This may be the last time the Hokies go into a game this season with a reasonable expectation to win as things stand now. If they manage to pull out the win up at BC, they will swap places in the conference standings, dropping the Eagles into the cellar. If they are going to win this game, its going to be the seniors that need to step up and have solid performances. Eddie and Raines have not done enough to lead this team when it matters most but if they can bring even their B game we have a solid chance of winning this game. Raines did not play in the first meeting between these teams and a post presence was definitely missing for much of that game.
On the other side, BC is led by Olivier Hanlan, who is averaging 18.9 ppg, 4 rebounds and 3 assists from the hybrid guard position. Ryan Anderson, their power forward chips in 14.5 ppg, with 7 rebounds to give BC a one-two punch.
This is the Hokies second shot at BC this season, as Tech lost to them 62-59 on January 11th, which is BC's only win in their last eight games. That game had numerous lead changes, as both teams couldn't seem to find separation, the largest lead of the game for each team was five points. The game came down to who hit their shot in the final minute, and in this case BC hit a three with 27 seconds remaining that would stand as the winner. Hopefully tonight will be different and Tech can be the one to steal a road victory.
This can be good for pre game and in game commentary.
Comments
Hopefully our injured players will be able to play tonight.
Not looking good. I'm sure Ben will be limited again and Smith is done for the year. Barksdale I don't believe is playing tonight either because of a groin injury.
Didn't realize that they had shut Smith down completely. If Barksdale doesn't play, it means Raines really needs to step up.
Raines will need to step up on to the ceiling. Barksdale is really our only offensively talented big man. Van Zegren and Thompson can block shots, but I would bet they lead the nation in missed dunks.
We seem to have 3 plays with Barksdale out of the line-up. Adam Smith or Emelogu (spelling not important) dribbling and shooting a three pointer, Eddie curling off the baseline for a three, or Devin Wilson trying to drive and create something by himself.
have to feel bad that Johnson never seems to have everything he needs at his disposal, but we also need more of a game plan. We've become pretty easy to predict after the season begins.
So tonight we would only have Eddie off the baseline and Wilson driving the lane if Smith and Emelogu sit. Ben might play in limited minutes to throw up a few three bombs.
Yeah, and after that air ball display he put on at UVA I wonder about his confidence, but I do think he will be a heck of a player someday for us. Would like to see less 3 bombs from this team though, even if we were the best in the nation for a week or 2.
Would love to see how many 18 footers they could put in, has to equate to more points than how many threes they hit against UVA (9 points on 3 for 18 shooting)
Yeah, I don't think it is so much of the calf bothering him even though it is listed, but he reaggravated that stress fracture which was a previous injury from way back. Barksdale not playing not only means Raines needs to step up, but that JJ needs to find a way to get Wood in the game.
Well wood is in with JVZ and no Raines. BC is bombing threes. 13-7 so far five minutes in. They actually managed to break a trap and are trying to work it down low but they are missing their shots
Barksdale is confirmed out
It's upsetting in multiple ways that we are so injury prone. One, we can't ever see what the full potential of our team actually is, and two, JJ can use injuries as a valid excuse for not winning. A healthy team gives him the opportunity to show if he can or cannot coach when his whole team is available. I am so torn between liking him and thinking that he is just not a very smart technical basketball coach.
i was there a couple of weeks ago against bc with a buddy who's not a tech fan but just likes hoops. after the game sitting at macado's sipping beers my buddy summed it up with, "man that was some sorry ass basketball."
Yes, they definitely competed with each other to see who could play the worst basketball the last go round. Tech won.
For those of you looking for this game on TV:
Here it is
Radio
The game is also being shown on Comcast SportsNet Mid Atlantic for those who have it.
I must say the all orange unis for basketball look so much better than the all orange football uniforms we wore.
Agreed.
Jarell Eddie actually drove the lane...then missed the free throw. 18-10 but we have already missed four free throws
26-19 BC still killing the three but Eddie seems a man possessed tonight. We have been horrid on defense especially in transition so far
Lot of tickytac fouls going BCs way tonight. They have 11 made free throws so far at 31-21 score with five minutes left in half
And this is why we won't win another game this year. We are making BC look like a good team, which they are far from.
All I can say is wow about this game!
BC getting away with muggings on their defensive end thus far so not an equal setting so far. BC goes 13-17 at the line and hit seven threes in the first half to take a 46-33 lead into the locker room. Most games teams don't take as many free throws as the refs gave BC this half. Eddie was about the only bright spot of the half. Raines laid a complete egg out there once he got in. At one point Eddie was 5 for 7 while the rest of the team was 2 for 14 Eddie has 19 of Techs 33 points so far
The fact is that we are not very good. Sigh.
BC is getting wide open look after wide open look
And we make everyone else look like world beaters.
Welp goodnight folks. First time this season I am turning it off early. This has been embarrassing.
It was my first turning off early last night too. Embarrassing is putting it nicely. We don't play defense. Why didn't JJ switch to zone!!?! Not saying it would have helped, it would have just been a lot less embarrassing when they drained another wide open 3 and our guys wouldn't have been as tired in the zone.
I only had the second half on in the background, but they definitely switched to zone. BC stopped shooting well from 3 but our offense is so putrid that it didn't matter.
They did play zone... and BC shredded it like wet paper for wide open 3's. It was all around a pathetic effort on D
Anybody still think JJ should get another year? The first day Whit is in charge he will be packing his bags.
He'll probably be here through the end of the season. My money's on March 13, the day after an embarrassing first-round defeat in the ACCT.
Yeah, Babcock will probably fire him before but won't announce until after the season is over.
This thread sounds just...really, really bad...sigh...
I want to be positive, but its very hard.
Go Hokies!
Other than Eddie, who probably realized this might be his last chance at a win in college there was a serious lack of effort or execution tonight. Especially on the defensive end of the court.
76-52 final score. 24 point loss to the second worst team in the ACC. Not much to spin positively from it.
its just sadism at this point watching this team.
That's the truth...you have to like the pain to put up with it.
...or get paid to be at home games.
This is just so futile! The combination of injuries and just a lack of caring really by the players. I feel like this when watching:
This might be the worst team in the history of the ACC. THIS is why schools like Duke and UNC put up a huge fight to keep us out of the conference back in 2003. We created this mess all on our own with stupid hires on a cheap budget because our Athletic Department doesn't care about the sport.
I REALLY hope and pray that Babcock changes this mindset. There is no quicker way to run afoul of the powers that be in the ACC than to not show dedication to your basketball programs. His first move as AD is going to HAVE to be a new head basketball coach, because right now we just have to in order to save face in this conference.
If the Powers that Be in the ACC were so worried about basketball, they would have negotiated a better TV rights deal with ESPN to get paid more for the second and third tier rights of our basketball games. Instead they basically gave them away.
I do agree however that Babcock's first big move needs to be find a new coach for the mens basketball team. His second move needs to be lighting a fire under whoever is responsible for fundraising in the Athletic Department.
I'm pretty sure that I just watched the worst output by a basketball team in terms of efficiency and defense...ever.
I watched until the end. I would have enjoyed stabbing myself with a butter knife much more. The best moment was the look BC coach Steve Donahue had on his face at the end of the game. It was like, "I don't know if I should be happy here. I feel like I just beat up a 6 week old baby."
We lost to this team by 3 at home and 24 on the road? I was on the road for work, did the team finally throw in the towel?
I don't know if it was the towel, but other than Eddie, they looked like they had the TimeCop tied to their ankles and were wearing oven mitts while trying to shoot the ball.
Team shot 34% on the night but Eddie went 8 for 13, while the rest of the team was 10 for 50 or 20% from the floor. They also went a whopping 12 for 21 from the free throw line. Eddie was also 3 for 6 from behind the arc, while the rest were 1 for 8.
Somehow BC only had two free throw attempts in the second half after getting to the line sixteen times in the first half. The Eagles hit 14 threes on the night as no one seemed to be able to get out on defense on the perimeter.
The one other big difference in this game was how often we threw the ball away. BC had eight steals on the night that led to 15 of their points. Just an all around piss poor performance for everyone not named Eddie.
So the moral of story is that if Eddie is good, the rest of the team is bad. If Eddie is bad, the rest of the team is okay?
It has seemed that way but I think the moral of the story is that this team needs to spend an untold amount of time in the gym shooting the basketball and working on their fitness level.
If anything, I'd say it's almost the opposite. As soon as last season ended they went straight into practice for this season. They really have had no breaks at all, even practicing on Christmas day (that's why I've dubbed JJ the grinch who stole christmas since about the middle of December). What little bit of the roster that isn't hurt has pretty much been going nonstop since they've hit campus. As D1 athletes they should be able to handle it, but when you are 0 for an entire month, I think it's time to just give them a day off and reset everything. That is one thing that even Greenberg did from time to time which watching JJ coach, seems to be about the only person he learned anything from.
This team is going to be battling with that 2010-11 Wake Forest team for worst ACC team of this century. It's bad, really bad. Our offense is a complete joke, there is absolutely no movement. I just can't believe that we have an ACC basketball team that either doesn't understand the offense they're supposed to run or, the more likely scenario, doesn't actually have a set half-court offense. Guy are literally standing around watching the guy with the ball. MOVE! Get yourself open, for the love of god! Every time JVZ got the ball in the post last night there were 4 guys watching him. He's not even a great offensive threat and they were watching him like he's Shaq and is guaranteed to score.
THIS. 100% agree with you. It drives me nuts more than anything else.