Hokie Hoops Central:
Duke (19-1)
at
Virginia Tech (16-6)
Noon
ESPN
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV | ESPN
Dave O'Brien, PxP
Cory Alexander, Color
RADIO | VT Sports Network
Zach Mackey, PxP
Mike Burnop, Analyst
VIDEO STREAM LIVE STATS
ESPN.com and ESPN app stats.hokiesports.com
Duke -10.5
O/U. 146.5
ESPN Analytics Duke 90.1%
Bring on the Devils
The Hokies come in on another Win but REALLY tried to throw it away win over the lower Tech. Duke comes in winners of eight straight.
The Blue Devils are 8-0 in ACC play and have won all but two by double-digits. They have two 30+ point wins over Louisville and Stanford.
The Hokies though in recent years have been a thorn in Dukes side, winners of five of their last seven at Cassell. This is the 21st time the Hokies have faced a Top 5 Duke team and are 6-14 in the previous games. Basically saying, their is some hope, albeit small.
Injury update: Johnson is not yet ready so will miss today's game but he is out of yhe boot and practicing. Duke has a minor player out and a starter and contributor probable in Caleb Foster and Dame Sarr. Foster averages 8.9 and 3.5 from the shooting guard spot. Sarr averages 5.9 and 3.4 from a bench wing role. Sarr is the little brother of the Washington Wizards recent 1st Round Pick Alex Sarr.
The name you will hear all day is Cameron Boozer. He is likely going to be the NCAA and ACC Freshman of the Year, possibly the Player of the Year and most likely a First Team All-American. He is putting up 23.5 Pts, 9.9 Reb, and 4.1 Ast. He has cracked 30 in two of their last three games. He is 6'9, 250 but you have to guard him out to 30 feet as he is shooting 37% from 3.
The surrounding cast is Isaiah Evans at the wing, Hammond's Paul VI teammate Center Patrick Ngongba, Cameron's brother Cayden at guard, and Foster if he plays.
They dont really have a true point guard but four of the five on the floor have point guard handles. Hammond will see another Paul VI teammate in Darren Harris off the bench. The only contributor for Duke that was not a Top 100 recruit is Maliq Brown off the bench. Duke has six players that were Top 25 in the class.
Scheyer's Duke defenses are built around elite positional size and adaptability.
He uses length to take away space, expects guys to guard multiple actions and coverages and his staff adjust game-to-game to target weaknesses. It will primarily be man-to-man, but Scheyer will use zone strategically to protect his players in foul trouble, matchup zones to disrupt rhythm and after timeouts or dead balls.
Scheyer wants strong ball pressure without reckless gambling with a heavy emphasis on containment over steals.
Duke is comfortable winning possessions by forcing difficult shots rather than chasing turnovers. One thing we may see today is Duke may drop coverage against non-shooting/poor shooting guards (Neo)
The goal is to disrupt rhythm, prevent guards from getting downhill and force opponents to reset multiple times.
Duke protects the paint through rotational help rather than pure shot-block chasing. Its the same concept as not chasing turnovers. Blocks happen, but they're a byproduct, not a priority. The emphasis is on forcing jump shots, contesting at the rim without fouling and to have defensive possessions end with rebounds. Bigs prioritize box-outs over chasing blocks
Guards also rebound aggressively.
Scheyer's offense is built around skill versatility and spacing, not constant motion or raw tempo.The goal is to put multiple decision-makers on the floor to create advantages through spacing and mismatches. He lets talent operate within a clean, readable structure.
Duke plays at a controlled but flexible tempo. They will push hard after defensive rebounds and turnovers and are comfortable flowing into quick transition baskets. Scheyer trusts his guys to pull it out and execute if the advantage isn't clear in transition. Duke doesn't force speed. The tempo rises and falls based on personnel and matchup
Expect to see four-out, one-in or five-out when matchups allow. They use alot of empty-side ball screens to isolate defenders and pick-and-rolls at the top of the key to create clean driving lanes, clear help reads and fewer "crowded" possessions. The bigs are on the floor more to facilitate the guards rather than create offense in the paint.
Shooting wise in ACC play, Duke has shot 61.5% inside, 33% from perimeter and 74% from the line. Evans is the primary perimeter shooter with almost 8 attempts per game, shooting 35%. There are four others that attempt at least 3 per contest so hard to focus on just one or two from outside. Inside is Cameron Boozer and Ngongba. They combine for over 15 attempts inside. Boozer also gets to the line over 7 times per game.
Devil Starters
Cameron Boozer
#12 FR F 6-9 250
23.5 Pts, 9.9 Reb, 4.1 Ast
Isaiah Evans
#3 SO G 6-6 175
14.5 Pts, 3.4 Reb, 1.2 Ast
Patrick Ngongba
#21 SO C 6-11 250
11.2 Pts, 6.1 Reb, 2.0 Ast
Caleb Foster
#1 JR G 6-5 197
8.9 Pts, 3.5 Reb, 2.4 Ast
Cayden Boozer
#2 FR G 6-4 205
6.6 Pts, 2.2 Reb, 3.0 Ast
Devils Bench
Nikolas Khamenia
#14 FR G 6-8 215
5.9 Pts, 3.1 Reb, 1.4 Ast
Dame Sarr
#7 FR G 6-8 190
5.9 Pts, 3.4 Reb, 0.9 Ast
Maliq Brown
#6 SR F 6-8 213
5.1 Pts, 4.6 Reb, 1.8 Ast
Darren Harris
#8 SO G 6-6 203
3.6 Pts, 0.8 Reb, 0.6 Ast
The most critical thing for the Hokies today is that Hansberry MUST find a way to stay on the floor to cover Boozer. If he goes to the bench, dominoes start falling for the Blue Devils.
Neo needs to reduce his shots whether by choice or by sitting. He creates way too many empty possessions to keep us in the game against Duke.
The Hokies will need both Hammond and Bedford hitting on all cylinders offensively. This will be a who scores more contest more than a who plays better defense.
Its encouraging that Vegas only has us as 10.5 underdogs. Thats the second closest line Duke has had in ACC play.
Lets Go
Comments
LET'S GO....
HOKIES!
FUCK DOOK! LETS GET EM BOYS!
HOPEFULLY THE CROWD IS HYPED!
This Hoke fan thinks we should be blessed with a big ole W today
Avdalas already with two wide open whiffs. Drives me nuts he has the green light
Just gonna let duke grab and pull on every screen rub but Tobi gets call for touching Boozers hands. Got it.
We have to stop relying on just shooting 3's.
The problem is... that's the only thing that is open! They are going to sag off until we start making them.
I think I would just as soon see Dorn play as Avdalas
I could do with neither. Give me Bedford, Hammond, Schutt, Lawal and Hansberry. Honestly would rather see Pasha than Avdalas. If it appeared anything was changing with him maybe I would think differently but it hasn't.
Man, you have to make wide open shots if you want to pull off an upset like this. Yes, you can't rely on 3's, but, when you're wide open, you absolutely have to make them. From a scouting standpoint, I understand Duke sagging and daring us to make them.
Good call in the write up
33% shooting ain't gonna get it done.
I know Young hates it but he needs to go to a 2-3 zone to pack the lane. They are killing us at the rim
I think Hansberry took a nut shot
Our D is liking us more than anything. They're 9 for their last 10.
We need to buckle down and make this ugly. Too many open looks for them. Too many open misses for us.
Meanwhile, their bigs are making 3's. Going to be a loooooong afternoon
22 seconds of great defense. To just stand flat footed while Boozer throws up an oop
The alley oops are much harder to do against a 2/3 zone
And easier when you stand and watch them
Ngongba definitely should have been whistled for diving on Hammond. Clipped his legs out too.
Down 9 at half is an absolute victory after that half.
We are extremely fortunate to only be down 9 at the half.
Jinx
Drinx
Avdalas' shot is killing us. If he wants to play at the next level, he needs to take on the Larry Bird shot practice routine.
Feels like it's mental now for him. We need the Neon from the Providence game. If he's making shots, it opens the floor for everyone else and then allows his passing ability to shred the defense. When he's missing like he has been the last several games, the defense doesn't have to focus on him which hurts the rest of the team.
Agreed, that's why he needs to shoot 500-800 jump shots a day like Bird. The greats work harder on their own to work through the mental game. He has the skills and instincts to be really good.
MY has to sit NEO. 0-5 shooting.
This is not the game to 'work through it'.
We're going to lose this challenge
NEO 0-6. Stop shooting.
I'm so sick of watching Neo. He's like the European version of Landers Nolley. Please get drafted and go away.
Horseshit call.
BLOCK OUT!!!
The ball rolled over the back of the backboard and it's out on Hammond? What a bunch of bullshit
Get my hackles up every time we shoot a three with zero players inside the perimeter
Boozer grabbed Hammond by the neck on that steal but nothing
Evans is exactly what we want Neo to be
Neo "walking wasted possession" Avdalas
SMH
Again and again
We are making the stops, but almost completely failing at scoring off of them. This should be a one possession game with good Hokie momentum.
The telling thing is Lawal, Hansberry, and CMY all hella frustrated with Neo after that lazy ass turnover. Not good
And the announcers in every game fawn all over him regarding him being a 1st round draft pick. I'm like; which draft are you talking about?
Miller Genuine
Neo needs to go.
Avdalas might be the most over hyped player I've ever seen
Whistle doesn't come until Boozer hits the floor...SMDH. Thats a "foul for falling"
That was a great block by TL1. Of course they had to make a foul because Boozer fell.
Such bullshit. Absolutely clean block.
Cory Alexander said it best..."Tobi Lawal got ALL BALL"!!!
Neo getting booed and the cheers when Bedford replaces him in the lineup. Yikes
You know that's gotta suck for his confidence, but honestly, its earned. When you're a highly touted player, you cannot keep playing as sloppy and undisciplined as he does
Keep going at them. Be aggressive. Contest every shot. Dook gets pouty when the dint get every call. I do t care if we foul out the whole team.
Right!?! Like shit, it you're going to lose anyways, might as well make them pay for it.
3 fouls on one possession. Dook's bribe money must have run out.
Before the last possession it was 7-2 fouls. Now 7-6. Did Dook suddenly start fouling or ref start seeing them?
Last FG game at 6:10. Classic VT scoring drought.
Why no timeout with Schutt stuck on the floor and no help?
7 for 26 from 3. 27% GAME
Missed so many wide open outside looks.
Got doubled up in paint scoring.
Neo stats:
1-8
5pts
0-4 at the 3
3 TO's
0 fouls given.
He brings nothing on D
His lazy TO's are brutal
He can't hit the broad side of a barn
Why is he on the floor?
I think if Johnson were healthy, we'd be seeing a lot less of Neo lately.
Because he's a 5 star guy. While his play is absolutely contributing to our losses, with guys of that stature, sometimes you just have to keep playing them to keep future top prospects interested in your program. You bench them outright, it will get used against you in future recruiting so you just have to manage it best you can and pick your spots
Lead within 6:
5:34 Neoklis Avdalas bad pass turnover
4:48 Neoklis Avdalas bad pass turnover
4:31 Neoklis Avdalas misses 12-foot pullup jump shot (airball)
From twitter:
Neo Avdalas over last six games:
15-63 FG (23.8%)
4-29 3PT FG (13.8%)
He's gone four consecutive games without recording 5+ assists. Only once previously this season did he go back-to-back without tallying five assists.
He's pressing, and there's no easy fix. #Hokies
He's got some kind of nagging injury. Needs to sit a week or two and get healthy
The Hokies shot 42% with Neo going 1-8. The young man needs to shoot more practice shots. The Hokies need him to get her s stroke back.
Something's gotta give. You can literally point fingers at Neo single handed losing some of these games for us by wasting 20 possessions shooting bricks, lazy inbound passes, or lazy passes leading to turnovers. Situational awareness is lacking and I don't feel like schutt or TJ taking his minutes would result in less for the team (both play better defense and shoot better and rebound better). Feel bad he's in a rutt but it's getting ridiculous. Down 6 he had about 5 wasted possessions back to back all on him! These end of game scoring droughts I'm praying anyone but Neo ends up with the ball.
Furthermore mikes gotta make a decision with TJ coming back which will be all telling. Do you want to win and get in the tourney or keep Neo happy? It's two different routes it appears
Just finished the game. A few observations...
1. Duke is a really good basketball team and I think we played really well in the second half. We finally recognized that a "back door" existed down low and started defending that (absolutely zero defense down there in the first half with no adjustments).
2. Hammond is a really good PG. It will be difficult to keep him in Blacksburg for another season.
3. Neo... I'm OK if he's a 5-8 minute a game guy at this point. Not only does he add nothing to this team on either side of the court, he's a fairly significant liability, particularly on offense.
4. We had a lot of open looks from 3, and Duke was content letting us take those shots. If just a small few of those go down the outcome could have been different. But I do like what we did in the second half offensively.
5. Malik Brown should have fouled out in the first 8 minutes of the game. His moving screens, pushes in the back, and wrapping up was nothing short of obscene.
Lots of bagging on Neo here and I get it. His play is uninspiring at a minimum and harmful at its worst. He wears a perpetual scowl and seems to be discouraged and it is only getting worse. I don't know why CMY doesn't adjust his strategy to take some pressure off Neo and let him get some less stressful minutes. Whatever happened to the dynamic sixth man strategy? He is a perfect sub to come on for Hammond to give him a breather and also to play with him when we need a little more size at the guard position. Coach putting him out there in lieu of Bedford today when we got close under ten minutes is just coaching blind. I know the coach isn't taking the shots or making the bad passes but he also isn't adapting or trying new things to get him out of this funk. Please go the sixth man route for a while, I promise it will help. PLEASE! And let's also stay Hokies to the end, Neo is one of us and I didn't like hearing the smattering of boos there in Cassell. That ain't us.
Tough to do it for Hammond though, he played all 40 minutes
In the post-game presser, Young said of Neo: "He's still a kid, he's still growing up, but he's a really talented kid, and I think by the end of the season he's going to be a completely different player than he was coming into the fall."
Oh, he's a 'different player' alright...
I wasn't expecting to win and the refs made sure of it. Just happy with their effort for the most part. I think we need to explore if Lemon laws extend to basketball players like Neo. We got sold a bill of good that just hasn't performed.
I wasn't expecting a win, just hoping for a good showing and wasn't totally disappointed. I am, however, over waiting for Neo to adjust to the US game, his youth and seeming lack of confidence, but I wasn't going to boo him. I also will not blame anything on the refs, we just couldn't hit those wide open shots when it mattered most. Duke is for real, though, and Boozer was all that was advertised.
Agree, this one wasnt decided by the refs. Wasn't even decided by Duke's defense. It came down to us missing uncontested shots, especially from 3. Duke purposely sagged off our guys on perimeter but we didnt make them pay. Bedford/Avdalas/Hammond were a combined 1 for 14 from 3. Lawal was also 0 for 3. You cant have 16 empty possessions against a Duke team and expect to win. Hokies missed 32 shots overall. We will lose any game that happens even to Boston College.
Yesterday was the 7 year anniversary of this:
YouTube Highlight of Game
Haven't thought about this game in a long time but thank you for reminding me it happened. I'm just glad we won
I remember listening to that game on the radio while driving.
I reference this game often because it was also the last time I ever ate at a Five Guys. My wife and I had a birthing class while pregnant with our first and I remember talking to the VT dads in there about it.
Not often you can say you've almost doubled up the score on your conference opponent though.
My all time favorite hokies basketball game. Number 2 is when we beat Duke for the acc championship
Before I click on that highlight video, my guess is it's either 28 seconds long or it's every scoring play from that game too full to a normal highlight reel.
Its narrated on some of the agrigious streaks and terrible stats but its pretty well done.