HOKIES HOOPS CENTRAL: Virginia Tech (13-9) at Notre Dame (7-16) 6PM CW Network
Gameday in the Midwest‼️🆚 Notre Dame🕕 6PM ET📺 The CW🏟️ Purcell Pavilion#StoneByStone x #Hokies pic.twitter.com/HmOxo8pexK— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) February 10, 2024
Virginia Tech (13-9)
At Notre Dame (7-16)
February 10th, 2024
Purcell Pavillion
6 p.m. ET
CW Network
Virginia Tech Sports Network
CW Network
Play-by-Play: Ryan Burr
Analyst: Jordan Cornette
Local Radio
Virginia Tech Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Zach Mackey
Analyst: Mike Burnop
Current Spread: Hokies -4.5
Over/Under: -129.5
Running over the Little Leprachauns
The Hokies go on the road again in a game they absolutely cannot afford to lose. After losing two Quad 1 opportunities last week they now face an Irish squad that is a Quad 3 battle. The Hokies will be looking to get back to .500 in ACC play after losing a 10 point lead against Miami with eleven minutes to play.
The Fighting Irish are coached by first year coach Micah Shrewsberry, who was hired away from Penn State after head coach Mike Brey left Notre Dame. This season has been a complete disaster for the Irish. Outside of beating UVA by 22 and Georgia Tech, the Irish only other Power Conference win was over Oklahoma State, a neutral site Thanksgiving tournament game. They had two really bad losses at the hands of The Citadel and Western Carolina. Coming into this game they have lost the last three by double-digits. Notre Dame are losers of seven straight ACC games and 7-16 overall. Its been an ugly growth year where not much has gone right for the Irish but not much was expected with heavy turnover on staff and roster.
Notre Dame with the coaching change, overhauled their lineup with three transfers and four incoming freshmen. Two of the freshmen and all three transfers are playing at least 25 mpg.
The starting five Shrewsberry has used most consistently are C. Booth, M. Burton, T. Davis, J. Konieczny, and K. Njie. Not certain if injuries have been the factor of just a new coach trying to find something that works. They have used eight different starting lineups this season. Outside of the starters, Shrewsberry's son is the only other player seeing over 20 minutes per game.
Defensively, Shrewsberry wants his team to force opponents to take the shots they don't want to take; his team makes it their goal to force teams into shooting contested mid-range jumpers - some of the toughest shots to make. Combined with getting stops, building accountability through communicating, and shrinking the floor. Its primarily a gap man-to-man defense looking to keep opponents out of the paint and force shooters to the sideline.
Offensively, the Irish are utilizing a Five Out Delay Offense which looks to create space and pace that allows significant latitude to the primary ballhandler Markus Burton to create with dribble penetration. They employ Wide splits and screens at the elbow of the lane to free up driving players. They also focus on drawing a defense in to give space to Shrewsberry and Konieczny.
Fighting Irish Backcourt
Markus Burton
3 FR G 5-11 166
16.2 Pts, 3.2 Reb, 4.0 Ast
Braeden Shrewsberry
11 FR G 6-3 189
9.3 Pts, 2.3 Reb, 0.8 Ast
J.R. Konieczny
20 JR G 6-6 195
9.0 Pts, 5.6 Reb, 0.7 Ast
Julian Roper II
1 JR G 6-3 180
6.2 Pts, 4.2 Reb, 0.6 Ast
Logan Imes
2 FR G 6-4 189
2.0 Pts, 2.4 Reb, 1.2 Ast
Fighting Irish Frontcourt
Tae Davis
13 SO F 6-9 204
8.0 Pts, 5.2 Reb, 0.8 Ast
Kebba Njie
14 SO F 6-10 237
4.1 Pts, 5.7 Reb, 0.7 Ast
Carey Booth
0 FR F 6-10 203
5.7 Pts, 4.2 Reb, 0.4 Ast
Matt Zona
25 SR F 6-9 243
2.2 Pts, 2.3 Reb, 0.6 Ast
What to expect from Notre Dame?
Notre Dame is in a growth year without much pressure and their season is essentially over so they are free to just go out and play. The results haven't been good, but they have shown the ability to take down a team that is off their game offensively. They have gotten behind double-digits in the first half in over half their ACC contests, most recently trailing Duke by as much as 15 points. They tend to surge in the second half so expect a run.
Expect to see a three guard, two forward set most of the game. They use a nine man rotation but primarily focus on the top 6.
Burton is the main threat, especially off the dribble. He may be in contention for ACC Rookie of the Year and is the Rookie scoring leader. He averages nearly 11 shots a game inside the perimeter.
The Irish have five shooters averaging at least three perimeter shots per game. As a team they are shooting only 32% in ACC play, led by Shrewsberry at 41%.
Defensively they lead the ACC in interior shooting allowed, holding opponents to 44% shooting. They look to prevent interior passes and force opponents into long possessions. They are allowing the second fewest points per game behind UVA so expect a low scoring game, making every possession that much more important. That said they are slow on transitioning around screens and get drawn into the lane allowing multiple open perimeter looks.
Offensively they are sloppy with the basketball, averaging thirteen turnovers per game while creating less than ten on defense. Shooting the ball is another significant weakness, as a team they shoot 44% overall and 32% from outside.
The Hokies
The Hokies continued to struggle to close in big games. They were pretty dominant for thirty minutes at Miami and then folded down the stretch, allowing the Canes to outscore them by 18 points in the last ten minutes.
Going on the road against a good defensive team is not exactly a recipe for success. The Hokies need to use their passing on the perimeter and screening actions to get Cattoor and Pedulla free to shoot. This is also a game where Young might be best served giving Poteat a longer run. Notre Dame struggles defensively in the paint against stronger bigs.
The Hokies are the more experienced team here but the Irish definitely have the athleticism edge in their favor.
The biggest area Tech needs to be focused on defensively is dribble penetration as it drives everything Notre Dame does. Denying access through pick and rolls at the elbow and maintaining coverage on off ball slashers paralleling the ball handlers drive is another key.
In Closing
Can the Hokies mitigate the Irish athleticism edge? Might be the theme of the season. Opponents have found success outside against the Irish which bodes well for the Hokies.
Can Kidd, Beran and Poteat find a way to score inside? The teams that win by double-digits are those that successfully get their bigs to contribute. The Irish are consistent defensive rebounders so there will not be a lot of second chance opportunities.
In the only "big" win for the Irish in ACC play, they throttled UVA at home. It was a rare Notre Dame made everything and UVA went 2-11 from outside kind of game. I don't expect that but the Hokies need to maintain their season long defensive effort by closing out on shooters and harassing passes into the paint.
No word yet on Rechsteiner or Long for this game. Of the two, Rechsteiner returning is more likely.
Should they win? Yes. Do I trust them to do it? Not really. Kind of a Prove It!! game
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For those looking at going to next years Thanksgiving Tournament
Open up Thanksgiving Week in SW Florida with us 😎🦃🌴MORE: https://t.co/rDC1LKPzf0 pic.twitter.com/ImzTWEnKd5— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) February 8, 2024
Comments
LETS GO!
Hokies!!!!!
Anybody else a streamer pissed at these CW games? To my knowledge there is no way to watch them streaming.
Regardless, Let's Go Hokies and bring home a needed win.
Can't comment on the streaming but they do a good production overall and knowledgeable in my opinion.
One quirk I've noticed is they update the score like as soon as the ball hits the basket rather than the 1 or 2 seconds delay of ESPN which has confused me more than once as I glance down and nothing changes. (Although they're not as efficient keeping up with fouls)
Seems CW app has some functionality with Amazon Fire Stick. Not sure that gives live TV though.
I have Roku and the CW app has no provisions for live tv that I have found.
Is there an air based cw channel in your area? Get a digital antenna.
I have it on yttv and could get cw games on antenna before I got that
its 604 and they are still shooting around without jerseys... dont think we are tipping at 6
Womp womp Pedulla turnover on FIRST possession
I actually enjoy CW production way better than ACCN
Very physical play being allowed early by TEDDY
Have to wonder if Cattoor is able to get back in the game.
Five turnovers already
So do we just purge the entire program if they lose this?
This game would be ugly if Irish could shoot threes
it's already ugly
That small guy on ND can shake anyone and penetrate easily; that's exactly what we've all said we need on the team
Yeah that's Burton
it's actually a pretty high scoring 1st half
Yeah Vegas had a 129.5 O/U
Then they show GT Louisville score of 9-7 at 11 minute mark 🤣 🤣 🤣
is it my eyes or is the image quality very bad
Liking this lineup with no Kidd or Poteat...
I aspire to have the confidence of MJ Collins. Love Poteat making the 5 a rotating door for ND tho.
Poteat come on man
That was on Sean. He put that too high and away.
Yah saw that better on the replay I really gotta do better to wait to post 🤣
Of course Pedulla throws it away to end the half too
I literally said please at least get a shot off and not turn it over........and as soon as I say it, we turn it over.
Up 9 with a minute and some change, go into halftime without scoring on the last three possession. We just cannot close a half with momentum.
via GIFER
Let's not continue to build on our 9 point lead and let it slip to 4. Lats keep this horrible ND team in the game.
EDIT: What he said above my comment.
Blowouts don't make for good TV apparently
The Golf announcer saying Lets send it back to Bass Ski Ball was ridiculous
Hokies shooting 13% better but only lead by 4
Turnovers will get after you
and we have twice as many 3's. But they have 6 more shots.
I've been saying for since his big game. But our offense works better when it flows through Nickel. Something about his game when he's confident.
...and he's not even on the floor for their big run.
12-0 run since we took a 9-point lead.
And 3 of those possessions we didn't even get a shot off.
Anyone know what XM channel the game is on? Can't find it.
Go to Hokie Sports and click on the listen link.
Protect a lead you say!? LMAO not MY team
I would KILL to have Burton.
I KNOW RIGHT IM SO JELLY OF HIM
Collins as the main ball handler 10 seconds dribbling, 20 seconds trying to recollect his dribble 🤣
The offense really seems to come to a halt with Pedulla and cattor off the court and everyone kind of looks lost
Yeah that was tough to watch.
Not necessarily upset with Kidd picking up his fourth. We have been a better team with him on the bench tonight.
Pedulla just makes really brain dead turnovers. So frustrating
This entire game is ever fucking frustrating. In true Hokie fashion we are going to let an awful ND team get a seldom win. The perennial "Team Player" of the ACC. Let's give other really shitty teams a nice feeling win.
Bout to lose to the 168th ranked team in NET 🤦🏻
Miami deja vu
And if I see another ND player push off while dribbling to the hoop over and over again with no call I'm going to lose it. How many points in the paint has ND gotten while pushing off repeatedly while dribbling to to hoop? How did Collins fall to the ground like that?
We just don't have that player we can count on when we need it.
Live by the three. Die by the three.
coach young makes a ton of money to run this type of game...
Shrewsbury three came after Burton took like five steps
This is embarrassing
Mike young...ladies and gents 💀
Oh yeah. We suck. Disappointing to see in year five, especially with retention issues. Being unable to put two halves together has become so frustrating.
On a good day at the YMCA I could put together a team that could hang with and maybe beat this team lol
coach young is paid so much to be mediocre.
MY fans will point to Irish beating UVA at start of ACC play...just overlooking the fact Irish came into tonight having lost 7 straight ACC games
Hokies in back to back games have now allowed 18 and 20 point swings
Shot 58 and 54% in the first half. 32 and 17% in the second.
And this is that bad loss we've been waiting for. NIT here we come, if we're lucky...
I wrote and then deleted from my game writeup that a loss tonight would leave them on the bubble...of the NIT
Yeah, I don't think we get a NIT bid. Too many teams much better than us will get left out of the NCAA tournament.
Our mens team is legit garbage and every single player is outmatched every single game. When we win it's obvious the other team played bad.
If Whit actually had a set of balls, he would have some tough conversations with MY right now but based off the past, I don't see that happening. Not a firing, but a "what's the actual direction and identity of this team? And how are you going to fix this?"
Pedulla gets called for taking a head butt
How many years is enough to prove concept in men's basketball? Is it same as football and thought of as 5-6 years?
Welp. That sucked. Bye bye big dance 😡
Pedulla was a hot freaking mess most of the evening. Beyond that, and we talk about it endlessly, we don't have P5 athleticism on this roster. We cant even keep up, athletically speaking, with one of the worst teams in the ACC.
That was one of the most embarrassing losses I can recall in a while. We just plain ole SUCK.
Now you see why I gave it two popcorns
Mike Young is popcorn. Tasteless until you get a little salt and nutritionally useless but sometimes good.
That made me laugh and boy did need that. It probably brought my blood pressure down from the danger close level prior to. Leg for you sir.
If I'm Whit - I give MY next year to right the ship, or get to packing
Problem there is unless he lands some immediate impact portal guys next year is on track for more of the same.
Ok, maybe I give him the Sirianni treatment - I have a meeting with him tomorrow to let him pitch me on how things will improve next year (not just record - recruiting. Retaining. Development.)
If he sells me, he gets next year to start it in motion. If we're in the right direction by the end of next year, he can stay another year
Looks like I won't need to watch too many more Men's games this year. Post season will be short lived in Charlotte is my guess.
ND came out and just decided to turn the game into street ball and the refs were good with it... the physicality of the game caught up to us in the 2nd half... that is pretty much it. While we had legs we withstood it and then just ran out of steam. The first half dozen threes we took in the 2nd half hit the front of the rim which is all you need to see. So, maybe a little better rotation earlier and we don't run out of juice quite so quickly. That being said, not sure I've seen the refs let so much non basketball action take place without blowing the whistle. ND had a clear message which was just to rough us up and win an ugly game which is what took place. Oh, and I do have to offer one thing... never seen a big man play the high pick and roll quite as poorly as Kidd. Watching him chase PGs around 30 feet from the hoop while his man cuts to the hoop for a dunk is very very painful to watch. Oh, and one final final thing... CMY seems like a great guy and clearly a high quality coach but I'm just not sure he can recruit at an elite level which will lead to our perennial mediocrity.
Mucking up the game with physicality is how most teams have beaten the Hokies over the past few years. When the refs let them play, they are just too small and slow to control the game.
Yep. See South Carolina and Auburn this season, see College of Charleston, Pitt and Boston College last year. See Cincinnati in last year's NIT.
I mean Texas is probably the best example. And that was a game we played really well in
My recollection of the Texas game was us failing miserably at guarding the perimeter. Didn't Texas have double digit threes in that game? And for whatever reason Young went away from the outside shot.
Had to look it up. Hokies only went 4/12 outside but hit 23 of 26 fts. Texas went 10/21 and hit 17 of 21 fts. Texas was physical but Hokies got calls. They just didnt take outside shots so that was the big difference. They took 11 less perimeter shots than their season average.
I remember feeling like Texas was making way more from 3 that game than they had all season. So, I too looked it up! On the season they averaged 33% from 3, good for 232nd nationally (6.6 makes on 20.0 attempts). It's worth noting that they held opponents to an average 31.9% from 3, good for 90th in the nation. So, part of it may have been our lack of taking shots, but it was also probably a result of the way that Chris Beard team played defense. Interestingly enough, our season stats defensively against the 3, opponents averaged 32.3% good for 113th nationally (6.4 makes on 19.8 attempts). If the numbers flip to the averages for the year, we win that game. But I recall that being the challenge of the matchup - strength versus strength was our outside shooting against their perimeter defense. Very interesting to look back at the game from a numbers perspective.
That game ended for VT when Texas hit the miracle 3/4 court shot before half.
Seems to happen a lot to this team or my bias is deceiving me. Wonder what the stats say about last second deep threes being made against teams and how often is average