#20 FSU Preview
Who: Virginia Tech Hokies (14-11, 3-7) @ #20 Florida State Seminoles (17-7, 8-2)
When: Thursday, February 16 @ 7:00 p.m.
TV: ESPN2 (Mike Patrick, Len Elmore, and Jeannine Edwards)
Where: Donald Tucker Center (12,200), Tallahassee, FL
Well, we're down to the final three weeks of the ACC season, and barring a miraculous turnaround, the Hokies seem destined for a sub-.500 ACC finish down the stretch. Things have been tough for Tech and the NIT seems like a probable destination (AD Jim Weaver said Tech would decline invites to the CBI or CIT-read more here), but I doubt a No. 1 seed is in Tech's future. Heck, who knows if we even make the NIT at this point.
So the goal in these last couple weeks comes down to developing talent and getting the younger guys minutes and experience for the next couple seasons. That's going to be tough to do tonight as the Hokies travel to Florida State, one of the hottest teams in the ACC. The last time these two met, both were looking to avoid 0-2 holes in conference play. FSU won the game 63-59 and has since won seven of eight, while the wheels fell off Tech's wagon by losing five of the next six.
Tech hasn't won in Tallahassee in its last seven attempts, a streak that dates back to 1990 and it's going to difficult to snap that streak tonight. The 'Noles are tough to play against at home, as they're a nearly perfect 13-1 in front of their fans. The Hokies have had trouble scoring all season and FSU is one of the best defensive teams in the league. They took it to Tech to the tune of 15 blocks, while holding the Hokies to 31 percent shooting (19 percent in the first half).
Bernard James had a career game in the first meeting, posting 18 points and 15 boards. Tech really has no answer for him inside, and slowing him and Xavier Gibson down is priority No. 1. Another way Tech can pull off the upset is by creating turnovers and converting off them. FSU is averaging 17 turnovers per game, and Tech forced 19 in the first meeting, but only got 10 points off of those turnovers. A better success rate, and the Hokies win that game.
To be honest, the Seminoles should win this one comfortably, and I'm expecting something similar to the Miami game last week. Coach Greenberg has stated the starters will again be based solely on effort in practice so who knows what the starting five will look like. Let's just hope to see quality effort and 40 minutes of competitive basketball, something we haven't seen in a long time.
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Comments
We got no answer for their #
We got no answer for their big men, it begins and ends with that.
Who knows, maybe they'll pull it off.
the last game was only a 4 point loss
It was a catch!!!
And this only a one-point #
And this only a one-point one.
No lie, I bleed M&O.
Fuck...This...Team #
Why the hell does Seth pick Brown to shoot those free throws when Eddie went down. If there are some rules I'm missing, let me know...but GREEN? HUDSON? they wouldn't have been better choices?
I was on the fence about it before, but Seth needs to go. Thanks for bringing our program to where it is.
They have to make a #
They have to make a substitution. The player they sub cannot already be on the court. Green was on the court in this case and therefore could not take the shots.
But I agree with your comment title. We had this game in hand... What the fuck happened?
I'll tell you. One of the most fundamental parts of the game of basketball was NOT executed, by some of the best at the same -- free throws. Maybe it was just some kind of Tallahassee black magic or something but Green AND Eddie AND Hudson struggling at the line?! The odds are astronomical.
No lie, I bleed M&O.
the rule #
When an injured player is unable to attempt his free throw(s), the following procedures shall be employed:
1. The coach from the opposing team shall select, without undue delay, one of the four players remaining on the court to attempt the free throw(s). Once selected by the coach, the shooter may not be changed.
2. After the selection has been identified to the referee, that player and his coach shall be informed of the selection.
3. A legal substitution(s) shall be made before the expiration of the 20-second time limit to replace an injured player.
It was a catch!!!
terrible rule #
Seth doesn't pick it, the other coach gets to pick. Stupid, but it is suppose to keep team from taking injured player out and putting the best shooter they have on the line. This rule was changed a few years back, needs to be changed again. In this case, becasue Florida State caused the injury the choice should be Seths. Ouch....that hurt. We should have beat them twice this year. Foul shooting killed us from our best shooters. Seth coached a heck of a game. The foul shooters killed us.
Bristolhokie
Coaching debacle #
Other team gets to pick whom shoots the FTs in that scenario. Larger problem is the lack of coaching duringthe idle time for the injured player. Why everyone was defending the paint and Not the three is a truly coaching debacle! Decent recruiter but can't coach a lick. A 2 sends you to OT a Trey sends your ass home!
Bossman
agree #
I agree. Seth was giving somebody in the crowd "the evil eye" look. Fan must have said something while Eddie was laying there. Should have been using the time to coach the missed or made free throws. But, he can only do so much. best foul shooters had it in their hand. Green missed the front of two 1 & 1s, Hudson missed, Eddie missed. They are all usually deadly. PRESSURE.
Bristolhokie
It wasnt just one fan #
Plenty of Noles were jeering and booing Eddie while he was hurt on the floor.
Classy
It was a catch!!!
And not to make #
any more excuses, but we were playing with 6 players, and lacked a big for pretty much the entire second half. I still think the whole "don't call fouls with 1 second left on the clock because its the end of the game" thing is a bunch of crap. Not to say Green would've made them (he wasn't hitting clutch FTs anyways) but come on now. I'm all for letting the kids be physical to end the game, but you have to call what you see. I think what really killed us was settling into our "brick it from way out" offense when what we had going was fine. Then we turned into UVa's offense and killed all of our momentum and let them creep back in.
Another problem I saw is that #
Another problem I saw is that we favored running clock in place of any semblance of offensive sets for the last 9 minutes of the game.
This is how every posession in the last 10 minutes went:
move ball down court -> EG dribble -> 5 seconds on the shot clock -> derp hard
Additionally, we gave up guaranteed points (Green's steal) in favor of running clock.
FSU gave us ample chances to win the game, they would have come back much sooner if our defense wasn't playing so well. I also agree with Indios about seeing 4 guys in the paint at the end of the game. Complete and utter breakdown.
Sadly, we've become accustomed to things like this happening.
Exactly #
Every time we're winning a game we weren't expected to, they attempt to kill the clock the second half and it almost always fails. Look at the Clemson game last week, we blew a 20 point lead and would have lost had Tanner Smith hit his open jumper at the buzzer. Nine times out of ten, our opponents make the game winner...last night was a return to normalcy in a way. Except this time we blew a 15 point lead against a team nearly offensively inept as us.
Its true, Eddie had an easy 2 #
Its true, Eddie had an easy 2 with about a minute left and pulled back to burn the clock. We came away with no points and well, you know the rest.
It was a catch!!!
Hokie Athletics is killing #
Hokie Athletics is killing me. That's all i have to say.
DANNY COALE ALL THE WAY TO THE THREE