Hokie Hoops Central:
Virginia Tech (16-7, 4-5)
at
NC State (17-6, 8-2)
Noon
CW Network
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV | The CW
Tom Werme, PxP
John Henson, Color
RADIO | VT Sports Network
Zach Mackey, PxP
Mike Burnop, Analyst
LIVE STATS
stats.hokiesports.com
NC St -10.5
O/U. 152.5
ESPN Analytics NC State 86.6%
Puppies with Teeth
The Hokies took it on the chin from Duke. Got within 6 points at 62-56 and just melted like butter to let Duke close on a 10-2 run. Will Wade and the Wolfpack did something the Hokies couldn't and avoided losing the lead to SMU at the buzzer to move to 8-2 in ACC play.
Things early in the season looked a little bleak for Will Wade and his wandering mercenaries, but he has them playing great ball now. Conference losses to UVA and GT off all teams but wins over Wake 2X, BC, FSU, Clemson, Pitt, Syracuse and SMU. Frankly outside of Clemson and SMU they have beaten the absolute bottom of the ACC and their losses show they are capable of a letdown. Clemson is their only conference win over a team with a better than .500 record in ACC play.
NC State gave Will Wade a big pot of NIL so only one contributor, starter Paul McNeil, is a returning player for the Wolfpack. Wade brought in 8 transfers, 4 freshmen and only two other practice squad players returning.
Wade didnt shy away from some big game matchups to prep his team for ACC play and got about the most favorable ACC schedule of any team. February could get ugly for them though with 5 Quad 1 games remaining.
The Puppies have four starters scoring in double figures with the fifth rounding up to double figures. They combine for 65.7 of NC State's 85.8 points per game.
This is a high octane, transition fueled offense. They are scoring nearly 24 transition points per game. They also shoot the 3 better than 41% in ACC play. I am not sure how much stock to put in their shooting numbers considering the schedule. They played alot of bad ACC defenses. Regardless, the Hokies must defend the perimeter.
Will Wade's offenses are built on pressure, matchup exploitation, and math.
The guiding principles are to attack mismatches relentlessly, generate paint touches and free throws and take threes that come from advantage, not movement for movement's sake.
Unlike tempo-pushing systems, Wade is comfortable changing pace based on personnel and opponent.
NC State under Wade will push opportunistically off turnovers and long rebounds. They also slow the game to isolate favorable matchups. Spacing is central, but it's functional rather than aesthetic so expect to see a Four-out, one-in formation primarily but will scatter in some zone. They will shift to create empty-side isolations and use high ball-screen spacing with shooters prepared to receive kickouts. They want to clear sides of the floor so that defenders are forced to guard in space and makes help rotations costly by creating open shooters or mismatches.
Pick-and-roll is a core tool used to force switches, create favorable matchups and dictate defensive personnel decisions
Re-screens, angle changes, and guard-to-guard screens are common, all designed to hunt the weakest defender.
Bigs are asked to screen with physicality, roll hard, and seal smaller defenders deep in the paint. Post-ups are used to punish switches, wear down defenders physically and force double teams and rotations.
Will Wade's defenses are designed to win the possession battle. They aim to create discomfort through physicality, force turnovers and bad shots, and control the glass and tempo.
The base defense is physical man-to-man, utilizing hard ball pressure and bodying cutters and drivers. Wade encourages defenders to crowd space, test ball handlers, and make officials make calls.
Ball screens are a major pressure point.
They will use hard hedges to disrupt timing, blitzes against elite creators and occasionally switching to avoid repetition
They want to force the ball out of primary scorers' hands, speed up decision-making and create scramble situations.
Ending possessions is a major focus for Wade. He has bigs prioritize box-outs over blocks, guards crash down aggressively and his teams utilize physical rebounding rather than leak-outs to start offense early.
Wolfpack Starters
Darrion Williams
#1 SR F 6-6 210
15.1 Pts, 5.3 Reb, 3.1 Ast
Paul McNeil
#2 SO G 6-5 180
13.8 Pts, 3.8 Reb, 1.0 Ast
Quadir Copeland
#11 SR G 6-6 203
13.7 Pts, 3.6 Reb, 6.9 Ast
Ven-Allen Lubin
#22 SR F 6-8 226
13.4 Pts, 7.0 Reb, 1.0 Ast
Tre Holloman
#5 SR G 6-2 180
9.7 Pts, 1.7 Reb, 2.2 Ast
Wolfpack Bench
Matt Able
#3 FR G 6-6 205
8.3 Pts, 3.3 Reb, 1.0 Ast
Alyn Breed
#7 SR G 6-3 180
4.9 Pts, 2.1 Reb, 1.4 Ast
Terrance Arceneaux
#21 SR G 6-5 195
4.3 Pts, 2.7 Reb, 0.4 Ast
Musa Sagnia
#13 FR F 6-10 235 3.0 Pts, 3.2 Reb, 0.3 Ast
OUT
Jerry Deng 15 JR F 6-9 220 6.1 Pts, 2.1 Reb, 0.4 Ast
The Hokies have to be ready to be punched in the face and shake it off. This will be a very physical game so officials will play a major role. The more they "let them play" the more it benefits NC State's style of play.
This is not the game to solve Avdalas yips problems as the high pressure will lead to a litany of turnovers. Unfortunately Mike Young's prediction that Tyler Johnson would be back today did not come to fruition. He would have been a welcome relief in a game of this nature.
The path to winning this game lies in hitting open looks but more so scoring and forcing fouls in the paint. The Hokies cant afford to be hesitant in this game.
Comments
LETS GO!!!!
HOKIES!!!!
Another cw game, another listening experience. I hate cw a little, but I hate Wavy tv 10 a whole lot.
Updated with offense/defense and what the Hokues need to focus on
I wonder when they release that Johnson is done for the year and they are going for a medical redshirt. He was supposed to be back, then he was supposed to be back, and now he might be back next game.
He has been a full go at practice for two weeks now so not sure what the hold up is
Where's Neo?
Just like that he's at the scorers table
Puppies shooting 6/11
Hokies 2/7
3 turnovers leading to points
Puppies shooting 8/14
Hokies 2/8
4 turnovers leading to points
Every week we look less like a cohesive team.
Yeah. We were playing okay and then just stopped. Now we're playing slow and sloppy.
What I've seen over the last few minutes looked very similar to how the team played under James Johnson
That sucks and is true.
In case you were ever wondering about the ability for refs to see things, they just called us the team wearing red jerseys
A lot of refs use single syllaboll words for Jersey colors. Orange is red, yellow is gold, purple is blue or black.
Hansberrys bucket there should been an and 1
Why does Neo consistently pick up his dribble? This is grade school shit and he does it 10 times a game. We're so much better when he's not on the floor.
You would think he is our QB the way he turns it over when passing. Stares right at the person and throws a lazy pass.
I have seen better ball in McComas. What did we do all week in practice?
For the love of God....these fucking TO's
These Puppies are not good. We are playing stupid, lazy, mistake laden ball. That's why we are losing.
/\ THIS!!!
Outside of Duke I'd say that's the theme for year. Most if not all of our losses are because of self-inflicted nonsense - TO's, awful FT shooting, etc.
I'm not watching but Mrs. Egbert is. She's not making happy noises.
Sad part is if Hansberry and Hammond weren't 1/10 from the floor we would be tied or winning this game
Make that 1/11
1/12
Absolutely. We should be winning and in control, but we are who we are and either fail to or simply don't have the desire to be that kind of team.
The sloppy, stupid play is insufferable. Just unenjoyable.
I used to think NCSU was okay bros. But they really are choppy punk-ass in this game.
Its a new day with Will Wade, get used to this
Down 3 to down 11 because we can't make a layup.
We just keep missing easy shit inside too.
Oh yeah, I just found Waldo too.
I think I'm going to go outside, find a stick, and slowly shove it in my eye. That would be more enjoyable.
.....found stick, lost an eye, fell better, and now ready to watch the 2H.
Bullshit quick whistle on the jump ball followed by an obvious moving screen leads to a 5-point swing.
We look clueless and lost offensively.
This is not a team that is showing any signs of progress.
At some point, our coaching really has to come into question.
The more I watch... the more I think that point is now!
No point in stressing about it. We can't afford to do any changes there without diverting money from football, and that isn't happening now.
We just have to live with it for a few years until football revenue balloons, which will happen
The thumping bass at every dead ball is an interesting choice.
6:19 was the last FG before Tobi's 3 point play. That's happens at least one or twice a game. We still don't have a guy that can get to rim at will consistently.
Mike Young and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Team
Thing is, nothing will be done about it. Redirected too much money to football for anything to change in basketball. Which, for VT is what needs to happen, but yeah... It's going to lead to some years of lifeless hoops with programs that don't have appropriate funding to even hold them accountable
26% FG! Not gonna win many (any) games like that.
I think there is enough talent on our roster to compete and win games in the ACC. I do not think there is enough talent in our coaching staff to get these guys to play together to do it.
Starting this half with refs calling two invisible fouls
And now 2 fouls In a minute on us. Here we go.
Ok what was MY saying to the ref that made him laugh. Mike wasn't laughing for sure.
The 4 Wolfpack fan seats at floor level between the bench and scorers table are stupid. Not that I have seen the fans doing anything to cause issue, but why are they there?
The HOKIES are fully capable of coming back and winning this game. Just need to settle down and play our game and not do stupid stuff.
Name checks out.
They continue to miss the moving picks at the top of the key by State. Hokies have to run through those to force the call.
Wasn't there an emphasis on flopping? Like is that not a thing any more?
Yeah that was a horseshit call. No whistle on contact, only when he hit the deck.
Seems like if Tobi would have just flopped on that three he would have got a call based on how they've been calling it this half
Why is NEO still inbounding? Has he not made enough mistakes this season for us to stop that?
Wtf are they booing for? AH got fouled twice on that
I think the problem is the whistles is coming so late if they call the foul on the actual contact I don't think there'd be much to argue about
Can we please defend a 3 today?
We haven't done that since going back to the Greenberg days, why start now
Guess the arm coming out isn't a charge anymore?
That was crap. It was either a charge or a no call. The NCSU player initiated the contact.
I wish the damn TV production guys would quit cutting away from live play for crowd and player close-ups. They miss too much live play.
I just don't understand anymore what the hell is and is not a foul. Which oddly enough qualifies me to ref ACC basketball.
THE NC STATE GUY MOVING MORE THAN ANYONE SCREENING SCHUTT FOR THAT MCNEILL THREE
McNeill kicked out the leg too which was supposed to be a point of emphasis for offensive fouls this season.
Replay before break showing the moving screen clear as day.
I love how the replay of their last 3pt score shows #13 clearly sliding on a moving pick on Schutt.
Play of the game a flop for a call. Of course
Switched to Men's snowboard big air at the Olympics. They fall less.
The way Neo has been playing lately I wonder if he's involved with gambling. The horrible shot selection, picking up the ball on the dribble putting him into terrible positions, these silly travels, etc.
Something about it all just seems a bit fishy given who he was coming in and what he looked like early in the year.
He's 19. Played in a soft Euro league. Getting beat up in a physical ACC. He's struggling with that. He's not going to be involved in gambling as an NBA prospect.
LOL the NBA allows it. Giannis just announced yesterday he's an investor and part owner in Kalshi and the PA now specifically allows players to get involved with Bet MGM.
You've always got some good takes on here but this one is wild.
Well, piss poor shooting in the first half, especially by Hansberry, lost the game. It was good to see Neo start to find his shot again.
Schutt called for breathing on a guy.
That foul is a microcosm of the inconsistent officiating. Hansberry gets hammered on the possession before and nada.
officiating was hot garbage but not so egregious that we couldn't have outplayed it with bit more decisiveness and focus
JESUS. MY HAD TOBI LAWAL PLAY 180 MINUTES!? (Look up the game on Google and player stats😅
OK, the game is over, but I have a question.
With about 1:40 to go, Hanesberry makes a basket. The ball goes through the basket and hits the floor.
1:39 on the clock, clock keeps running.
Ball bounces around, nc st player scoops it to referee, referee passes back to nc st player who then throws it in. Ball caught by nc st player, 1:31 on the clock.
That's 8 seconds from the time the ball is through the net until it is back in play.
When does the 5 second count start?
This type of scenario happens multiple times a game on both teams. Could effectively be one or two possessions per game, Thoughts anyone.
5 seconds begins when the player touches the ball after the ref hands it back to him. It's a great way to waste time end of game. State did the same thing against SMU late.
It's supposed to be delay of game but it's never called
Thanks for the explanation. It is a great way to waste time at the end of the game. We should have employed it a few times this year!
The other thing that you see called all of the time in the NBA (or used to see, I haven't watched in a bit), but it's also a rule in college basketball, is the scoring team handling the ball after made baskets. It's supposed to be a delay of game, but I've been noticing that a lot lately, and it's never called. I feel like it used to be called almost every single time, because it's a really easy call. But it really infuriates me, because it wastes a lot of time. Unfortunately, I don't think it would benefit us that much, because I think Guardak does it almost every opportunity that he has.
So back in the '80s when we played Memphis State, the teams both tended to be slow coming out on the floor after each timeout. They blow the horn once 15 seconds before the timeout end then again as the time out period ends. The players are to break the huddle and the team throwing it in goes to the spot and the ref hands the the ball. But the coach for Memphis State(Dana Kirk IIRC) held his players back still talking to them. The ref waited 3-5 more seconds then walked to the endline, placed the ball on the floor there and started his five count. The Memphis players didn't realize it til 2-3 seconds had passed and failed in their effort to run up and throw it in successfully thus incurring a 5 second violation. That's how you stop SOME delay tactics. (not EXACTLY the same as the situation above but somewhat related)
Let's pile on here shall we? The lack of rule enforcement in Bball has taken away from the game. The carrying is absolutely ridiculous. The "let them hop, skip, jump, and hop again" is ridiculous. The over the back is ridiculous. The foul calling inconsistency is ridiculous. It's the same thing in PI in football. Personally I loathe the CB PI no calls that are on full display the past few seasons.
All of these things lower the standards of play. I can't and won't watch the NBA. Would rather go to the Kennedy Center and watch the Nutcracker. It's an awful product. Miss the days of the Lakers, Celtics, Bad Boys, Bulls.
I would rather have a tighter, more consistent enforcement of the rules in Bball than what we have today and recent past (really for a while).
Totally agree-the ONLY time I'm even MINORLY interested in the NBA is last round or two the playoffs and usually not even then.
Re football- definitely agree on PI calls. Targeting STILL seems random interpretation by a given official. Holding-often egregious- happens on every play but rarely called. Hands to the face calls seem to be at the mood of a ref.
The tush push is total BS in my opinion. If you're blocking an opposing player , then engage HIM -don't just shove the back of the ball carrier.
Replay review is SUPPOSED to be only overturning a call based on INDISPUTABLE video evidence. But we all know THAT isn't the case as there are constant occurrences of overturning borderline calls with no clear evidence. (Danny Coale caught that ball! I've even argued/admitted that if the call on the field was that there had been 'no catch', I would have disagreed but based on video review would concede there was not enough evidence to overturn. HOWEVER as the call on the field was TD, there's no way in hell thatthere was indisputable evidence to overturn it as they did. And that's just the most painful occurrence-but by far not the only similar call in many games whether involving us or not!)
While we talk about rule changes I'd like to see- I think intentional grounding should be not merely loss of down at the spot(as that is essentially just conceding the sack that would've occurred anyway). Instead make it ten yard penalty from the spot of the 'intentional grounding throw' which would make it a DECISION to be made by a QB as to whether to just throw the ball away. Keep the existing definition of allowable throwaways-e.g. eligible receiver in the area or outside the tackle box and the throw goes past the line of scrimmage. Have it be reviewable and challenge-able call so there is the capability of fixing an inaccurate call by refs on the field.
Damn skippy!!!!
State averaged 22 fouls a game coming in...enough said
I think I am done now with caring about MBB for this season. It's become Same Shit, Different Day (SSDD) under CMY (save for that one magical ACCT run). I'm tired of the inconsistent team play. Tired of relying too much on one player being a superhero (OOC Neo, recently Hammond, off & on Hansberry). Tired of long stretches of games where it looks like we haven't practiced in a month. Tired of shots & rebounds near the basket that other ACC graduate assistant practice teams would look at and say "Wow, that's bad". Tired of mid-season antics where we play absolutely amazing against one team, completely turtle-head the next game, end up playing ourselves out of the NCAA tourney, and then do absolutely diddly-squat in the supposedly inferior NIT. Tired of not being able to make the easiest f*#king uncontested baskets in the whole game (free throws, if you didn't pick up on that) that turn put-away games into heart attack games.
I had a lot more typed out about how I feel about the MBB program right now, but I thought better of it and restrained myself. I need to flush the frustration and anger out and try to salvage the rest of this freezing weekend.
CMY is probably on his way out. We have the talent to win a lot more games than we have this season. Coaching is the problem, and it is painfully obvious this season. The team looks disjointed, with no quality offensive sets, and the defense only plays well in spurts. Neo needs to come off the bench and be brought along gradually; he is not ready for D1 ball, let alone the NBA, and there is plain no hustle in this team outside of two or three players.
Our close losses shouldve all been wins if it weren't for pure collapses in the last 2 or 3 minutes of the game. Neo being on the floor in those moments is inexcusable. He lacks the confidence to break a press or make the right decision against an aggressive defense. Just really bad coaching decisions throughout the game and obviously in preparation for each game. I dont know how this talent can look so bad in such long stretches.
This is maybe the only incorrect statement in your entire post...the rest of which I fully agree with. If VT goes separate ways from CMY, I think it will be because he chooses to, or is pressured to, retire. A cursory internet search said he's contracted through next season ('26-'27). Given the financial situation we're in trying to catch up in football, I don't see the administration firing him and taking on that additional financial burden trying to replace him. Plus, he just got Chester Frazier back. Cassell Coliseum isn't an embarrassment for home games, so there is probably still decent revenue generation there. CMY hasn't done anything bad, either. It's just, by all accounts, he's pissing away lots of talent via all the points you listed. I'd be curious what allowing CMY to become a lame duck HC would look like in terms of the quality of job to the market of potential head coaches.
With the money we just invested into football, a basketball coaching buyout is completely out of the cards right now. It ain't happening, no matter how bad we are.
Just have to eat the shit sandwich in hoops until our revenue driver gets going again, even if that means burning the remainder of this decade to get there.
We were picked 12th in the league. We're currently sitting 9th. It's fair to say we don't have the talent we (fans) thought and the teams early season success spoiled us for bigger dreams this season. Making postseason (not necessarily the dance) was goal for this team.
I know where we were picked to finish and good chance we do unfortunately but we have seen that this team has the talent to be a top 5 team but finds ways to lose. Thats the frustration more than the overachieving versus preseason picks.
Glad I chose taking a nap, so refreshing!
Can't have three starters shoot 10/39 and expect to win ACC games, that said Hammonds shots should have drawn at least four fouls but this was another "let them play" game from ACC officials. Bedford should have drawn at least two. Hansberry it was harder to tell with the crowd, although his 0/5 from 3 was especially ugly.
Hammond 0/9
Hansberry 7/19
Bedford 3/11
Only watched the second half but fouls seemed to be called easily for nc state shooters; but saw arms getting hacked all over the other end.
I thought our refs were bad until watching UNCheat home cooking tonight.
UNCheat was called for SEVEN fouls the entire game. They went 20 minutes with one foul. Zero fouls in the final 18:39.
Duke up 12 at halftime.
Venmo cleared at halftime.
Went to the game today, went about as I expected. State focused on making Hansberry inefficient and Hammond nonexistent. No one else was able to win matchups.
Thought State did a good job of mixing their double teams in the post to confuse VT.
Refs didn't cost VT the game, shooting cost them the game. Hopefully Neo is starting to fight through the wall he has hit recently.
There's opportunity to get wins still and win a couple in the ACC tourney and who knows, VT might be in Dayton.