HOKIES HOOPS CENTRAL: #19 VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES (8-1, 2-0) AT LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (7-1, 2-0) 630PM ACCN

HOKIES HOOPS CENTRAL: #19 VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES (8-1, 2-0) AT LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (7-1, 2-0) 630PM ACCN

It's gameday!#StoneByStone | #Hokies 🦃— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) January 6, 2021

GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Jan 6 2021 630 PM
Opponent: Louisville
Site: KFC Yum! Center
ACCN, Mike Monaco (PxP) and Dan Bonner (Analyst)
Virginia Tech Sports Network. Jon Laaser (play-by-play) and Mike Burnop (analyst)

Lets end the Streak....

The Hokies have completed their OOC Schedule and now get the Louisville Cardinals. The Hokies are 8-35 in a lopsided relationship with Louisville going into their 44th meeting. There is bad blood between these programs, as in the distant past Louisville made it their mission to see the Hokies dumped by the old Metro Conference. Louisville currently treats Virginia Tech basketball like the Hokies treat the Hoos in football, coming into this matchup on a 16-game winning streak. The Hokies come into this matchup 8-1 after the BooHoo's chickened out on Saturday's game.

The Cardinals are coached by Chris Mack, who is in his third season as head coach at Louisville. Mack is 51-22 overall guiding the Cardinals, but 31-8 in the last two seasons. Prior to Louisville, Mack had a 9-year run at Xavier where he took the Musketeers to the NCAA tournament in all but one season. He is 266-119 overall as a head coach.

Coach Mack's Cardinals are just outside the rankings in the AP Poll and 25th in the Coaches Poll. They come in 7-1 with wins over Evansville, Seton Hall, Prairie View, Western Kentucky, Kentucky out of conference. Pitt and Boston College are their two ACC wins so far. Their sole loss was shorthanded against Wisconsin.

Coach Mack lost half his team, which may have worked in his favor, which is scary considering they were 24-7 last season. The Cardinals are off to a better start this season and in a jumbled ACC seem poised to do big things this season.

The Cardinals come into this season with EIGHT new Freshman and one huge transfer. Carlik Jones transferred from Radford and other then a minor injury, hasn't missed a beat moving up, scoring 16.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists. Three Freshman are playing major roles for the Cardinals in Dre Davis, Jae'lyn Withers and JJ Traynor, who are combining for 23.5 points, 13.6 rebounds and 2 assists.

Defensively, Coach Mack uses the Pack Line Defense which is designed to create extreme ball pressure. Another major facet is to keep the ball out of the middle of the court. His teams strive to force the offense to take contested jump shots "away from the box". Critical to this defense being successful requires that his teams develop excellent help defense and communicate clearly on defense.

The idea is to "discourage the shot, but play the drive" through positioning, closing out with high hands, building walls, closing gaps and jumping to the ball.

Offensively, Coach Mack uses a Continuity Pick and Roll offense stressing that his team limit turnovers and make plays by keeping the ball in his best players hands. They strive to force their opponent's post players to defend away from the basket. This allows them to gain rebounding advantages, get open shots, get to the free throw line more often and create mismatches using rotations. One critical aspect when defending is to be prepared for players off ball cutting to passing lanes to force defenders to react.

Cardinals Backcourt

"No Coach, not that way"
David Johnson (#13, SO, G, 6-5, 210 lbs)
14.4 Pts, 6.3 Reb, 4.0 Ast
48% from floor, 45% from three, 77% from FT Line

Carlik Jones (#1, SR, G, 6-1, 185 lbs)
16.4 Pts, 6.6 Reb, 5.1 Ast,
40% from floor, 40% from three, 80% from FT Line

Dre Davis (#14, FR, G, 6-5, 220 lbs)
9.1 Pts, 3.4 Reb, 1.1 Ast
48% from floor, 25% from three, 71% from FT Line

Return of the THIS BIG
Samuell Williamson (#10, SO, G, 6-7, 210 lbs)
10.0 Pts, 6.2 Reb, 1.5 Ast
48% from floor, 29% from three, 83% from FT Line

Cardinals Frontcourt

Let me tell you a secret...
Jae'lyn Withers (#24, FR, F, 6-8, 230 lbs)
9.0 Pts, 6.9 Reb, 0.9 Ast
57% from floor, 25% from three, 74% from FT Line

Quinn Slazinski (#11, SO, F, 6-8, 215 lbs)
6.4 Pts, 4.4 Reb, 0.8 Ast
41% from floor, 20% from three, 83% from FT Line

JJ Traynor (#12, FR, F, 6-8, 200 lbs)
5.4 Pts, 3.3 Reb, 0.0 Ast
52% from floor, 50% from three, 71% from FT Line

What to expect from Louisville?

The Cardinals come in with five players averaging nine or more points per game but the Cardinals only go two deep on the bench for significant minutes or contributions. This is by design though, as even when they have bench players in the game, the offense is completely focused around getting Jones or Johnson the basketball. Those two players take almost half the Cardinals shots.

Opponents are only averaging 61.8 points per game which is the primary indicator of how stout they are defensively. Opponents are shooting less than 40% from the floor against the Cardinals. One other favor opponents have done for Louisville is shoot only 61% from the line. This alone secured their victories over Seton Hall and Kentucky, both wins by a single basket.

The Cardinals commit only 19.4 fouls per game. Opponents still average over 19 free throw attempts per game, and 23.5 attempts in their two ACC games. They have averaged 22 fouls in their ACC games, so when only rotating 7 players those fouls become critical. Against Boston College, Louisville had 2 players foul out and two others finish with 4 fouls each.

As a team the Cardinals are shooting a 34% from the perimeter on only 16.6 attempts per game. Jones, Johnson, Davis and Nickelberry each attempt at least three shots from the perimeter per game. Nickelberry missed the first five games so its hard to determine what role he will have.

Louisville focuses on rebounding and have held a 44-28 edge in their two ACC contests. They have four players averaging more then six rebounds per game. Not surprisingly with the Pack Line defense, those four average five or more defensive rebounds.

Jones and Johnson are the primary distributors, averaging 9.1 assists between them. As you see both those names mentioned in almost every category you realize how critical it is for the Hokies to be very focused defending those two, making the rest of the team beat you.

Movin' up 🤟#StoneByStone | #Hokies 🦃 pic.twitter.com/AVGA890WCc— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) January 4, 2021

The Hokies

The Hokies need to force Jones and Johnson off the ball with stiff defense, especially forcing them to try to drive to their oft hand side. Making those two uncomfortable makes the challenges of the offensive end easier to overcome.

The Hokies should focus on shooting from the perimeter, getting Cone or Cattoor in rhythm will be critical to stretching Louisville away from the lane defensively, allowing Aluma and Mutts to find opportunities inside. Boston College managed to shoot 47% from outside against Louisville so there are cracks.

While Louisville plays stiff defense, they do not create many turnovers. The Hokies must focus on hitting first shots, as Louisville allows very few second chance opportunities.

YOU HAVE TO HIT YOUR FREE THROWS. The Hokies were a dreadful 62% from the line against Miami. In a game eventually decided by one basket, they left eight points at the line. Louisville shoots almost 75% from the line.

This is ACC play so a heavy dose of Bede, Boots, Aluma, Mutts and Alleyne with smaller doses of Cone and Cattoor, especially if they need to stretch the floor.

Highlight of the Miami Game

Hurricane Tears

In Closing

The Hokies score against the Cardinals by exploiting the open shooter when Louisville crashes down on the block. Fast, crisp passes make it the biggest challenge Louisville has faced from outside.

Cone and Cattoor have never been more important this season, as they help to disrupt everything Louisville tries to do defensively. Getting the ball to Aluma or Mutts at the block, setting up pick and rolls with Radford or allowing in-out kickout passes.

Hokies outscore Louisville in a slugfest and win ugly again 70-67.

𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Hoops edition 🏀Send us your @accmbb power rankings for a chance to be featured on tomorrow's #PackerAndDurham ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/UmpUkn8we5— ACC Network (@accnetwork) January 5, 2021