Monday Night Madness 🥊💥🆚 Winthrop🕗 7PM ET🏰 Cassell Coliseum📺 ACCNX🔗 https://t.co/Ypqs6c7UWE pic.twitter.com/np4lE371tA— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) November 11, 2024
Winthrop (2-0)
at
Virginia Tech (2-0)
7pm ESPN+/ACCNX
TV | ACCNX
Evan Hughes, PxP
Mack McCarthy, Analyst
RADIO | VT Sports Network
Zach Mackey, PxP
Mike Burnop, Analyst
VIDEO STREAM
ESPN.com and ESPN app
LIVE STATS
stats.hokiesports.com
Spread: Hokies -8.5
Over/Under: 153.5
Can they avoid the drought?
Mike Young has pieced together a 2-0 start but it has had challenges. Last time out the Hokies started 0 for 9 from three and found themselves down 16-2. They righted themselves to take a 37-32 lead into the half and finally pulled away in the last ten minutes to win 93-74. In game one, the drought came in the latter part of the first half. The Hokies can't afford that against Winthrop. Hopefully the Hokies get more like the last game from Rechsteiner.
the work always shows 📈📈🫡 @b_roc0 pic.twitter.com/Ha52Te6aVQ— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) November 9, 2024
This will be the first time facing the Eagles since 2013. That was an 81-63 win led by Jarell Eddie's thirty-four points. Winthrop comes in 2-0 after victories over Piedmont 125-65 and Little Rock 82-67. Vegas only has the Hokies by 8 in this one so a few possessions either way could tip the game.
All five starters come in averaging double-digit scoring, which isn't surprising considering they scored 125 points in the season opener. This is a very experienced squad that had 100% of scoring return from last season which is kind of unheard of in today's environment. K.J. Doucet and Kasen Harrison are a dynamic guard/forward combo that create opportunities for each other. Winthrop will look to go fast on offense, so expect fast break attempts when possible and then players constantly moving around picks to create space and opportunity.
The Eagles coach wants them to be a team that can knock down outside shots but so far the perimeter shooting is pretty poor so expect to see alot of drives to the basket and trying to create odd man options in the paint.
Up to this point they have dominated the paint but that's again heavily skewed by their opponents poor shooting and lack of size/talent. They have pulled down 117 rebounds in two games. Tonight will be a much different test.
Defensively be ready to see UVA Junior. Pack line defense but a bit more spread out as there is definitely an intensity on perimeter shooting.
The Hokies appear to be sticking with the same starting five. Have to wonder when Tyler Johnson breaks in with how much of an impact he has had. This team will probably struggle early if they aren't crisp in their passing but should find plenty of opportunities to create in the paint which will then loosen the perimeter defense. This will be the first game though that the Hokies have a definite size advantage in the paint. Still not sure what to expect from this roster.
Hokies Projected Starters
Toibu Lawal
1 JR F 6-8 200
16.5 Pts, 8.0 Reb, 1.0 Ast
Mylyjael Poteat
34 SR F 6-9 260
16.5 Pts, 5.0 Reb, 3.0 Ast
Jaydon Young
3 SO G 6-4 205
13.5 Pts, 2.5 Reb, 3.0 Ast
Brandon Rechsteiner
7 SO G 6-1 185
12.5 Pts, 1.0 Reb, 3.5 Ast
Jaden Schutt
2 SO G 6-5 185
9.5 Pts, 3.5 Reb, 3.0 Ast
Key Bench Players
Tyler Johnson
10 FR G 6-5 215
12.0 Pts, 5.0 Reb, 1.0 Ast
Ben Hammond
11 FR G 5-11 170
2.0 Pts, 1.5 Reb, 2.0 Ast
Winthrop Projected Starters
K.J. Doucet
12 SR F 6-7 230
15.0 Pts, 6.5 Reb, 1.0 Ast
Kasen Harrison
11 SR G 6-1 190
13.5 Pts, 2.5 Reb, 4.0 Ast
Kelton Talford
4 SR F 6-7 195
13.5 Pts, 9.0 Reb, 1.5 Ast
Tommy Kamarad
15 JR F 6-8 205
10.0 Pts, 6.0 Reb, 0.0 Ast
Either/or 5th starter
Bryce Baker
55 JR G 6-5 190
12.0 Pts, 5.0 Reb, 0.5 Ast
Or
Ryan Jolly
2 SR G 6-3 180
11.0 Pts, 1.5 Reb, 0.5 Ast
Key Bench Player
Paul Jones
3 FR G 6-4
7.5 Pts, 4.0 Reb, 1.5 Ast
Comments
Let's Go...
Hokies!
HOKIES!
Thankfully I get to watch this one cause it's on ACCNX
Nice dunk by Burnham there!
Am I the only one who thinks Burnham and Poteat look like they're in their mid-30s with mortgages, minivans, and decided opinions on lawnmower brands?
Hokies have company struggling early. #2 Alabama losing to McNeese right now early in their game.
Nine points in 8+ minutes is no Bueno any way you slice it though
25% from floor and 12.5% from perimeter
The CMY way. Shoot the three! But 1 - 8... ouch!
Now 2 for 11
Not too bad when you consider the D has held them to 11 points through 9:45
Playing good D but can't frigging put it in the net standing under the basket
Man, Tyler Johnson is a menace on the boards. Love that.
11 offensive rebounds, but our shooting is atrocious. Fortunately theirs ain't much better!
Lovin the offensive boards
absolutely loving the defensive intensity
Love how the announcers will say "VT forced another turnover"! Winthrop does have 5. But don't look... so do we!
First to score 50, wins?
This is just an awful watch. Poteat has 30 lbs on his guys, Wessler basically does too but they can't even get off the perimeter.
You said it in your write-up... a loluva junior pack line defense. Seems to be working. We can't get inside.
My problem is they don't even appear to be trying to. Just content to throw up bricks from outside.
I feel like I am watching 2022 Poteat in his limited minutes. Hopefully it's just early season jitters.
8 for 32 from floor
2 for SIXTEEN from outside.
Have 9 more rebounds but still losing.
With as rough as football is looking, at least we have hoops... oh wait 🫤
smh. Sadly it looks like two evenly matched teams. Hopefully we'll get our act together in the second half.
2 quick 3's...
Schutt can shoot!
Can't seem to put back to back possessions together. Hokies hurting themselves more than the Eagles defense.
Cassell Guard seems really empty again too
I mean hard to blame anyone tbh. Program doesn't have any "juice", esp. compared to WBB.
Just feels like another roster rebuild year, and I fear next year is too?
Poteat missing alot of bunnies tonight
LAWAL
Lawal... SLAM DUNK!!!
up by 8, 4 minutes to go. Play to win! Don't play not to lose.
LAWAL WITH THE REJECTION
This is like watching 40 year old YMCA ball after the teams have each had a six pack.
Couple highlights but Chuck it and pray is the theme.
this made me laugh. sad but true.
Lawal has some skills!
I've seen this movie before....
Why in the hell do you only have one guy in the paint on a 1 and 1?
Especially if you are going to turn around and not challenge the ball coming up the court.
Lawal is why we're winning this game
Lawal pivotal securing the win late. 10 & 10, not too shabby either
A sloppy win is better than a sloppy loss!
FAM. Win 'em ugly!
Will take it but every game so far has me dreading ACC play more ... going to be interesting to see how they do against Penn State in Baltimore. Lions haven't played anyone of note but put up over 100 in both games against Binghamton and UMBC.
The same umbc that bounced 1 seed uva a couple years ago? That's not not noteworthy
Very true
Penn State will be a good measuring stick for sure, especially since it's the first game away from Cassell.
Tonight was the first game that they didn't overwhelm the opponent over the course of the game, and they certainly weren't impressive offensively. But it may be that Winthrop is actually pretty decent. And I do think VT plays good defense.
I'm certainly not predicting VT to finish in the top quarter of the ACC, but there are going to be plenty of winnable games.
Like all Mike Young teams- when our 3's go down, we have a chance. When we aren't hot from 3, we typically do not and get into barn burners with the Winthrops of the world.
Only watched the second half. Sloppy win, as noted above; but I see hope. We have some players. Obviously Lawal could be super. Poteat is solid. Schutt can shoot. Hammond may already be better than Reichsteiner. If they can develop some chemistry, this could be a good team.
Thank God.
Smallest attendance in a decade...thanks Whit
The out-of-conference ticket scheme appears to be a complete failure. I know multiple Hokies who either only took the ACC games and haven't bothered with the OOC or just dropped their tickets altogether. The fact that the team is a bunch of nobodies with no star isn't helping either.
I'm not sure this is totally accurate. I mean, from a marketing standpoint, yes, no one on campus knows these guys yet.
But if you've watched the games, Lawal is the most athletic player we've had since...I was going to say Deron Washington, but probably forever. Rechsteiner has played really well, and Poteat looks like a totally different player (although he wasn't great last night).
I'm stunned Mike Young doesn't put Wessler on the court more than 10 minutes a game. He's extremely athletic for his size, he plays really good defense, and while he probably doesn't have great range, he's pretty nimble finishing close to the basket.
I actually have been at all 3 games. They play hard and seem more athletic than last year's team. Lawal definitely has 'hops' and will provide highlight reel material as you noted. Tyler Johnson has played well and seems to always be where the ball goes.
It looked like against Winthrop, CMY has subbing Rechsteiner and Hammond as offensive/defense late in the game. Hammond has looked more comfortable each game.
Definitely miss Kidd in the middle. Poteat and Wessler don't really have any go-to moves to get a good shot off. I've seen Wessler shooting 3's in the pre-game shoot arounds and makes quite a few, but not in a game so far. I cringed when Poteat shot a 3 against Winthrop.
Thought Ryan Jones would get more playing time being a highly regarded recruit, but barely gets off the bench until 2 minutes to play.
When the cut the number of games by roughly a third but kept the price the same they lost me. I can remember driving the truck through 8 inches of snow to watch the a OOC game over break with just a couple of hundred other people. Nope, Tech office said OOC games have no value and all the value was the ACC games.
Yeah, I'm not a fan of the new non-con deal. I kept my 2 tix this year to see how it goes, but my schedule is pretty scattered with kid events and such so sometimes I don't know if I can make a game until the day before (or day of), and that's way too late to do the "claim" process. I've had to buy tickets for two games already this season and they are both in vastly different areas of Cassell.
However, as a self-counterpoint 'cuz that's how my brain works, I don't miss trying to unload tickets for non-con games that I can't make.
It's going to be a challenge convincing people to pay extra when the highlight of your OOC schedule is Vandy.
Even more so when your own outlook on the season isn't very promising.
Who is in charge of the Basketball Program and would have thought that this was a good idea??? Oh...the Balleins??...you don't say---shocked this decision didn't turn into gold like everything else they touch.
Ah yes. The "Fill The Cassell" Initiative is going great I see.
Whit is a genius. I'm told he has a super secret bullet proof vetting and interview process- the most comprehensive in the industry.
#FireWHIT
That was a rough watch. FWIW we do have some dudes that have some skill and it's (for the most part) a very high effort team.
I could be wrong but it doesn't look like we have the kind of shooters that can reliably hit 3s and in CMY's system that's going to be a challenge to overcome.
Seems to be Schutt (5/10 last night and 45% on season) and the rest are way down the cliff face (3/19 or 16% last night 16/58 or 27% on season).
After Schutt (45%), Rechsteiner (38.5%, 5/13 for the season) and Jaydon Young (36.4%, 8/22) have shot fairly well from 3-point distance.
For reference, last season Cattoor was at 40.5%, Nickel was 39.9% and Pedulla was 32.5%. The only other player who took 100 threes on the season was MJ Collins at 28%.
Wasn't pretty at times but this team can scrap on defense and actually tries to rebound the ball which was 180 from the other years.
Really enjoy the athletic boost, despite less talented spot up shooters. Thought Lawal, Schutt, Johnson all brought some sparks, was nIce seeing Hammond get some playing time this early in the season to help with depth at guard; big pat is what he is, he'll be valuable to have for depth and help some games, hurt other games depending what the other roster looks like. Poteat will have better games, and the team will settle in as the year goes on. I'm not quite as pessimistic as everyone else seems to be on the roster, they could surprise people by the end of the year.
Was it South Carolina or auburn that beat the breaks off of us last year with a whole team of transfers and they were given no chance at the beginning of the year? That same team ended up being pretty strong by the end of the year iirc.
I'm at least having fun watching this team scrap as opposed to chucking up 100+ 3 pointers with no defense and no offensive rebounds.
This is exactly where I'm at. I've watched most of all 3 games so far, and I'm enjoying the product more than the last couple of seasons. Do I want to play Kansas or Houston right now? Hell no. But these guys are pretty easy to root for, and I'm excited to see what Young can do with this group over the course of the season.
I think the only viable strategy for the rest of the year is pounding the ball inside with Poteat and getting our shooters (Schute/Rech/Young) into good looks for 3s, with a sprinkling of Lawal dunks throughout.
To me though it seems like when Poteat gets the ball within 8 feet of the rim he stops looking for anyone on the perimeter because he tunnel-visions on getting his shot.
Hopefully Wessler keeps developing this year now that he's getting decent minutes. Otherwise I foresee a lot of rough games when Poteat or Rechsteiner get into foul trouble. Not to knock Hammond as backup PG, but I think he's just a bit undersized and still learning.