IT'S GAMEDAY! Let's pack Cassell one last time this seasonHokies vs #7 Miami, 4 PM#BeatMiami pic.twitter.com/Fi7BsOrUdg— VT Men's Basketball (@VT_MBBall) March 5, 2016
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You've got until Noon to take advantage of a sweet @VT_MBBall $10 deal! HERE https://t.co/4qxeLu6Tj6 pic.twitter.com/JEcqa8p12M— HokieSports (@hokiesports) March 5, 2016
Hokies fans, Seems odd to be saying this but tonight is Senior Night for Shane Henry. Henry should get a chance early against Jekiri and hopefully he can stay out of foul trouble and have a big impact tonight. Now onto the opponent. As if it isn't hard enough playing a very tough, very experienced Miami team, we now face one that is fighting for a regular season conference championship. This team is composed of huge transfers while sprinking in some actual recruited talent that proved last time out they are a different class of team. Miami beat the Hokies 65-49, and the score may mislead you to think it was that close. The Hurricanes took their foot off the pedal with about 10 minutes remaining or they likely would have won that game by 30. The sliver of hope for Tech in this game is that 4 of Miami's 5 losses have come on the road in the ACC, so they definitely don't play as well while travelling. Tech is going to need to execute the perfect game to be able to win this one.
Who to watch out for from the Hurricanes -
In terms of ability to hurt the Hokies, last time out it was Angel Rodriguez (#13) Senior Guard, 5'11, 180 Lbs. with fourteen points against the Hokies. He is their do a bit of everything from running the point to being their top defender. This season his numbers are: 11.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 4.4 APG, and 1.4 SPG. Shoots 80% at the line but his perimeter shooting if down dramatically this season barely above 30%.
Sheldon McClellan, (#10) Senior Guard 6'5, 215 Lbs is their top scorer at 15.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.7 APG and 1 SPG while shooting 87% from the line and about 40% from outside. I expect Sheldon to have a huge day today against the Hokies, as he was relatively quiet last time out with only 11 points against the Hokies.
Only other Hurricanes in double digits are Jaquan Newton (#0) Sophomore Guard 6'2, 185 Lbs and
Davon Reed (#5) Junior Guard, 6'6, 208 Lbs. 11.4PPG and 10.7 PPG. Minimal impact beyond that but Newton is a threat to shoot from outside so guarding him closely would be a good idea.
All these guards complement that with a monster down low in Tonye Jekiri (#23) 7'0, 244 Lbs who is scoring 8.3 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 1 BPG while shooting better than 54% from the field.
Having Clarke back will be huge in getting Jekiri in foul trouble early and often should be one of our teams focus. They have to get into his body before exposing the ball so he is on the hook for a foul, and hope the whistles arent swallowed in this case. Jekiri got our bigs in foul trouble early and often last game, which really changed Buzz' gameplan. The big key is not to shoot like we have ice cube hands. We only managed 29.6% shooting last time we played Miami. That's just not going to cut it
Tech keeps this one closer but unfortunately I do not see these young Hokies managing to win this game. Hopefully these guys prove me wrong. Miami 71 – Tech 65.
Comments
Can't seem to find the game on TV in Richmond and I do not want to watch another ESPN3 broadcast if I can help it. Does anyone have any info that my Comcast guide isn't telling me?
It should be on CBS in the Richmond area when it comes on.
Thanks, I hope so. My guide has Stanford/Arizona listed at 4:00 and really who cares on the East Coast. Even UNC and UVA fans have interest in today's game
Do you have an extra local station like MyTV (old UPN)? WDCA comes to mind out of DC, not sure if it goes to Richmond.
Edit: according to Wikipedia, the local ACC network is The CW.
Looks like it will be on CBS... Right now they're showing Pitt/GT despite Comcast having LSU and Kentucky listed. I assume they'll do the same for our game
I have Stanford vs Arizona on my CBS. Damn it
Beating Miami would make me so happy. But a loss means uva doesn't win the regular season so the glass is half full no matter what happens. Go Hokies!
If UNC wins than neither Miami or UVA win the regular season title even with wins.
This is it. Our guys can really pull this off. I'm so ready. I hope it's an ugly low-scoring jinx game for the canes and they feel like nothing is going right for them at Cassell.
Time for the Hokies to dial up that perfect game, limit turnovers grab those RBs and get to the foul line and convert 70+%. LETS GO HOKIES!
We seem to do well when we limit our turnovers... Under 10 seems to be the magic number for a victory. Hope we can pull it out today
What would a win against Miami do for our RPI?
Projected jump would be to mid eighties. Two wins in acc tourney take us to high sixties.
So we need to win and have Pitt and Syracuse to lose today to make it to the #7 seed I believe.
I think we have tie breaker against Clemson so BeaT Miami and we are 6th Seed! Things are coming together. Could we reach bubble and somehow sneak into NCAA with 2 ACC tourney wins. Cuse and Pitt lost.
But lose and we fall all the way to nine.
One thing to note: Miami's Ja'Quan Newton is serving the final game of his suspension today for the Canes. He's been their top player off the bench all year (10.9 ppg).
Cuse and Pitt both down under 5 in both games.
Adam Smith is ballin out for Georgia Tech right now
We're getting all the help we need. Time to take care of business on senior night.
My jaw is on the floor. What a play from Robinson
What an awesome turnout from the students for it being Spring Break and all.
Feeling IT! Miami looks flustered!
LeDay is on a mission tonight.
Boys are playing their nuts off!
Our defense has really stepped up. Last game I think we had 2 or 3 forced shot clock violations. We've already got one today. Fantastic work as of late.
Awesome game so far. Win or lose, it's been a hell of a journey.
Agree, we have a BBall Coach in BBurg!
Agreed. I feel so proud of this team. Could be my favorite Hokie basketball team ever
Wilson Yes!
Devin Wilson's confidence level has increased significantly over the past few games and it's been huge for us
Wilson's layup was set up perfectly by Blackshear clearing the Lane
Looks like a solid crowd too.
This zone is confusing the hell out of Miami. I'm liking the defense a lot today
My ESPN3 is running like 16-bit right now, it's terrible.
On top of that the lighting in Cassell has this game nearly unwatchable. /s
Bullshit call
ALLEN!!!
The ball keeps bouncing are way!
How in the hell...
We need to keep this 10 point lead.
It'd be nice to stretch it out a little before Larranaga can make adjustments at halftime
That. Three. DAMN
Punched in face hits 3 Robinson
Robinson is going to win some awards before he's done in Blacksburg.
What is happening
VT 32 Miami 21 half
BUZZKETBALL
Playing Buzzketball,...
Great half. Great crowd, great defense, great effort. Now let's finish them
I am loving my Hokies to infinity and beyond!
You can do this Hokies.
Finish up strong
Until we lose I Believe we will Win!
Until we lose I Believe we will Win!
You can say that again! ;)
Up 11 at half? Hell yes! Go hokies
It really is incredible how much this team has improved as this season has progressed. Buzz is really doing something special.
Someone keep messing up the lights we gotta close out!
/s
On it
What's Buzz break out for 2nd half attire?
We are playing a heck of a game. If this doesn't give you a boner for the future of our program then you need to see a doctor.
I have a boner for the right now of our program
Buzzketball trying to kill da U to sleep.
I'm listening to XM broadcast and its freakin The U announcers!!
It's my fault guys. Everytime I turn a Hokie game on they can't score for the life of them.
I mean that only half jokingly...
Turning it back off now
Keep it off
Its working...
I wasn't kidding.
I'm guessing that we turned on the game and turned it off at exactly the same time. I have the same impact on our BB team.
Needed those back to back 3's!
When was the last time our basketball team was better than our football team?
YES!!!!!!!!
When you're playing your best basketball of the year in early March there's no stopping you.
That's what we're doing right now, playing our best basketball of the year.
They're having fun out there and it's contagious. I'm having fun in my living room
Start taking inside and lets ake those free throws!
Let's just have Allen or Robinson bring the ball up going forward, please.
Robinson!
Damn straight that's an intentional!
Inexcusable. How do the refs not know the rule? I can forgive missed calls because they see it differently than me, but this is your job. Knowing the rules should be second nature.
Do we know why Kerry is always on his toes?
Something about a broken ankle that was set incorrectly. I read somewhere that he's getting offseason surgery to correct it.
And ive read that this is how he has always ran and that there is no surgery forthcoming. Nobody seems to know.
Hope we figure out how to effectively break a press during the first-round bye.
Robinson is absolutely abusing Miami's guards out there.
CAN'T STOP
WON'T STOP
BiBBS! yes are boys are killing it from the arc!
Cassell is live right now!
Bullshit block call!
Don't you know? Devin Wilson isn't allowed to take charges
How the shit was that not a charge?
Come on guys. They're not even in the bonus yet.
This game isn't over
Not if Bibbs has anything to say about that.
BiBBs 3!
Bibbs!
Just keep answering!
Um I think we have ACC coach of the year in Blacksburg! Thank you BUZZ!
Thank you Shane Henry!
SUCKS TO BE U
Now it's over. Sandman just put out the lights
What a win!
I LOVE ALL OF YOU
GROUP HUG
I love you to MAN! Great day to be a Hokie!
"There's a certain buzz here around Blacksburg..."
[CaptainObvious.gif]
We didn't just beat a good team.
We took them apart.
Damn the committee, we're playing tournament caliber basketball right now.
Nice to be proven wrong here. Just about a perfect game. Nice moment to close out there for Henry. Way to go boys.
15 point smackdown!
overrated chant at the end of regulation! hahaha sucks to be U
Not as close as the score indicates.
VICTORY!!!!
We are good at basketball. Not just "not bad" anymore. I feel comfortable saying we are a good basketball team
That was absolutely unreal. That was a dominant performance where the refs weren't a factor. I'm eating my preseason words as we speak.
Obviously, it was the lights. /s
I was there. Lights looked fine to me. Go Hokies!
It's much better in person than on tv.
THIS TRAIN AIN'T STOPPING.
H O K I E S ! ! !
What an exciting team to watch with great energy! The zone D was solid all day and really threw Miami off their game. Justin Robinson has GROWN UP over the last month or two of the season. He's going to be a ton of fun to watch for the next few years.
It looks like we play FSU-BC winner 9:00 Wed. Great win, Hokies! From a ProudHokie!
...FSU it is
May be a dumb question, but hopefully thats at night rather than the morning.
9:00pm eastern indeed
I will never forget this season and team, great job boys!
I put on my game face today. I was nervous, short tempered, felt discombobulated all day. Put on my thirty plus year old maroon shirt, veteran of two Sugar Bowls, no less, and donned my late father in law's VT hat we gave him twenty years ago.
I think it worked!!
I'm honestly speechless right now. This is just incredible beyond words. Buzz is the freaking man.
We got a fair share of the luck tonight. Maybe we would have still won, but it would have been close. Just an observation. Really impressed.
Luck? Nope. We kicked their ass.
We played lights out. We were on fire from 3 and they were cold as ice. We got a few good bounces but overall we just out played them. We had more energy from the start and it carried through the whole game.
Very glad to see the students packed in there too
I wouldn't call that luck. We had great ball movement all game which led to a ton of open shots. And we probably played our most consistent defensive game all year.
Haha what? Not a luck situation here. Not even close. 2-3 zone gave Miami fits all game.
Sure, the ball bounced our way some.... But they gave Miami some really crap calls too. It evened itself out. We played really good defense and when Miami went on a run, we always matched it and went back up by double digits. Bibbs was on fire and we really just dominated them from right after #5 scored their first 5 points. We should have beaten them by even more. Give this team the credit that it damn well has earned from its play in the ACC, and today against the #7 team in the country.
The blocking call against Wilson was absolutely atrocious. I don't understand how they missed it. He was there for a full second before contact.
Even though we should theoretically have "home cooking," the refs have bailed out opposing teams more because we're supposed to be the bottom feeder, the underdog.
And I hate blaming the refs for any game, but it's hard to not account how many calls we have been screwed out of.
What are the chances of playing every game in cassell next year?
Hokies beat #7 Miami?
Hokies aren't terrible at basketball?
Hokies get a first round bye for the ACC tournament and earned the 6th seed?
Yeah, I don't believe it either.
via GIPHY
I feel like we have won the national championship. Which is fine.
My heart would explode if this team won the national championship this year.
** Edit: Would be a great way to go out
My heart would explode if this team won the national championship any year.
Who is conducting the hype train? It's out of effing control.
I will lead the hype train!!!
choo... choo...
via GIPHY
If only those culture wall photos were taken after the game...
I don't think I've ever seen a VT basketball team have this much fun on the court. Buzz has these guys playing confident right now. Buckle up your seatbelts, this team might make a run.
As i said to the wife a little while ago.....'beating Miami never gets old'........of course that catch phrase usually refers to football, not basketball, but i digress......
Seriously though, am I the only grown man here who started to shed a tear at Shane Henry kissing the VT at mid court when Buzz graciously stopped the game with 1 min. to go to honor him?
I've always loved the players we have in ALL sports who may not be 'stars', but represent VT with hard work and dedication, and live up to the motto 'Ut Prosim'....
No, I couldn't figure out who it was, but someone here was cutting onions as well.
I can't believe I didnt record game so I could watch it over and over and over again. One for the History Books! Team has Heart!
t
FTFY
No sweat, CK, we did, and we'll replay it enough to satisfy even the most avid Hokie. We kicked their ass.
I'm on cloud nine can't see my keyboard, leave slip submitted for next Wed. And Thursday. Heading to DC!
All the post game interviews mention Buzz "showing lots of emotion." He keeps apologizing, do we have some video of that? Or can someone tell me what happened. I didn't see it on the broadcast.
I can show you a picture of some of it.
Favorite basketball game ever. My daughter stayed in Bburg an extra day to see the game, and reported that the fans were going crazy.
Whoops. Didn't realize this was a homer-only website. I graduated from Tech and I'm a fan, but disappointed by the blind optimism.
It was a good game but I'm not sure I can do the mind-tricks necessary to be on here. Cyas.
edit: Can't figure out how to delete my account. Possibly something the admins could look into doing.
God I had forgotten about this. Now planning on using this as a response for so many things. SO. MANY. THINGS.
Not sure why the down votes! He is only stating his opinion! Although it be it against the majority belief of those that visit this site daily. Give the man a break!
Go the hell on then, clown. You can make unpopular statements if their founded on any type of accuracy. But you, sir, are blindly hating for no apparent reason. No result in Cassell today had anything to do with luck. Pay attention.
Oh yeah? Ha got it....
I don't think you said anything abrasive in your original comment to warrant the reaction, but the mic drop was probably unnecessary. For what it's worth, I think there's a little bit of luck in every win, most coaches acknowledge that too. If you decide to come back, perhaps something more than a broad statement might help convey your point better.
Maybe because it comes off as intentional insult of everyone else who enjoys the site of instead of an intelligent/ funny/ thoughtful response?
On another note, James Johnson has yet another loss in the Cassell... *ducks*