Just lost over an hours worth of write up because the system logged me out so here is the short version.
Television
ESPN2
Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas & Allison Williams
The ACC Network
Tim Brando, Dan Bonner & Debbie Antonelli
Radio
Virginia Tech IMG Sports Network - Bill Roth & Mike Burnop
Also available on:
Satellite: Sirius: 83 XM: 83
Digital: Hokies Xtra & TuneIn
Game will likely start late, closer to 930ish. Tech must protect the perimeter this time and not from McClellan necessarily. It was Lecomte, Palmer and Uceda that went a combined 13-15 from behind the arc in the last game. They combined for 45 points all together. Force Miami to take the ball inside to get shots. I would rather us make Diakite try to score 50 than allow them to rain threes again.
I agree with the writer from The State of the U in that we need to take the ball to the rim to force Miami to defend cleanly or be in early foul trouble. Put them on their heels and dont relent. This also means we have to hit our shots inside, unlike yesterday where we missed 11 layups and two dunks. Really contributed to the drama at the end.
Miami knows they need to win this game to have a chance to make the tournament so they arent going to lay down at any point, so we need to ensure if we get a big lead that we dont let off the gas. Ideally to start the game I would love to see Hudson, Beyer, Henry, Hill and Mueller get out and run on these guys. Make them gasp for air early and force sloppy fouls.
Miami could come in a bit overconfident since this is back to back games against Tech for them. After the two dismantlings this season lets hope they expect an easy game and get a good shock. Vegas has Miami by ten.
I am not going to predict again, since it worked once. No need to pressure the guys on which version of themselves I expect to see.
Comments
Fatigue could be an issue as the game drags on, but at least Pierce will be nice and rested after averaging a foul a minute last night. Hopefully he'll have one of his good games against Jekiri down low.
If he plays like he did against Okafor, we'll be great. Anyone other than Okafor would have had a really bad night the way Pierce was playing. Then again, Okafor is Okafor so he dropped 30.
I really hope Pierce steps up tonight, I like to see him do well. If Pierce wasn't playing as well as he was in the Duke game Okafor drops 40+ on us.
Props to whoever called the 9:30 start. Also seeing quite a bit or orange and maroon in the background of this NC State- Pitt game. They could be holdovers from the nooner of FSU v Clemson, but I doubt it
That's the positive of finishing dead last...you don't even need to bring the home whites.
...and the #1 draft pick.
See Buzz knew what he was doing all along
Gotta trust the big picture.
Cripes! 9:43 tip! I will have to head to bed at the half. Dammit!
We will just have to get an insurmountable lead by half
Put on the head phones and let Bill n Mike lullaby you to sleep
943...not...going....to...make it...
zzzz...neighneighneighneigh...zzzz
sheesh when did i get old
Giddy Up Brother!
Put on your PJs Horse
Get your PJ ON!
Hahaha nice. I didn't see you hiding next to the road, I thought that was private.
I am beyond excited for this. Even though it's been a rough year, it would be super awesome to pick up a couple of wins in the tournament to build momentum and end on a somewhat positive note.
Im in for the long haul, luckly no work in the morning. Getting positive vibes about this game. Come on Hokies!
Satchel!
Big Satch. We need you to do more of that. Please and thank you.
4 fouls in 4 minutes. The team is collectively Satchel Pierce. Interestingly enough, Pierce doesn't have a single one yet.
The refs must be thinking Duke's playing...
We need to hit those 3's last off balance shot was bad. Come on guys, glad Buzz called timeout.
Nice Charge!
We can pretty much bank on Pierce collecting at least one illegal screen per game
Tyrone is here.
Lol Buzz was hulking up there.
Needed that Dunk, come on both teams are cold we need to light it up!
Lots of slop on both sides. Hopefully we can wake up and start to pull away a bit.
Man Miami's perimeter defense is rattling us. Need to get some high post looks and better off the ball screens and cuts
Well we aren't out of it, but boy we could be up big.
Beyer is more effective running the high low. Players look so reluctant to even throw it in to Pierce right now
Goal Tend!
So quietly sloppy on both sides. Almost fell asleep at least a half dozen times
It was not a pretty half, but we are still in this, need a little better offensive production and we could pull this out. This is definately better than the last Miami game
22 points better, to be exact.
Neither side played well hopefully Buzz can light a bigger fire under their butts! Still in it, hopefully Miami thinks they played well cause they are winning.
This is what happens when there's nothing to do during halftime:
Virginia Tech wears one.
Real talk, who the hell is Joe Lunardi?
The March Madness equivalent of Mel Kiper, almost equally as useless.
I recall him having us in the field a couple of times when we got snubbed towards the end of the Greenberg era.
He is that guy that we all knew in high school that couldn't make the team but still hung out with them to make people think he was. Just a Clinger
Ah, there's a familiar sight: bad ACC officiating and a foul on Pierce.
Three on Jekiri! Yes!
Miami is so Ripe for the upset come on Hokies!
Hudson has gone cold and doesn't realize it
Well, so has the rest of the game, so you can't fault him for trying.
Love how we're hanging in here, but we have to get someone going offensively. Whether it's Hudson, Bibbs, Hill. Someone has to start hitting some shots. Tough take by Wilson there
Who is this VT guard that has been effective forcing the fast breaks before Miami can get D setup?
Wow does anybody wanna win this game? I actually feel bad for the play by play guys this is tough to watch. tougher to comment on!
Sloppiest alleyoop. That was just crap.
Nuggets just put in Eric Green, playing the Hawks who have Jarrel Eddie and the Hokies are playing Miami close.....
GO HOKIES!!! Bball
Wait, Jarrel Eddie is on the Hawks active roster? Dang, good for him.
Finally a 3 falls.
We need to be better than 2-11 to win this game, hopefully that one opens the floodgates.
Nice pass. They are trying to work the ball in.
Guess were gonna need Beyer to have a career night!
He's out there playing like a man who wants to extend his career at least one more game.
This team kept me up super late on Duke night...and while it was exciting, ultimately, not worth being tired at work the next day because of the heartbreaking loss.
Don't make tomorrow a long day for nothing Hokies.
Tied.
Anyone else see that segment where Buzz was coaching the girl shooting threes during the timeout? Amazing
"Get in there!"
Stick it in
Let's Go Beyer! Carry us to victory!
We will never get the last 3 hours of our lives back, but a Hokie win will make me feel better! Come on Hokies!
I've lost count of the number of times the announcers have said "___ may have gotten away with a ___ there"
#GoACC
Yes loved the line earlier about getting closer to one and one so maybe they could score some points. Classic!
God I love Buzz
Always nice when Jay Bilas is calling our games.
Great guy who knows his stuff. Tough not to like him.
You mean your not watching the wonderful Raycom feed of the game (barf)? They are 3-4 seconds ahead of espn...
Literally just LOL'd
Buzz is hulking up again!
I want nothing more right now than to bust the Miami bubble. They deserve no happiness and that athletic department and school president suck.
Bibbs has had about 10 shots tonight that have rolled out that were great looks that just aren't falling
Ok only been able to catch a few games but to me Buzz is much better than Greenberg ever was at calling timeouts.
There is a whole lot of not giving up going on.
Looking like we might be reaching the bottom of the tank though. Let's see if they've got another 4 minutes left in em.
What! got to check DVR
Gut check time here.
oh my god that miami fan asleep is hilarious
I swear, if Tim Brando doesn't shut up about how we're "boring the opposition" and "making Miami look bad"...ridiculous.
Think that'll do it. Sad times.
Killing me that they are finally getting Smith the little rubs to get open from outside. It comes about ten minutes too late
If we could have hit some 3's, not looking good.
Miami got the bounces late, Tech fouled too much, didn't knock down open shots. Only thing surprising about this result is that we kept it so close.
Wow how do you cross over and leave the ball on the ground
Like that apparently.
Buzz still coaching! Good times ahead for VT basketball!
Heck of an effort. Our guys certainly weren't going down without a fight tonight. Even with all the losing, this team has been a lot more fun to watch than previous years.
Win or lose we'll greet you with a glad returning.
Good news is that hopefully this'll be the last game where this team truly sucks. Transfers are gonna be eligible next year and a couple pretty darn good freshmen too.
Beyer Wanted it, thanks Christian!
Him hugging buzz gave me at least one sad.
He might not be the best basketball player, but I'm really sad to see him go (I mean, he's going to med school, so that's pretty awesome, but still). Heck of a guy, easy to root for, always gave 100%. Go get 'em, Christian.
Sad finish after tough ugly ball all day. Wanted Beyer to get another game.
Thanks to Will Johnston as well, hopefully in a couple of years we will be kicking butt and will be able to look back and realize how much these two meant to our program.
Agree, at end was thinking maybe Will should have got more minutes. Was that his first sub at end? He should have gotten more time.
Tough ending to watch but you know we just didn't have the horses yet. Also, for two walk-ons that few thought deserved to play ACC ball, Johnston and Beyer really exemplified a lot of Buzz basketball this year. Best of luck in the future, gents.
And with that being said: who is excited to see Chris Clarke in Orange and Maroon next year? Or Kerry Blackshear? Or Seth Allen? Good times ahead for the good guys.
Definitely excited to see the new faces next year, but I'm just as excited to see the improvements the 4 freshman from this year can make in the off season, particularly Hudson. If he can play more consistently like he did against Duke and WF, and Allen+LeDay can provide the boost we hope they can, this team will surprise some people next year.
I hope buzz can recruit some more big men. Having one or two more bigs this year would have made a huuuuge difference.
If your staring lineup looks like this: Freshman, Freshman, Freshman, Freshman, Sophomore (and you're not UK)...
I thought they played well last night. Definitely room for improvement but there always is. It was great to actually watch a game for once and seeing Buzz talk up the free-throw girl during the timeout really showed his character. Good things are coming to Blacksburg, good things