The Hokies play NC State today in Cassell Coliseum at 2PM. The game is a Regional Sports Network telecast. For me that is AT&T Sports Pittsburgh. As usual the Hokies will be the shorter and younger team. NC States starting 5 are 6'11", 6'5", 6'0", 6'7", and 6'1". If Bryce is cleared from his concussion, he may start at 6'5".
NC State has the same overall and ACC record as the Hokies 11-4 and 2-2. They lost to Ga Tech at home to open the season and to Clemson at Clemson on Jan 4. They beat Wake Forest at Wake and Notre Dame at home. Their best win is over Wisconsin(receiving votes) at home.
NC State is a prolific scoring team, averaging 78.8 points per game in ACC play; but they allow 78.3 points per game. So I don't expect a repeat of the 47-24 win from last year. They shoot 44% overall and 37% from 3; they have 4 players that can shoot from beyond the arc; so Tech will have to be careful about whom they leave open if they decide to double down low. They have 8 players getting significant minutes, if Bryce can play. If Bryce cannot play, their bench is pretty short; and they have several players averaging 3 fouls per game. If we can force the offense and draw fouls, Tech could have a good night.
Stats for the stats guys:
I think we are better than NC State; but we are young and have been inconsistent. If we make our shots and play our typical defense, the game should go well for us. But this is a game that we cannot afford to shoot 25% from 3.
Go Hokies!
Comments
Let's Go....
Hokies!
Games gettable with CJ Bryce either not playing or limited. State has a real advantage in the post, I think unfortunately that may be the key to them winning a close game.
This one worries me but I'm glad it's at home. As mentioned, we need to get back to hitting our open shots more consistently for me to be able to feel more optimistic about any ACC game, but we have shown what we are capable of when the shots are falling. No predictions, but I do believe this one is winnable and we definitely need it.
welp. haven't started very well.
I wouldn't know. The st Johns Game ended late and now the VT game isn't showing either. Just says my event will begin shortly 😡😡
My game is on nbc sports Washington via (I think) raycom. Not on any ESPN service.
Edit: was supposed to be a reply to ^
Nolley is on fire
You gotta be kidding me, Cone to beat the clock
CONE!!!!
Great hustle play by Cattoor
The mix of youth and grit is awesome to watch. The rest of the year is gonna be hella fun
Just tuned in and first thing I see is a student wearing a Lakers Jersey.
Not wow we look good or man cassell is rocking? So what
Nothing was happening on the court when I typed that. So yes it's odd to see an NBA jersey at a college basketball game when it doesn't have a former players name on it.
one thing for sure... Radford is not afraid to drive to the basket. now if he can learn to be a tad bit more under control and to kick out occasionally.........
I am so impressed by this team and coach Mike Young. What a job he is doing in his first year with a bunch of freshman. Excited to see these kids develop and with the talent coming in next season , future looking good. Win or lose its fun to watch.
What stood out to me was that lose ball, the hustle to keep it live. All 5 players were there fighting for the ball.
These announcers are not hiding their desire for NCSU to win this game
How? If anything, they keep rubbing it in their faces how awful they were last year. If you took a drink every time they mentioned how badly the teams shot last year, you'd already be in the ER with alcohol poisoning
Username checks out on alcohol poisoning
Just pointing it out, we closed out the half on a 40-23 run.
Great game management in the last minute by CMY
Yep too bad Cone picked up those back to back fouls
I thought CMY would switch defenders on the ball handler for the second shot to avoid that, but I guess Cone picking up his first two fouls to prevent State from scoring there was worth it.
This is what I was thinking, though he would have spread the fouls out on the roster. Maybe he trusts Cone as a strong ball defender
I almost want to say that was intentional. We shortened a 20 second possession into a 6 second scramble with a low percentage shot
Great coaching to end the half. Using two fouls to run out the clock so N.C. State did not get a good shot.
Started out bad down 10-0. Disgusted, I walked to the mailbox. I wasn't gone long at all and when I came back, we were ahead 13-10. Talk about a WTF.
We've played pretty well since that point. Shot it extremely well. There's been some possessions where we've had drives that I'd like to see us finish out though. A few times our guy will have the defense beat, there's a lane, and he gets confused about if he should continue, pass out, or shoot. Just finish the drive and draw contact. Or at least look for the open man when they send help. Other than that, offense looks very solid.
Defense needs to be cleaned up though. We're too slow on the recovery after sending a double team. NC State has had several wide open looks (often from 3) because of late rotations and recoveries that they just flat out missed. Gotta think they start hitting those shots if they stay that open.
This sort of has the feel like it could come down to a couple of possessions but if we can just make some tiny adjustments (like the defense), we can get a comfortable win.
Watching this team, I wonder how good we could have been during Buzz's first couple years if we had someone like Nolley carried over from JJ. We did have Seth Allen, so who knows.
But it is interesting, it seems like we've gotten more immediate return on recruiting with Young than we did with Buzz.
I was just thinking about how good we could have been last year with Nolley. Really frustrating. Oh well.
Beverly immediately picks up his 4th foul a minute into the half.
He'll need to sit a while
Great sports coverage: Coach mouthing "why?" as he walks off the court.
Alleyne has the wonkiest 3pt shot I've seen in a long time
Alleyne is ice cold to start the half
And it's spreading to others
Bede needs to take that
Ice. Cold.
Our shot is trash this half
I'd be ok with a timeout just to regroup. Going too fast almost
Made it to the TV timeout. Regroup now.
Wilkens needs to make a bucket. He needs some confidence.
NC State is defending the 3 better this half resulting in a lot of our misses but we have left about 8 pts on the board by missing easy finishes right at the rim.
NOLLEYYYYYY
Something that's been happening all season. Two or three or four times a game we don't get back on defense after a made basket. Need to work on that.
White knuckle ride to the finish ahead
Need somebody to get hot. We aren't scoring this half.
thing of beauty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT'S RUNNING THE FLOOR!!
I said it a month ago. Radford will wind up being a stud for us.
Also....Funderberk is an absolute kickass name.....
Well once they get rolling the points pile up quick. Yeesh
Radford has had himself an afternoon
Somebody needs to clip the video of Bede passing up a layup line layup. That guy doesn't even know there's a basket.
Bede knew that was good as soon as he passed it.
Mike Young is a damn good coach
Bede threw the 👌 up with his back to the basket before it went in lol
Bede! Wow! Passes up the layup, hands off for the three, and no-look celebrates before the shot goes up. Awesome!
Bede flashed the 3 sign no look after he passed the ball to alleyne before naheem even had the ball.....
nc st has no time-outs left. 2:37 to go.
Wow Bede just stole Makells soul with that turnover
Bede bede bede bede rockin errywhere
Is it just my feed, or is the audio scattershot and shit for everyone else?
FAM
Mike Young FAM.
Keys to victory...
Less than 10 turnovers... only 8
90.5% from the free throw line... 19-21
Bede 7 assist
T. Radford 18 points. Career high.
L. Nolley
Took my 4 year old son to his first hokie basketball game today...the little guy was pumped every time "the good guys" made a shot and angry when "the bad guys in red" scored. Couldn't be a more proud father after that game...especially when he jumped and danced through the whole will Ferrell "shout" montage in the second half. At the buzzer he said "let's go Hokies!!" I damn near shed a tear.....the future is bright....let's go!!!!