Mens Basketball: Florida State (12-11,4-6) at Virginia Tech (9-13,1-8) 3PM ACC Network

Television
The ACC Network - Tom Werme & Debbie Antonelli

Radio
Virginia Tech IMG Sports Network - Bill Roth & Mike Burnop
Also available on:
Satellite: Sirius: 135 XM: 193
Digital: Hokies Xtra & TuneIn

Virginia Tech comes into this rematch held out of the ACC cellar only by the ineptitude of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The Hokies continue to find ways to lose ACC contests, so hopefully with Buzz getting his second shot at a second team something will be different. The challenge of course in this rematch is that FSU has height for days. Three seven footers on the roster, that unfortunately last game Buzz put all his focus on. Those three contributed 14 points and 7 rebounds. As has been seen consistently against the Hokies though, the Seminoles came out and had about their best three point shooting night of the season. That cant happen again if the Hokies intend to win this game. Perimeter defense will be key to stopping Xavier Rathan-Mayes, Robbie Berwick and Devon Bookert.

The Seminoles come into Cassell having lost to Klemson, possibly due to a bit of a hangover from upsetting Miami their game before. They sit right in the middle of the ACC at this point so they come in needing a win against the Hokies. Surprisingly, Vegas thinks that the Hokies are going to pull this one off. It started as a four point spread to the Hokies, but has slid to only a two point spread at this point. Basically a pickem game with a token basket to the home team. While it would be nice to think that the professional gamblers are onto something here, the Hokies are going to need to show me they know how to finish before I pick them to win against any one but their fellow cellar dwellers.

Florida State shot 50% from behind the arc against us last game, and have steadily improved their outside shooting since that game, which is hard to believe considering they are shooting 28% as a team on the season. To put it plainly, they are brutally awful against almost everyone but us. Why is that? Too many completely open looks from the best spots on the floor. Time and again, we left their guards wide open to rain down from the outside.

Another area of concern in our last game were the really bad fouls down low taken by a bevy of Tech players. Bibbs fouled out of the last game and Wilson and Pierce finished with four fouls apiece. Overall, we fouled 24 times, giving the Seminoles the opportunity to score 24 points on 35 attempts from the line. That compared to our 16 points at the line basically was the difference in the final score last time. How did the fouls get out of hand? We got outrebounded 42 to 22, Florida State pulling down 15 offensive rebounds, which directly lead to six fouls on the Hokies. This team will have to find a way to avoid those fouls in this game to keep it close.

Two things I want to see from Buzz in this game. 1) Play Beyer, he has proven to be a difference maker when he gets on the floor. We are going to need as much height as possible, especially towards the end of the game. 2) Play full court press defense early in each half to up the tempo of the game and get FSU uncomfortable on the road. Also, expect to see FSU play press since everyone that has, has had success against us, so show me that you have worked on improving our guys against it.

That said, who do you have to look out for from the Seminoles?

Xavier Rathan-Mayes, (#22) 6'4, 180 lbs, Freshmen Point Guard, averages 13.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg, and 4.6 apg. Rathan-Mayes does have a weakness for turning the ball over as well, averaging over 3.5 turnovers per game. Thrust into action after injuries early in the season to go along with top scorer Aaron Thomas being ruled ineligible, he has been one of FSU's best all year now.

Montay Brandon, (#32) 6'7, 216 lbs, junior Guard, has stepped in to fill the hole left by Aaron Thomas, averaging 12.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, and shooting an unbelievable 55% from the field.

Devon Bookert, (#1) chips in 10.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, and is the Seminoles top outside threat, knocking down almost 40% on the season. If Buzz needs to guard anyone outside, this is the one to start with.

Last is the trio of big men plus a 6'8 freshmen Forward named Phil Cofer, that combine for about 20 points, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks per game.

I am not sure what to think of this game. Everything I look at points to Tech losing this game by as much as they did last game. We only turned the ball over 6 times in the last game and still lost by 11. The only option I see for Tech in this game is to run, run, run. Florida State relies on their bigs being on the floor and if we can get them worn down, it will make defending and rebounding a bit easier. If they are going to run though it has to be in control, unlike Ahmed Hill on the fast break. They need to consistently score when they get layups, unlike the Syracuse game where they missed 13 layups. Take that in a minute: 13 missed layups, 26 points, a major difference in any game. All that said, its at Cassell, its a weekend afternoon, so it doesnt mess with partying, so should have good student attendance, it will be loud, and FSU is 1-5 on the road this year. Expect this game to come down to the final shots.

FSU 81 - VT 79

Until they can show me, I have to lean away.