HOKIES HOOPS CENTRAL: Virginia Tech (10-7) at NC State (13-4) 12PM CW Network
Gameday in Raleigh 💪🆚 NC State🕛 12PM ET📺 The CW🏟️ PNC Arena#StoneByStone x #Hokies pic.twitter.com/e7F8LJah9M— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) January 20, 2024
Virginia Tech (10-7)
at NC State (13-4)
January 20th, 2024
PNC Arena
12 p.m. ET
CW Network
Virginia Tech Sports Network
Local Radio
Virginia Tech Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Zach Mackey
Analyst: Mike Burnop
Current Spread: NC State -4.5
Over/Under: -147.5
Be Prepared for the Turnovers
Apologies up front but taking care of my dad after spinal surgery has taken most of my free time.
NC State is 5-1 in ACC play and a very deep and experienced team. The athleticism alone likely makes this an extremely ugly contest for the Hokies. They just don't have the speed to be able to contend with Horne and Taylor.
Wahoos Backcourt
DJ Horne
0 SR G 6-1 175
15.1 Pts, 3.5 Reb, 2.8 Ast
Jayden Taylor
1 JR G 6-4 190
12.1 Pts, 3.8 Reb, 1.3 Ast
Casey Morsell
14 SR G 6-3 196
11.3 Pts, 2.9 Reb, 1.6 Ast
Dennis Parker, Jr.
11 FR G 6-6 205
6.8 Pts, 4.3 Reb, 0.5 Ast
Michael O'Connell
12 SR G 6-2 180
4.6 Pts, 2.7 Reb, 3.0 Ast
MJ Rice 3
SO G 6-5 215 Durham, NC
4.1 Pts, 1.9 Reb, 0.1 Ast
Wahoos Frontcourt
D.J. Burns
30 SR F 6-9 260
12.4 Pts, 4.3 Reb, 2.8 Ast
Ben Middlebrooks
34 JR F 6-10 225
5.9 Pts, 4.1 Reb, 0.5 Ast
Mohamed Diarra
23 SR F 6-10 215
4.4 Pts, 5.8 Reb, 0.1 Ast
What to expect from NC State?
NC State forces 14 turnovers a game and that number is closer to 17 at home. They convert those to 12 points a game on average. I expect that to remain the same against the Hokies unfortunately.
Expect high tempo play, looking to beat the Hokies to the basket before their half court defense is set.
NC State is not a stellar shooting team so that plays a factor in some of their closer games. They are shooting 33% from the perimeter on 22 attempts per game. Shooting outside is not their priority. They outscore opponents in the paint by almost 12 points per contest.
The Wolfpack will alternate between a three guard two forward set and a four guard one forward set. I would expect them to spend more time with two forwards against the Hokies to dominate inside.
The Hokies
Even with Cattoor back, Pedulla was still pressing and when that happens, he is sloppy with the basketball. He had 7 of the teams 15 turnovers, leading to lost opportunities.
T
he Hokies had zero interior game against UVA and are going up against a much more formidable interior duo of Burns and Middlebrooks in this game.
The only way the Hokies win this game if their turnover problem doesn't change is to play close out defense on the perimeter and prevent easy dribble penetration baskets. This would be a great game to play some zone but Young refuses to do that.
In Closing
Road game against a team that forces turnovers and has the ability to dominate in the paint. The Hokies might surprise us if they can play better defense than recent play but otherwise be prepared for a curse laden afternoon.
Comments
LET'S GO...
Hope your dad is recovering well. Let's go!
Hokies!
He will be fine. Weak legs the biggest issue especially with stairs.
Here's my weekly:
Robbie beran wtf
MJ Collins the walking empty possession
Now prove me wrong guys
Beran...womp womp
Did he just turn it over 4 times in less than 90 seconds?
Pretty much
Pedulla slapped on the arm by three people at once, no foul
Been all season long. ACC officials have not been calling much in the paint if you don't take it to the rim. Our guys jump across the lane unfortunately.
We may not get to 40 in this game. The disparity in athleticism and length is embarrassing.
Let's not forget that DJ Horne is playing today after getting caught throwing two birds at the officials on the court in their game against Wake Forest.
The ACC issued a "reprimand" and the school declined to suspend him.
Call timeout Mike damnit bro
Quite embarrassing. TURNOVER A MINUTE
Apparently basketball rules have changed temporarily
Dudes are reaching in all the way down the court
This is why the NC State Wake Forest game devolved in head butts and middle fingers.
Game also shows you what I mentioned on NC State being a terrible shooting team. Hokies should be down like 15 points right now.
Why the hell is Mehki Long shooting threes. Dude is 0% on the year through 17 games
The ref tried so hard to not call a foul with nc state surfing on Lynn's back there lmao
Worked in our favor
Replay showing Diarra giving Kidd a two hand shove in the back on that NC State layup.
Mj Collins and long on the floor at the same time, not my favorite lineup. Glad nickel drained that three
Reach in foul LMAO
I found Waldo!
Gonna beat a dead horse here but half of NCST points are second chance points and points off TO's. So yeah maybe clean that up a little.
No surprise but already down 20-14 in the paint.
The fact NC State only has 10 points off turnovers is a miracle for the Hokies.
Checks thread - damn, here we go again with another bad loss....checks score - damn, we're winning at halftime.....
They need to ask for review. Did not appearCollins was out when he released that ball.
Letting them get second or third chances is getting old.
Or fourth off a missed free throw.
The fouls called on Beran and long not even in the same ballpark as the no calls on nc states big man. Still, gotta rebound and box out man
Pedulla should have called timeout but instead forced a dumb pass
He's a junior and still makes these bafflingly horrible turnovers
Every game multiple times. Five turnovers already today.
Really tired of Mekhi Long and Beran trying to tip the ball rather than rebound
Nickel was contacted shooting that three but nothing with the ref three feet away
There's been some sloppy ball handling on our part imo...but these refs are terrible
Wow foul on Pedulla there wtf was that because he walked into his cylinder? I saw nothing contact wise
Ref waits to whistle Pedulla until after the ball is rebounded
I have had zero expectations for these refs ever since the "steal" of pedulla where he got body checked
Yah that was insane. The calls aren't remotely consistent. It'd be tough as a player to understand the expectation with these refs
Wish Kidd would do that more often
🤦🏻 we do one thing right then two things wrong
Guy fell down with Pedulla two feet away...foul
Want slightly shocking....turnovers are now VT 16- NC ST 15
And points off turnovers is VT 15 - NC ST 17
Is a nc state - VT game ever not messy?
How was that NC State ball?
Three blind mice .gif
Pedulla being clutch right now
Travel much #30? Jesus he moved his feet like 6 times.
12 just traveled across the floor as well and we get a reach in called
How did 30 not get a tech there? Hit Cattoor after the whistle and refs telling Cattoor to calm down.
I was wondering the same thing
...
Horseshit call on beran there. Totally standing still.
THAT WAS NOT S JUMP
BALL WTF
Collins should have broke his arm off there.
According to the homer announcer "he had his hand on the ball" so...jump ball.
I hope to heck that gets submitted.
How about we just foul every three point shooter here at the end.
Pedulla wtf? Pass for the dunk!
Masterclass in shitting the bed here
Refs sure tried their best to give this to NC State
Will give whoever the fan is that made that huge brick credit. That's a great game prop.
Apart from the beginning turnover on top of turnover, gotta give Beran his props, he had a decent game and contributed well. Long and Rec had terrible games IMO
Nickel didn't even breathe on the guy and got called for a foul. Cant wait for this game to be over
I am actually pretty stunned they called that offensive foul on NCSU at the end. Seems like they really wanted them to get back in it
MJ Collins with about the 5th bone headed mistake of the game
he had some great plays as well as a bunch of good plays
Agree! I can stomach it much better when's he making some of his shots! He had some great finishes at the rim that were difficult
We did absolutely everything in our power to give the game away.
Whew...
Dub!
Glad I could tune in for that W.
I'll give it to the guys, they competed and got a much needed win. Much less on the road and turning the ball over like 80 times. Hope we can shoot like we did today for the rest of the season or learn not to just give the other team the ball as much as we do, cause I think we can at least compete with most teams.
Teams combined for 38 turnovers and 52 free throw attempts.