HOKIES HOOPS CENTRAL: CLEMSON (11-3) AT VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES (11-3) 9PM ESPNU
⏳⏳⏳ @lynnkidd20 pic.twitter.com/jUMdWvkRl7— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) January 5, 2023
Clemson (11-3, 3-0 ACC)
vs. Virginia Tech (11-3, 1-2 ACC)
January 4, 2023
Cassell Coliseum
9 p.m. ET
ESPNU
Virginia Tech Sports Network
TV Broadcast
RSN
Play-by-Play: Anish Shroff
Analyst: Chris Spatola
Local Radio
Virginia Tech Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Zach Mackey
Analyst: Mike Burnop
Current Spread: Hokies -6.5
Over/Under: -137
Home redemption...
The Hokies return home after two very pedestrian efforts in losses to Boston College and Wake Forest. This will be the 41st meeting between these teams with the advantage to the Hokies 23 to 17. The Hokies have defeated the Tigers eight times in the last ten games.
The Tigers are coached by Brad Brownell. He began his college coaching career at Evansville as an assistant coach in 1991. Clemson is his third college head coaching job, taking over the job in 2010. He has a 229–169 overall record guiding the Tigers.
The Tigers come into this contest winners of their last three games to close out 2022. They are 11-3 on the season. They have started 3-0 in the ACC, having beaten NC State, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest all by double digits. Their three losses were South Carolina, Iowa, and Loyola.
The Tigers are a team that heavily relies on its starting five, in a three guard two forward set. The regular rotation is surprisingly light on transfers with only one.
This team is led by Forward Hunter Tyson, in his senior year. Tyson is averaging nearly a double-double with 15.6 points, and 9.7 rebounds per game. Kidd and Poteat will be called on in stretches to cover Tyson to limit Mutts foul trouble.
Defensively, they play primarily man-to-man defense, varying their levels of pressure depending on personnel and their opponent, in terms or how hard they guard, how far they extend the court. An occasional zone but not the norm for the Tigers. Clemson usually wins the rebounding battle, allowing very few second chance points.
Offensively, Coach Brownell is running what he refers to as Gap Attack Zone Offense, a variable on Motion
Offense, which puts an emphasis on dribble penetration to draw multiple defenders to create an open shooter, lead to defensive fouls or baskets at the rim. They will push the ball on misses and turnovers which leaves them vulnerable on extended missed shots. Brownell expects his team to constantly be in motion..
The Tigers Backcourt
Chase Hunter 1 JR G 6-3 204 14.6 Pts, 2.2 Reb, 4.6 Ast
Brevin Galloway 11 SR G 6-2 215 9.9 Pts, 2.9 Reb, 2.5 Ast
Alex Hemenway 12 SR G 6-3 185 9.8 Pts, 2.5 Reb, 1.5 Ast
Joshua Beadle 0 FR G 6-3 170 2.4 Pts, 1.4 Reb, 1.1 Ast
The Tigers Frontcourt
Hunter Tyson 5 SR F 6-8 215 15.6 Pts, 9.7 Reb, 1.9 Ast
PJ Hall 24 JR F 6-10 235 12.5 Pts, 4.5 Reb, 1.2 Ast
Ian Schieffelin 4 SO F 6-8 225 5.6 Pts, 3.9 Reb, 1.4 Ast
Ben Middlebrooks 10 SO F 6-10 225 3.2 Pts, 2.6 Reb, 0.3 Ast
RJ Godfrey 22 FR F 6-7 225 3.0 Pts, 1.2 Reb, 0.4 Ast
What to expect from Clemson?
Fast paced contest. Clemson will constantly be running fresh players into the game. Expect two or three substitutes at every stoppage. Brownell uses this to keep opponent defenses from getting a good bearing on what to expect. They have worn down opponents at the end of games, allowing them to pull away in the last few minutes of each game. That said, barring foul trouble Hunter, Tyson and Hemenway will see 30+ minutes tonight.
The Tigers have scored 70 points or more in 11 games and are 10-1 in those contests. Fouls are usually pretty even at around 18 for and against the Tigers average. Clemson shoots 78% from the line as a team. Tyson and Hunter average around 4 attempts each at the line. The Tigers have won 9 games by double-digits this season, but are 2-2 in games decided by less than ten.
Perimeter shooting can make or break a game for Clemson. In two of their three losses the Tigers were held below 31% from the outside. In only two games did they shoot lower than 31% and still win.
The Hokies
Will they or wont they? Rice and Cattoor are both reported to be game time decisions. This obviously plays a tremendous role in what Hokies team is on the floor.
Virginia Tech's Hunter Cattoor (forearm) and Rodney Rice (ankle) are both game-time decisions for today's game against Clemson, per a school spokesman. Cattoor averages 9.6 PPG and DNP in last game.Rice is a former Top-100 recruit.— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) January 4, 2023
Take this for what it is. I expect Hunter back but Rice to sit again. I would be surprised if Rice plays this season at this point.
The Hokies need to show they can recover from the two poor performances over the Holiday. This happens by avoiding bad fouls and protecting the ball. The Hokies had 28 turnovers in those games. They also had several major defensive lapses at critical moments rebounding the basketball. One play goes the other way and it's a different result.
Another huge performance from Justyn Mutts, hopefully not wasted. He needs to take the ball at Tyson early and often. Tyson sat significant portions in all three losses due to foul trouble.
Highlight of the Wake Forest game
Mutts going off for eighteen and eight with highlight reel stuff.
HBD to one of the finest people you'll ever meet!Thankful you're a Hokie @JM_Squarepants 🦃🫡 pic.twitter.com/GbEsnAu011— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) January 4, 2023
In Closing
The Hokies are home and should have a near capacity crowd so cant blame the environment
Play smart basketball and win ugly. Take a page from the Ladies.
Hokies overcome the lingering doubt of the prior two games to win a close one 71-68
This is a three Popcorn Decision. Just tough to know again which Hokies team we will see with the factors of timing, location, and injuries.
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