HOKIES HOOPS CENTRAL: Virginia Tech (15-11) at Pitt (17-9) 530PM The CW
Working on the weekend like usual ๐ผ๐ Pitt๐ 5:30 PM๐บ CW๐๏ธ Petersen Events Center#StoneByStone x #Hokies pic.twitter.com/2WVK2ONxDNโ Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) February 24, 2024
Virginia Tech (15-11)
At Pitt (17-9)
February 24, 2024
Petersen Events Center
530 p.m. ET
The CW
Virginia Tech Sports Network
The CW
Play-by-Play:
Analyst:
Local Radio
Virginia Tech Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Zach Mackey
Analyst: Mike Burnop
Current Spread: Pitt -2.5
Over/Under: -142.5
Injuries/Absence:
Pitt: Jorge Diaz Graham (Forward) Ankle - 1/27/24 Out
Papa Amadou Kante (Forward) Knee - 10/13/23 Out
VT: Mekhi Long (Forward) Knee - 2/10/24 Out
Can Hokies win on the road?
The Hokies go on the road in need of a win. After thrashing UVA, the Hokies look to finish strong. Pitt is coming off a blowout loss 91-58 to Wake Forest. This game becomes even more important for ACC tournament seeding after Syracuse won earlier this week. The Hokies currently are in 10th, so would have to play the first day of the tournament.
It's what he does ๐ @lynnkidd20 pic.twitter.com/XI404P6Nwzโ Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) February 22, 2024
The Panthers are coached by Jeff Capel III, who has been at Pittsburgh since 2018. The Panthers are 92-90 under Capel III, who is now 267-200 as a Head coach with ten years as a head coach at VCU and Oklahoma before spending seven years in the Duke Dungeon as an assistant. The Panthers finally reached the post season under Capel last year. They are poised to extend it to a second season although could find themselves on the bubble.
Pitt started the season winning their first five but stumbled during Thanksgiving and ended up going 8-3 in non-conference play. Before losing to Wake in their last game, the Panthers had won five in a row. They are beatable at home, where they are 10-5 but are 3-4 at home in ACC play.
Hinson, Carrington and Lowe are the starting guards. The two starting forwards are Austin and typically Federiko. Leggett gives the Panthers a huge boost off the bench. The Hokies will only see half of the Graham twins off the bench, as Guillermo will play while his brother Jorge is out with an injury.
Defensively, Pittsburgh's main point of emphasis is their match-up zone. Capel's zone applies pressure on the basketball, takes away the corner drives, covers the elbow and supports help side defense. He uses "41 Hot" press that puts pressure on the teams ball handlers in the full-court, trying to force the ball to a poor ball handler.
Capel's defense, similar to the Pack-Line, is especially focused on denying the baseline. Defenders are taught to position themselves to not allow any baseline penetration, relying on help defense to close an adjusted drives to the center of the lane. The key weakness of this defense is if a team can find open shooters on the perimeter AND hit those shots, the integrity of this defense begins to fall apart.
Offensively, the Panthers run a very up-tempo, attacking offense. Pitt averages 1.5 attempts per minute, or about 60 shots per game. They are very efficient, averaging 1.3 points per attempt. They create offense by stressing the importance of defensive rebounding, where they average pulling down nearly 70% of opponents missed shots.
The Panthers are shooting over 50% from inside the perimeter and 35% outside on 27.5 three-point attempts per game. Thirty points per game from the perimeter is the norm but Hokies typically do a good job running opponents off the perimeter this season.
Panthers Backcourt
Blake Hinson
2 SR G 6-7 235
18.8 Pts, 5.0 Reb, 0.7 Ast
Carlton Carrington
7 FR G 6-4 190
12.9 Pts, 5.2 Reb, 4.3 Ast
Ishmael Leggett
5 JR G 6-2 180
12.2 Pts, 5.3 Reb, 2.2 Ast
Jaland Lowe
15 FR G 6-2 170
8.6 Pts, 2.5 Reb, 2.8 Ast
Panthers Frontcourt
Guillermo Diaz Graham
25 SO F 7-0 205
6.7 Pts, 4.2 Reb, 1.1 Ast
Zack Austin
55 JR F 6-4 175
6.6 Pts, 3.9 Reb, 1.0 Ast
Federiko Federiko
33 JR C 6-11 220
4.8 Pts, 5.2 Reb, 0.9 Ast
What to expect from Pittsburgh?
The Panthers come in with one of the tallest trios in the frontcourt in the ACC but it's the four guards that all come in averaging 11 or more points per game. The guards rely heavily on perimeter shooting with Hinson and Leggett both shooting better than 41%.
One area Pitt excels in is perimeter screening to get open looks. The Hokies have to find a way to stay over the top against screens. Federiko struggles with moving screens so it benefits the Hokies to press that.
Defensively Pitt has allowed opponents to score 67.2 points per game against this defense, third best in the ACC.
The last two games the Panthers have struggled with fouls, especially in the paint. The Hokies could benefit from 20+ free throw attempts by going inside. Pitt seems to struggle with positioning as they sell out to cover the perimeter.
In losses Pitt is averaging 31% from the perimeter and 43% in wins. Only one time in a loss did thy hit the 40% mark.
The Hokies
The Hokies absolutely blew the doors off UVA. They did so by going inside. While Pitt is more formidable in the paint than the Wahoos, the Hokies absolutely must continue to find iso opportunities for Kidd and Poteat. The other positive of getting the ball to Kidd and Poteat is if Pitt slips help defense over it leaves Beran room to work.
Bobby B put on a show ๐ฟ๐ pic.twitter.com/nwiuuzDKHdโ Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) February 23, 2024
The Hokies continued use of Collins at the point paid dividends and has been a welcome change. Look for the Hokies to keep utilizing the set while getting Pedulla some time on the bench.
The Hokies need a second consecutive game of protecting the ball due to the Panthers defensive play. The Panthers force tough shots so significant turnovers would put the Hokies in a deep hole. Wake managed to shoot 50% from outside and 66% inside the paint. This is the exact recipe the Hokies need to follow.
YOU HAVE TO HIT YOUR FIRST SHOT. Due to the Panthers dominating the defensive boards, there will be very few second chance opportunities.
๐๐ก๐๐ฎ๐๐ง ๐ฟ๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐ค๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐ it's what we do#StoneByStone x #Hokies pic.twitter.com/kDlJ0JsUgkโ Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) February 22, 2024
In Closing
This game is going to come down to consistent production from all five starters. Finding early opportunities for Kidd to score sets a tone and leaves Pitt to consider whether they can afford to go one on one in the paint or are forced to provide help defense.
Whichever team gets to the rim more consistently with the ball will do one of two things, run up the score on baskets or ramp up the free throw attempts, which could go a long way in deciding this contest.
Comments
LET'S GO...
HOKIES!!!!!!!!
Hokies chances at a first day bye took another hit as Notre Dame came back from a twenty point deficit only to miss five of their last seven shots to give Syracuse another late season win.
Thx for the update. Waiting to see what seed they get so I can buy ACC tourney tix for the 12th or 13th. The answer seems to getting clearer and clearer. Still hoping for the 13th for their sake.
We'll get that back when Clemson pays FSU. They're both 7-7 in conference, and a tech win today could push the Hokies into 9th
Winning out but somehow sticking at 10 is almost better. Winner of 8/9 get stuck with Carolina which is a terrible matchup for us
They are both 8-7. So after today one will be 8-8, the other 9-7. Syracuse is now 9-8. NC St is beating BC so will be 9-7 barring a change there. I don't think we have tiebreaker over either Clemson or FSU.
Correction: we would be 9th with tiebreaker over Pitt who would also be 8-8
EAT SHIT PITT!
Joe Lunardi won't be able to deny Wake a spot this week after they beat Duke today.
No bueno though that Wake fans appear to have hurt Filipowski storming the court. He was seen visibly limping exiting the court.
Watching Kidd spin away from rim is maddening
Umm...
First possession foul on Catoor called a turnover tells you everything need you need to know about how this game is going to go
I hope I'm wrong
Didn't know Beran got down like that!!
I was critical of him and collins earlier in the year but the last few games they have been much improved. Let's hope that's a trend that continues.
Whistle a minute is going to get old
Wow bullshit call alert
Sure looked that way. Probably won't show the replay.
Ummmmm GOALTEND!?
That's a fucking goaltend everyday
Pedulla being held from
Behind!?
And then a foul called on Pedulla for literally nothing
I like that we are working inside but 0 for five from three needs to change
If you're
boredinsomniac try listening to the Pitt feed.No real complaints about that half, need to find a way to hit a few threes (think Pitt only allows 31% there) and some
Better contesting at the rim, but they hit some pretty contested 3s that half.
Glad to see us working inside; hope nickel starts hitting second half, more threes gave got to start falling...and I know I'm a broken record here but these refs blow, obvious goaltending, obvious grabbing Pedulla waste in a drive, obvious Hinson holding down Pedulla arm on defense; and getting bodied driving with no foul call often
Replay shows Pedulla hits all ball in the mystery foul lmao
And now Cattoor? Who did what?
Some serious horseshit going on right now. Catoor elbowed in the nuts.....Foul on Pedulla.
I am not a very knowledgable basketball person but how upset should I bet about these foul calls?
very
They're going to have to get creative to keep pace without fouling out.
all 3 of pedullas fouls are bullshit, 2 of cattoors
And as usual.....whoever the announcers are....they're jerking off whoever we play. I'm so sick of it.
We need Collins to step up big time here with Pedulla and Catoor in foul trouble.
Need an actual score here
(in my defense they were already missing)
Cattor didn't even do anything!!! WTF
We're getting obliterated when we drive with no calls
And now beran!? WTF FUCK THESE REFS
Mike needs to get a technical here and body slam these refs
What's the basis on the foul for beran?
He got the rebound i dunno ๐คทโโ๏ธ
He jumped up and got the ball and then a Pitt player ran into him.
Foul everyday if we are on the road.
Mike Young needs to stand up for his guys. Take a technical foul or call timeout earlier, but no he lets his most important players have borderline calls made against them and lets them "play through" a 13-0 run where there was zero offensive cohesiveness.
Let the refs completely derail the entire game.
CMY getting sideways with the officials tell you everything you need to know...
Also, we simply can't match up athletically and that is why some of these fouls are being called. Getting beat off the dribble on every single possession at every position.
It's one thing to endure these crazy seriously non existent foul calls. It's another to listen to the useless commentary. It's ridiculous. I'm ready for coach to throw hands.
The dreaded four minute scoring drought. Has happened too many times this year.
Along with the dreaded 20 point swing at some point in the game...
Beran bumped and arm tapped from behind no foul
You're 6 foot 10 and you're standing right under the FUCKING basket. DUNK THAT FUCKING SHIT INSTEAD OF TRYING TO LAY IT UP WITH TWO DEFENDERS STANDING ON EITHER SIDE OF YOU FOR FUCKS SAKE!
Horseshit.
38 fouls called in this game. WTF.
That fifth in Catoor was gar-bagรฉ
Pittsburgh chanting bullshit when they elbowed Pedulla in the face ......get the fuck out of here
As bad as these officials have been, they will never be as bad as the 2023/24 CMY team on the road. I'm not sure what the issue is, but this group is really, really bad on the road.
MY should have laid into the refs 5 min into the second half and taken a T.
Total horseshit to let that bullshit go without sticking up for your kids.
The real travesty here is that cmy never got ejected
Hard to believe each team has had 20 fouls each. Seemed much more lopsided.
The doom is the 3p% though. Pitt is shooting 45%. Hokies 15%. Six made threes differential. Tough to overcome against anyone.
They always call some quick ones at the end to even out the final numbers
Tied at half and lose by 15. Woof.
Switched over to Hokies LaCrosse to watch Hokies winning. Ladies up 9-5 on Loserville on ESPN+
I have not been this mad about referees in a long time. I am also really upset that cmy took it laying down and never got T'd up