Buzzketball Central: North Carolina A&T (4-6) at Virginia Tech Hokies (9-1) 7pm DEC 19 ACCNE

Game day!We begin our four-game home stand inside Cassell🏀 vs. North Carolina A&T📍 Blacksburg, Va.🕚 7 p.m. ETℹ️ https://t.co/JnxHBucRuR📈 https://t.co/x0LoDRFkHL💻 https://t.co/D3qge7WVrp#getBETTER | #Hokies 🦃 pic.twitter.com/nFERt8tes2— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) December 19, 2018

GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: December 19th 7PM
Opponent: NC A&T Aggies
Site: Cassell Coliseum, Blacksburg, VA
Radio: Virginia Tech IMG Sports Network
Talent: Jon Laaser & Mike Burnop
TV: ACCNE
Live Stats: HokieSports.com
Game Notes: Virginia Tech
Sirius: 205 XM: 210 Internet: 966

Shout out to the Lady Hokies and Regan Magarity, who have started the season 10-0 and are 29th in the AP Poll and 30th in the Coaches Poll. The Ladies face Dayton tomorrow at 230 pm in the first round of the West Palm Invitational and then Ohio State on Saturday at 1215 pm in the second round.

Keep shattering records, Regan 🔨💥#Hokies🦃 pic.twitter.com/g4FOXxnzLl— Virginia Tech Women's Basketball (@HokiesWBB) December 18, 2018

Another Milestone:

Justin Robinson became the fourth Hokie ever with 1200 points and 500 assists, joining Bimbo Coles, Malcolm Delaney and Jamon Gordon.

HUGE Congrats 🎊 👏🏼to @5Alive_ who joined the 5️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ Assists/1️⃣2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ Points group last night!(He also graduated 🎓 this week!)The other #Hokies in that group:Bimbo ColesMalcolmDelaney - @for23Jamon Gordon - @LilReb22 pic.twitter.com/kaBZFFoHyu— Buzz Williams (@TeamCoachBuzz) December 16, 2018

Clear out the Out of Conference

Buzzketball comes home to face North Carolina A&T after beating Washington in the Boardwalk Classic over the weekend. This will be the seventh meeting of the two programs going back as far 1982. The Hokies have won all six prior games. Its high time for a seventh.

The Aggies are coached by Jay Joyner, who is in his fourth season at the helm for NC A&T, having spent time as a head coach at Columbia State CommColl and as an assistant at a half dozen other schools. JHe is 32-55 as the head coach of the Aggies. He led the Aggies to one post season appearance last season when they finished 20-15 and went to the CIT. He was 61-23 at Columbia State CommColl as a head coach and won two league titles. One thing is certain, Joyner spends an inordinate amount of time recruiting JUCO and transfers, with almost every major contributor coming from those ranks outside of his point guard.

The Aggies come in 4-6, with wins over Mount St Mary's, Central Connecticut State, Greensboro, and Tennessee State. The losses are to UNC Greensboro, Wake Forest, Maryland, Hofstra, Marshal and Presbyterian, losing four of six by double digits.

Defensively, Coach Joyner utilizes the 2-3 Zone primarily, where his focus is to prevent perimeter shooting. He wants his teams to force the opponent to drive inside, where he feels they have a better chance of defending the shot. This could work against the Aggies with the ballhandlers the Hokies have that do not need an excuse to driving the lane. The Aggies also struggle against transition offense which hurts them frequently because of their penchant for turning the ball over on the other end.

Offensively, Joyner prefers his team play a methodical motion offense, preferring to shoot threes after eating most of the shot clock to do it. They shoot a respectable 39% from outside so it can keep them in games if they are locked in. It's those games where they aren't that it all falls apart. They struggle to get to and then make free throws, shooting just 66% on 18 attempts per game.

Aggies Backcourt

Junior Guard Quavius Copeland (#3), 6'0, 175 lbs, leads the Aggies in most offensive categories after sitting out last season for a transfer from Middle Tennessee State. He is averaging 12.2 PPG, while also pulling down 1.5 RPG and dishing out 1.6 APG. He is shooting 45% from the field and is greatly improved outside, shooting 40% so far and is making 81% of his free throws.

Senior Guard Milik Gantz, (#22), 6'3, 180 Lbs is in his second season with the Aggies after coming in from JUCO Harcum. He is averaging 8.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and 1.3 APG. He has grabbed 1.4 SPG as well. He is hitting everything this season inside the arc, shooting 61% from the field while hitting 39% of his three pointers. He is also hitting 71% of his free throws. He is very similar though to Ahmed Hill in that he can disappear on any given day. Such as 27 points in their win over Tennessee State, 10 points in the win over Greensboro and 3 points in the loss to Presbyterian. This is the shooter the Hokies need to keep out of rhythm in this game.

Kameron Langley (#4), 6'2, 205 Lbs Sophomore Guard runs the show for the Aggies on both ends. He is averaging 6.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 7 APG, yes 7 APG so far. He also has 1.1 SPG and is typically responsible for covering the top of the key disrupting passes to the interior. He is shooting 44% inside and 29% outside. He is also shooting 67% from the free throw line. What he lacks in shooting touch he more than makes up for in finesse passing and forcing turnovers.

The combination of Aaron Edmead (#1), 5'10, 165 Lbs Senior Guard, Amari Hamilton (#15), 6'1, 165 Lbs Senior Guard and Andre Jackson (#0), 6'4, 175 Lbs Junior Guard essentially make up one starting spot amongst the three, averaging 38.7 MPG, scoring 14.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 2.4 APG. All three shoot somewhere near 37% from the floor, 64% from the line and only Edmead stands out with his 45% from the perimeter. Edmead is a transfer from Wagner in his second season with the Aggies. Jackson is also a JUCO transfer, coming in from State College of Florida.

Aggies Frontcourt

Terry Harris, (#4) 6'6, 215 lbs Senior Forward is a graduate transfer from Eastern Michigan after transferring to EMU from Houston Baptist after his sophomore season. He is averaging 11.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG and 0.3 APG while shooting 48% from inside, and 52% from the perimeter on 6 attempts per game. He also is shooting 83% from the line. This will be the second key beyond guarding Gantz, in that the Hokies need to be prepared for Harris to pop out to the perimeter from his power forward spot to take the three pointer.

Ibrahim Sylla, (#10), 6'8, 220 Lbs Senior Center is a graduate transfer from the University of Northern Colorado and is averaging 8.2 PPG and 5 RPG. Defensively he adds a steal and a block per game. He is shooting 64% from inside, does not take outside shots and a dreadful 39% from the free throw line, so if you have to decide on a foul versus an easy bucket, not much question on this one.

Ronald Jackson, (#21), 6'8, 205 Lbs Sophomore Forward, Tyrone Lyons, (#35) 6'6, 180 Lbs Freshman Forward, Nelson Nweke, (#33), 6'8, 235 Lbs Senior Forward, and D'Andre Johnson, (#11), 6'10, 225 Lbs Sophomore Center so far combine much like the trio of guards to hold down one spot on the floor between them. They combine for a total of about 30 MPG, and contribute about 12 PPG, 6 RPG and 2 APG. Johnson has only gotten into about half the teams games so far this season. Ronald Jackson is a JUCO transfer from Hillsborough. Nweke is a transfer from Arkansas State.

What to expect from NC A&T?

NC A&T are averaging 21 shot attempts from the perimeter or about 40% of their total shots on the season and make about 40% of those shots. As part of this philosophy they also try to win the TIME OF POSSESSION battle, limiting their opponents opportunities with the basketball.

The Aggies average 7 steals per game so far this season and turning opponents over 13.6 times per game so something to be aware of as the Hokies bring the ball up the court. It's an aggressive 2-3 Zone that works hard to disrupt the clean shot from the perimeter. This may work against them if Justin Robinson and NAW are able to get clean runs at the rim because of it.

The Aggies this season have a surprising number of bigs for a team of this caliber but they prefer to run more of a four guard and a big set, utilizing an undersized Power Forward much the same way the Hokies do. This has been even more unusual in that many of these players are in their first or second season under Joyner, after transferring in by way of JUCO or Graduation, which shows at times as this team continues to learn its own tendencies.

This is likely the Aggies Superbowl, so expect them to come in amped up, ready to play. This could play a major factor early on and it will be interesting to see how Buzz coaches the Hokies through it if they get caught flat footed.

The Hokies

This game sets up well for Robinson and NAW to have a big game penetrating to the basket. Beyond that, it will have to be seen if the Aggies will creep in due to the penetration or remain vigilant outside on Hill, Outlaw and Wilkins. The Hokies just showed against Washington that they can handle breaking down the 2-3 zone, using NAW as the top of the key disruptor. They will need to continue that in this contest.

The Hokies must come ready to play. They need to be focused and mature enough to handle the sleepy environment that Cassell will likely be tonight. They have to find the mental fortitude to play up to their level, not down to NC A&T's. If they do that they win going away, with everyone down the bench getting in some home court time. If they don't than this game could be messy but should still be a victory.

Nolley – Clarke - Blackshear Really Bad fouls – All things we want resolved that do not appear to have a forthcoming positive result any time soon.

#1#1#1#1 Hokies allow the fewest made and attempted free throw in the nation and opponents even struggle to make those at 65%. 72 made of 111 attempted. NC A&T opponents are 150 of 194. The Hokies have committed the 23rd fewest fouls which greatly helps in this area.

In Closing

NC A&T should be a snoozer in a very quiet Cassell Coliseum but the Hokies cant treat it like that. They need to view this game as one more step to the tournament. The Hokies especially need to keep a hand in the face of Copeland, Harris and Gantz. Fairly obvious since they are the three highest scorers but they also are the most likely to shoot from the perimeter. Copeland and Harris especially, as they average 10 of their teams 21 attempts per contest.
T
his game will likely go the Hokies way regardless of execution but it's a critical game to show they have the ability to play through the light crowd that will likely be on hand with the students off and it being a mid-week contest.

Buzz may allow these guys to mess around in the first half, so he has teaching points to take into halftime but even one half of Hokies basketball should be enough to get this done. Hokies win 85-62, blowing the game open right after halftime with one of their patented double digit runs.

Our 4️⃣th 'Road Game' 📸 of the 🏀 season (technically, a neutral site)We are very grateful for all the #Hokies that 👀 it in person, or on 📺We will turn all blessings, back to praise🙏🏿🗣🙌🏽 pic.twitter.com/gQpuWrfHIR— Buzz Williams (@TeamCoachBuzz) December 16, 2018