Navy (3-7)
at
Virginia Tech (4-6)
12pm
Cassell Coliseum
ESPN+/ACCNX
TV | ACCNX
Evan Hughes, PxP
Mack McCarthy, Analyst
Kendal Williams, Sideline
RADIO | VT Sports Network
Zach Mackey, PxP
Mike Burnop, Analyst
VIDEO STREAM
@HokiesMBB ESPN.com and ESPN app
LIVE STATS
stats.hokiesports.com
Could they....
If you had asked me two weeks ago if I thought the Hokies could have a winning streak at any point in the rest of the season, I would have just laughed.
That was before I looked at how terrible Navy has been this season. They come in 3-7. They have losses to NJIT, Maine, Rider, Campbell, Elon and Quinnipiac. Their wins are over Washington College (MD), Penn, and Harvard.
The Hokies have been bad but nothing like this. They have turned a bit of a corner with a strong game against Pitt and an absolute drubbing of NC A&T. This game should be another win for the Hokies if they play with the intensity we have seen the last two games.
Outside of Kehoe for Navy, size wise this is a very small opponent. The starting PG is their do everything guy, Austin Benigni, who is putting up 17.2 ppg. Kehoe also averages double-digits at 10 ppg but then it declines rapidly in terms of overall scoring. Opponents are averaging almost 5 blocks per game against Navy which is a bottom five in the NCAA stat for the Midshipmen.
The Midshipmen focus on a structured approach to offense. They aim to create high-percentage shots through smart ball movement and player spacing. This strategy relies on sharp passes and well-timed cuts to ensure that each player remains involved in the play.
Pick-and-Roll Plays are crucial to create mismatches. Players set screens to allow dribblers to find open teammates or take high-percentage shots.
Expect the Midshipmen to take a ton of perimeter shots. So far this season it represents about 43% of total shots. They don't shoot particularly well at just over 30% on the season.
They do however get offensive rebounds more often than you would expect. They don't drop off the ball after a shot. They go for second possessions. That said, if their overall shooting percentage was higher this might be a viable advantage but it's not.
When in transition, they capitalize on quick outlets and efficient scoring to catch defenses off guard.
This calculated offensive style emphasizes teamwork and efficiency, allowing the Midshipmen to maximize their scoring potential.
Man-to-man defense is the primary defensive setup. They are similar to the Hokies in that this is how the coach wants to run but this season has proven they don't really have the personnel for it.
They emphasize securing rebounds to minimize second-chance points for their opponents and they manage to do it well. Strong box-outs and grabbing boards are critical to transitioning back to offense.
Occasionally, Navy implements a full-court press to apply pressure and force turnovers. This could be one area they could successfully disrupt the Hokies game plan as Rechsteiner struggles under a pressured dribble.
Hokies Starting Five
Toibu Lawal
1 JR F 6-8 200
11.7 Pts, 6.4 Reb, 0.5 Ast
Mylyjael Poteat
34 SR F 6-9 260
10.5 Pts, 4.9 Reb, 1.4 Ast
Jaden Schutt
2 SO G 6-5 185
9.5 Pts, 3.5 Reb, 2.2 Ast
Brandon Rechsteiner
7 SO G 6-1 185
8.3 Pts, 1.5 Reb, 3.5 Ast
Tyler Johnson
10 FR G 6-5 215
6.4 Pts, 5.3 Reb, 1.1 Ast
Key Bench Guys
Jaydon Young
3 SO G 6-4 205
7.9 Pts, 1.9 Reb, 1.7 Ast
Ben Burnham
13 SR F 6-7 200
5.5 Pts, 4.4 Reb, 1.2 Ast
Patrick Wessler
5 SO C 7-0 245
4.2 Pts, 3.3 Reb, 0.1 Ast
Ben Hammond
11 FR G 5-11 170
4.1 Pts, 1.0 Reb, 1.5 Ast
Rodney Brown
4 SO G 6-6 180
3.0 Pts, 1.6 Reb, 0.6 Ast
Navy Starting Five
Austin Benigni
1 JR G 5-11 172
17.2 Pts, 2.8 Reb, 4.6 Ast
Aidan Kehoe
99 JR C 6-10 231
10.0 Pts, 7.9 Reb, 1.8 Ast
Jordan Pennick
21 SO G 5-11 190
7.4 Pts, 2.9 Reb, 1.7 Ast
Donovan Draper
11 JR F 6-5 203
6.4 Pts, 6.9 Reb, 1.4 Ast
Lysander Rehnstrom
2 SR G 6-4 190
5.5 Pts, 1.3 Reb, 0.3 Ast
Key Bench Guys
Jack Medale
17 SO G 6-6 224
8.1 Pts, 4.1 Reb, 1.1 Ast
Jinwoo Kim
10 SO G 6-3 195
5.6 Pts, 1.9 Reb, 0.6 Ast
Sam Krist
8 JR G 6-4 186
5.4 Pts, 1.0 Reb, 0.3 Ast
Cam Cole
3 SO G 6-2 165
4.9 Pts, 1.0 Reb, 0.8 Ast
Comments
Go Hokies, beat Navy.
Go Navy, beat ......no, wait, wrong thread. My bad.
Thanks for the game notes, Lt
Of course we let them start 7-7 from the field including 4-4 from outside. Really poor effort on closing on shooters
8 for 8 and trailing by 10 now. This is embarrassing.
We have forced 5 turnovers or it would be that much worse.
Fouling again a major issue. 8 team fouls with 9 minutes to play in the half.
Schutt, Poteat, and Burnham already have 2 fouls each.
How much of that is to just being not athletic enough? A day late and a dollar short on help, closeout etc
Not much. It's been poor positioning in the post. Six or seven of the team fouls have been against their center within three feet of the basket. Four have been off ball and kind of weak calls.
Thank goodness for Rodney Brown today.
11 points so far.
Zero defense so far.
Navy still shooting 72% overall and 55% from outside
Navy guy Kim is completely out of control twice now and gets bailed out with whistles.
Bench having a really strong game against. 27 points. Mostly Brown and Hammond sparking the team. Go to the half with a 46-41 lead.
ACC had another really bad day yesterday.
Syracuse lost to Georgetown
NC State lost to Kansas
#16 Clemson lost to Memphis
Louisville lost to Kentucky
Only bright spot was SMU beat LSU
Hokies have now given up 9 second chance points in the second half. Getting outrebounded by a much smaller team
Hammond gets thrown past the media guys on one end with no foul but their center loses the ball on the other and gets a bail out whistle
Rechsteiner has no business playing ahead of Hammond in the rotation
Agreed offense flows so much better with Hammond on thr floor
and back on the floor at the end
Slowly building the lead. Hopefully they can finish this one.
Brown going to get more minutes as well
Hokies finish it off. Win 80-72. Wasn't pretty but definitely strong performance from Brown and Hammond
Burnham hit three shots as shot clocks expired or at the buzzer of the first half and led everyone with 17 points.
Five Hokies finished in double-digits but majority of scoring came off the bench.
Also only 10 turnovers and 89% from free throw line. These are positives!
Shocking stat...Brown got 29+ minutes! I don't love his passing, but he dribbles and shoots the ball pretty well.
I attended a game, had Lot 1 parking, dressed festive behind the TV commentators court side, got to take my two young ones to their first game, we managed a win, and I didn't spend a single dollar. Merry Christmas.