Buzzketball Central: Iowa Hawkeyes (4-2) at Virginia Tech Hokies (5-1) 9PM 28NOV ESPN2

IT'S #ACCBIG10challenge GAMEDAY!!🏀 #BeatIowa 📍 Cassell Coliseum🕘 9 PM EST📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/3DrX9YUm7O— VT Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) November 28, 2017

GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: November 28, 2017 / 9 p.m.
Opponent: Iowa
Site: Blacksburg, Virginia (Carilion Clinic Court at Cassell Coliseum)
Radio: Virginia Tech IMG Sports Network
Talent: Jon Laaser & Mike Burnop
TV/Internet: ESPN2
Talent: Mike Couzens & Debbie Antonelli
Live Stats: HokieSports.com
Game Notes: Virginia Tech
Sirius/XM Radio: SIRI 83 (Internet 83)

"This will be the biggest week of the program, since I've been here, in nonconference play. It'll be the first time we've played two Power 5 teams in a 7-day period, one on the road, one at home." - @TeamCoachBuzz See you Tuesday..🎟 » https://t.co/JjA2cYZzJV pic.twitter.com/kH4ePJcBfJ— VT Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) November 27, 2017

Jekyll or Hyde?

Buzzketball is now 5-1 on the season, with its fifth blowout win behind them. The Hokies have won by at least 26 points in all five victories thus far. They now get their first Power 5 opponent on the season in the Iowa Hawkeyes. This opponent though is tough to determine what to expect in this upcoming game.

The Hawkeyes come to Cassell with a 4-2 record, having suffered terrible losses to the University of Louisiana Lafayette and South Dakota State. Their victories so far are over Chicago State, Alabama State, Grambling, and UAB. The Hawkeyes are giving up an average of 73 points per game so far. The Hokies came up short of the 100 point mark in their last contest by a couple of baskets but are still the highest scoring team in basketball and the only team averaging more than 100 points per game. I would expect a much lower scoring affair this evening though. These two teams have met three times as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, with the Hokies coming out on top in all three contests.

The Hawkeyes are coached by Fran McCaffery. He has been the head coach at Iowa since 2010 during which time the Hawkeyes have gone 138-101, with three trips to the NIT and three trips to the NCAAs in seven seasons. He is 389-278 as a head coach overall, with prior stops at Siena, UNC Greensboro, and Lehigh. All four schools have made at least one NCAA appearance under McCaffery. The Hawkeyes have several tough games ahead in Indiana, Penn State, and Iowa State before finishing out their Out of Conference schedule with a few less talented opponents.

Defensively, the Hawkeyes utilize a high pressure 1-2-2 court press that he regularly stretches to at least three quarter court. McCaffery coaches his teams to be especially aggressive around the perimeter and prior to create turnovers and transition scoring. His teams are also normally very high in blocked shots, especially the bigs down low. This season though their turnover numbers are rather ordinary 13 per game and blocks coming in at 4.8 per game. One other thing of note is that historically his teams do not foul. So far this season, they are averaging only 16.8 fouls per game with opponents attempting almost 16 free throws per contest. This cuts down on one area that usually bolsters Hokies scoring since Tech is averaging 32 attempts per game, making 23. Whichever trend holds true could be a major tipping point in this contest.

Offensively, they utilize the Rotation Continuity Zone Offense, especially against the 2-3 Zone defense that the Hokies run most often. This offense utilizes the bigs taking a pass at the short corner to either shoot, drive or pass from. The premise of this offense is to get your players where the defense isnt by finding holes in the zone with constant motion to create spacing.. Driving lanes are created by great spacing. The Hokies will need to ensure they protect the paint but are able to defend their assigned shooter. One critical area to watch will be the baseline entry by the guards in this offense for layups. If the Hokies can close this down it means they have to play their game outside rather than at the rim like they prefer. So far this season, the Hawkeyes are still attempting over 20 shots per game from outside so they have to stay with their man.

What does that mean for the Hokies?

The Hokies are at home, with what should be close to a sellout crowd so energy shouldn't be a problem. Likely, Buzz will start them again with the press defense to give Iowa a taste of its own medicine but more so to get the team moving on the court with a purpose so they don't come out in a lull.

This opponent will challenge the ball coming up the court, the perimeter shot and the shots down low so it will be interesting to see how the Hokies handle a defense that's closer to St Louis' defense than any other opponent so far. They cant afford to take a half off and expect to win this game. A win here also bolsters the RPI considering the previous opponents thus far.

The Hawkeyes are the largest roster the Hokies will have seen so far, so Blackshear will have his hands full, as will PJ Horne. The Hawkeyes have two 6'11 freshmen splitting time at center that are putting up huge combined numbers so far. Expect Iowa to have as many as three bigs on the floor at any one time tonight.

The Hawkeyes are a team that has solid depth so relies on at least ten players for 14 or more minutes per game. There is not a single Iowa starter that is averaging at least 30 minutes. This is also probably the best shooting team that the Hokies have seen so far. As a team they are shooting 51% from the floor, shoot free throws at 67% as a team.

The Hawkeyes perimeter shooting is managing just 43% on 20+ attempts per game. The Hokies should focus on forcing bad shots rather than risking foul trouble.

Hawkeyes Backcourt

Sophomore Isaiah Moss, #2, 6'5, 175 lbs is the leading scorer for the Hawkeyes, averaging 15.8 PPG, 2 RPG, and 2 APG. He is shooting 47% from the field and 94% from the stripe so a prime candidate to let shoot contested buckets rather than put on the line.

Sophomore Jordan Bohannon, #3, 6'1, 182 lbs, is scoring 14.5 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 5.2 APG and 1 SPG. He is shooting 44% from the floor and 85% from the line. He is their undisputed point guard with the ability to make pin point passes, especially to shooters moving down low.

Sophomore Maishe Dailey, #1, 6'6, 183 lbs is putting up 5.8 PPG, 1.2 RPG and 1.3 APG. He is shooting 44% from the field and 91% from the line. The Hokies can ill afford to let any shooter get in a groove because they have the ability to shoot, which most of their opponents thus far have not.

Hawkeyes Frontcourt

Sophomore Tyler Cook, #5, 6'9, 253 Lbs, is averaging 13.8 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 1.2 APG. He is putting the ball in at almost 60% and hits from the line at 74%. That production is coming with only 25 minutes per contest on the court so far.

Freshman Forward Luka Garza, #55, 6'11, 235 lbs is putting up 9.7 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.3 APG. He is shooting 55% from the field and 84% from the line. Blackshear will be critical in this game to combat this inside presence.

Freshman Forward Jack Nunge, #2, 6'11, 225 lbs is averaging 9.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 1.2 APG BPG while shooting 56% overall and 50% from outside. His one weakness is his 68% from the line but even that isn't terrible. He does however seem to have good hands and is able to create turnovers down low so Blackshear needs to be careful or he will have his pocket picked tonight.

What to expect from Iowa?

This is a fairly young roster that shows signs of being very promising. This is the most even opponent the Hokies have faced thus far. While Coach McCaffery has the makings of a really strong roster in the coming years, there is apparently room for growing pains after the losses to ULL and SDSU this year.

This is the most accomplished shooting team the Hokies have faced all season. One of the biggest differences in the scores of the Hokies previous games was opponents missed shot shooting percentage, which will likely see a boost after i

High intensity defense geared towards forcing bad perimeter shooting and creating turnovers. This team will also play stout defense down low, especially with their size advantage in this game.

The Hokies

The Hokies will have their hands full here, they need to make sure they come ready to play. Any sluggishness and you open the door to a quick Hawkeye run.

Blackshear and Horne have to find a way to play bigger than they are, stay out of foul trouble and contribute offensively in this game.

Hitting their perimeter shots will be a much more critical component of this game than any of the others so far. Getting the easy buckets at the rim are going to be much harder to come by in this contest and not many Hokies have shown the touch of a short jumper so far so scoring from the outside comes at a premium. The Hokies are leading the nation at 50% from outside so hopefully that continues.

Highlight of the Morehead State Game

AMMERMAN SINKS TWO FROM THE FREE THROW LINE!!! pic.twitter.com/CkTh9AYJOe— VT Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) November 25, 2017

Free throw shooting ..... this team went 24 of 27 from the line or 88.9% which is a far cry from some of their previous games. Even better was that there were nine Hokies that contributed at the line, so it was a team performance.

In Closing

Do the Hokies come out with the energy they are capable of or are they slow out of the gates? This will really impact the final outcome in this game.

I do not see the Hokies scoring 100 in this contest. This is much more likely to be a closely contested game that goes down to the finally free throws. This game will be more finesse versus bulk, with Iowa going big to exploit the lane while the Hokies remain who they are with long lean shooters.

This could be a big game for the three freshman in terms of delivering a win. NAW has to show he can score against a stout defense, Bede could be called upon if Robinson gets in early foul trouble, and Horne will play meaningful minutes because I do not see Blackshear staying out of foul trouble. If Horne can contribute like he did against Houston Baptist than the Hokies should be fine.

Hokies 87 – Hawkeyes 81

The longer you wait to do something you should do now. The greater the odds that you will never actually do it.#MondayMotivation #getBETTER💪 pic.twitter.com/xPaPcsYoN1— Buzz Williams (@TeamCoachBuzz) November 27, 2017