jones Arena has been much better than their road performances so the energy and focus shouldn’t be in question heading into this one. 

The Cavaliers have one of the slowest paces in the country, the second slowest in all of Division I actually, and are still playing good defense, two of the staples under Tony Bennett. Rebounding has been an issue with this team when looking at the advanced numbers but if the defense plays the way they are capable it shouldn’t be a major issue. Much like Virginia Tech fans have seen this season, there isn’t one major glaring issue but more a problem with consistency and getting repeat performances. 

Isaac Mckneely is the offensive star for the Cavaliers but the 6’4″ wing impacts a little bit of everything. McKneely is averaging 13 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3 assists per game while hitting 43% from three. Isaac has had two 20+ point performances in the last three games as well, showing that he is still seeking the extra pass keeping the right flow. Andrew Rohde joins him on the wing and is the assist leader, averaging 8.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. Rohde has actually been really struggling with his scoring but his passing has been very useful. Andrew missed the last game with injury and his status for the game tonight is still up in the air but getting him back should help the offense even through his poor shooting stretch. 

Elijah Saunders is the best post player for Virginia but is also questionable for the game today. Saunders missed the last game but when he is active he is a very good rebounder who is a threat from all over the court. Elijah gets the most attention outside of McKneely so while the pieces worked against a struggling Miami, having that extra factor so the Hokies can’t focus down Isaac would be impactful. Jacob Cofie joins Saunders in the post and is on a good run of for as the 6’10” freshman has shown off some impressive rebounding and scoring. Cofie is second on the team in steals and blocks so his defense is what stands out but with his offensive breakout he is becoming an exciting player for the Cavaliers. 

Dai Dai Ames, Blake Buchanan, and Taine Murray are the other three to highlight. Dai Dai is the point guard and while his assist numbers aren’t the best he has been solid running the offense. Ames doesn’t always like to attack from the perimeter but has been very good when deciding to shoot it, hitting 39.5% from three this season. Buchanan is the prototypical post who can attack the glass and the basket. Blake is coming off a 16 point, 9 rebound performance against the Hurricanes and is one of the better players getting to the line on the roster. Buchanan is very good defensively and is the blocks leader for the Cavaliers with 24 blocks so far this season with the entire Virginia Tech team logging just 33. Murray has explosive attributes but inconsistency is a big issue. The 6’5″ wing is coming off a 20-point game and can be a very good three point shooter but is averaging just 4.5 points this season. Virginia Tech has struggled with perimeter defense at times this season and will have to put a special focus on guarding guys like Murray and McKneely to keep the game close, especially if Saunders and Rohde miss another game. 

Other players like Ishan Sharma, TJ Power, and Anthony Robinson will get minutes but haven’t shown any sort of statistical breakout in any category to nail them down. Sharma would be the most likely as the lone guard of this trio and a good three point shooter but chipping away and staying as a role player is the most likely expectation. The Cavaliers have been shooting the ball well so if they can keep knocking down perimeter shots with their playmaking ability it should be a good game.

Mike Young just earned his 400th career win and it came in an upset bid over Florida State on the road. That game was also the perfect highlight of the consistency issues the Hokies have shown throughout the season. An incredible first half performance saw the Virginia Tech defense hold Florida State to just 15 points and take a 20-point lead into halftime. The second half saw the Seminoles rally and start asking some real questions about whether or not they could storm all the way back to steal it before some clutch plays ended that and the Hokies held on. With offensive droughts already an issue, coming up against a defense like Virginia further emphasizes how important it will be to limit turnovers and dead possessions because earning baskets will be a hard enough challenge without the simple mistakes. 

Tobi Lawal is where the focus has to start for the Hokies and he has had an incredible conference slate. The electric Lawal has been great on the glass which has led to finishes on the block. Tobi has added a perimeter shot this season and his floor spacing has been an important part of the Hokies offense lately. If Saunders does miss this game it could give Tobi an enhanced opportunity to try and take over. Mylyjael Poteat is his primary partner and the big, bruising center is a solid rebounder and paint scorer who is hard to move on both ends. The Hokies biggest weakness is shot blocking so the size of the Cavaliers on both ends could prove to be an issue for the 6’8″ Poteat, but Virginia Tech is a better team when playing through the post so getting these two involved early will be a priority. 

Three point shooting hasn’t been the best attribute throughout the season but the team has started to find their range more and that starts with Jaden Schutt. There was a rough stretch of play for Schutt and he dropped out of the starting lineup but since that point he aggressively seeks his shot and pushes the offense forward. Ben Burnham is a forward who can attack the rim or stretch the court and his size could bring an advantage if Rohde is missing. Then there is someone like Jaydon Young who has breakout potential and can light it up from the perimeter. Consistency has been an issue for all three players but all three can easily break out and it wouldn’t be a surprise for any of them to finish the game scoring in the mid-teens. 

Ben Hammond is the point guard for the Hokies and he brings contagious energy to the court. Hammond’s shot is inconsistent at best but he does a good job setting the offense up and getting open looks for his teammates. Turnovers can be an issue but after returning from injury he has done well limiting his silly turnovers and freshman mistakes. Brandon Rechsteiner and Rodney Brown split time behind him both as point guards and wings. Rechsteiner is a great shooter from midrange and the perimeter. Brandon really struggled with turnovers as a point guard which is why he switched to play off the ball more and it has found some success. Brown is in a similar boat as a good shooter, especially from the perimeter, but a player who can turn it over frequently. Rodney has really stepped up from the beginning of the season and his breakout helped launch the team forward after the beginning of conference play looked like it could be bleak for the Hokies. 

The final player to really highlight is Tyler Johnson. Already one of the best players on the team as a true freshman, Johnson is one of the best rebounders on the team and has been guarding the primary scorer over the last month. While Tyler has been matched up with more forwards because of his strength, he could see time against McKneely this afternoon to make sure he doesn’t break out. Johnson is best attacking the rim offensively but has started showing a perimeter touch to highlight his well-rounded game and why the coaching staff is so high on his potential. 

Prediction

There is more context to add throughout the article but the inconsistency of both teams makes it difficult to properly state. If Virginia Tech shows up and rebounds well they could take this game very comfortably. If Virginia comes out and forces dead possessions, even only a couple, it ruins the Hokies rhythm and once it is gone they have shown it can be very difficult to get back. Charlottesville has been a difficult place for Virginia Tech to travel but the uncertainty around the two injured Cavaliers takes some of the nerves away as it seems like at least one will not suit up. 

I think this is a game where the Hokies match up well and if they can knock down a couple perimeter shots it will really open things up for Lawal to go to work. The defense of the Cavaliers is not elite this year but it is still noteworthy enough to give pause, especially about what the big men can do. If Saunders does make it back I expect it to be a true last possession type of game. No outcome should be a shock with the injury questions and Hokies perimeter shooting stepping up I am giving the slight edge to Mike Young’s squad. 

Final: Virginia Tech 68 Virginia 60