HOKIES HOOPS CENTRAL: VMI (2-1) VS VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES (3-0) 8PM ACCN 12/3/2020

HOKIES HOOPS CENTRAL: VMI (2-1) VS VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES (3-0) 8PM ACCN 12/3/2020

So proud of Keve! He's a fine player, a tough dude, but he's also an exceptional young man. Way to go kid! https://t.co/LMLpFCXubf— Mike Young (@CoachMKYoung) November 30, 2020

GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Dec 3rd 2020 8 PM
Opponent: VMI
Site: Cassell Coliseum
Virginia Tech Sports Network - Jon Laaser (play-by-play) and Mike Burnop (analyst)

Keydet, Cadet: An Old School Rivalry
Coach Mike Young has VMI coming in to Cassell on Thursday night. While it's been many years since these two schools took very different trajectories in the overall makeup of their student bodies, this remains one of our longest tenured rivalries in all of Hokies sports. This will be the 137th meeting of the two programs going back as far as February of 1909, when Tech suffered a 15-9 loss to the Keydets.

The Hokies have dominated the more recent version of this rivalry though, winning 23 of 24 games played at Cassell and 44 of the last 47 matchups. The last loss to VMI came in 2004 at Lexington. In recent years this has been a high scoring affair so expect a high paced, high scoring evening on Thursday night. The Keydets come in 2-1, with wins over Longwood and St Andrews and a 21 point loss to Penn State.

The Keydets are coached by Dan Earl, who is in his sixth season at the helm for VMI. The Keydets were 9-24 last year before the season was shut down. He is 46-112 (.285 W%) as the VMI head coach, having suffered through five straight losing seasons. VMI has never reached the postseason with Earl. He spent time as an assistant coach at Navy and Penn State. Prior to coaching, he played professionally for the Roanoke Dazzle in 2001-2002.

Coach Earl lost two starters, leading scorer Travis Evee transferred to Rice and Garret Gilkeson to graduation.
Defensively, Coach Earl expects his team to limit transition baskets and play a very heavy matchup zone pressure defense to create turnovers. With the match-up zone defense, the on-ball defender will play tight as if he was playing man-to-man. At the same time, the zone away from the ball will resemble "help-side" man-to-man defense. This creates one of the advantages for the match-up zone, as it may confuse the opponent as to what defense you are actually playing. The match-up zone also resembles a "switching man-to-man" defense, where the big men stay down low in the post and the guards stay around the perimeter.

Offensively, you might call Coach Earl's philosophy Fire and Forget, as he wants his team to get up shots, especially from the perimeter, and then get back on defense. One thing for sure is that the Hokies need to be ready to play perimeter defense as VMI continues its trend of shooting from outside that is a trademark of Coach Dan Earl's offensive strategy. So far through three games VMI has attempted 85 three pointers or 28 per contest. One other area of focus for Earl is limiting turnovers but so far this season the Keydets have been very sloppy with the ball.

Keydets Backcourt

Greg Parham, (#5, 6'4, 176 Lbs Senior Guard) is averaging 18.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 3.6 APG as the starting point guard. He has grabbed 1.6 SPG as well. He is hitting 65% from the field while hitting 63% of his three pointers. He is only hitting 60% of his free throws.

Kamdyn Curfman (#10, 6-1, 186 lbs, Sophomore) is averaging 13 ppg, 1 apg, 2.3 rpg and 1.3 steals per contest. He is hitting 54% from the field while hitting 47% of his three pointers. He has hit all five of his free throws.

Sean Conway (#30, 6'5, 215 lbs, Sophomore) averaging 10.3 ppg, 5 rpg, 1.3 apg and 1.6 spg. He is hitting 46% from the field while hitting 27% of his three pointers. He has hit his only free throw.

Myles Lewis (#15, 6'5, 186 Lbs Senior Guard) is averaging 8.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, and 1 APG. He has grabbed 1.3 SPG as well. He is hitting 53% from the field and has not attempted any three pointers. He is only hitting 61% of his free throws. Looking more like a Heisman pose then a basketball court above.

Louis Tang (#0, 6'4, 195 Lbs Sophomore) is averaging 7.7 PPG and 6.7 RPG. He has grabbed 1 SPG as well. He is hitting 44% from the field and 25% of his three pointers. He is hitting 80% of his free throws.

Keydets Frontcourt

Jake Stephens (#34, 6'10, 266 lbs, Junior) He is averaging 6.7 ppg, 1.3 apg and 5.7 rpg. He is hitting 29% from the field and has not hit any three pointers in nine attempts. He is hitting 89% of his free throws. The shot above is exactly what the Hokies want Stephens doing in this game.

What to expect from VMI?

As a team the Keydets biggest concern has to be ball control. While the Keydets excel at steals, they have turned the ball over an enormous 20 times per contest, 38 of their 60 total turnovers have been by steal, leading to 85 opponent points in three games. The Keydets do however create 16 turnovers a game, 10 by steal per game. Penn State tallied 34 points off turnovers that led to 18 fast-break points on the other end.

VMI is shooting only 33% from outside on 9 made baskets per game so far. A big factor in their poor shooting has been starting center Jake Stephens going 0-9 and two backup guards, Arnold and Mans going a combined 2-13.

The Keydets are shooting 47% from the floor so far and also outrebounding opponents 41 to 36. This is interesting considering VMI plays much of the game with four or five guards on the floor. They were outrebounded against Penn State.

Fouls will be a major factor as the depth is not there from the Keydets bench. They would be in serious trouble if Stephens gets into foul trouble as that would make it very difficult to defend against Aluma and Pemsl down low.

The Keydets will depend on Greg Parham having a great game. Not sure that is even possible considering the Hokies defensive pressure this season.

𝙈𝙞𝙠𝙚'𝙙 𝙐𝙥 🍿@CoachMKYoung was happy with what he saw last night, with executing the little things #StoneByStone | #Hokies 🦃 pic.twitter.com/VAwBbN0cDe— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) December 1, 2020

The Hokies

The Hokies should take advantage in transition especially with the poor ball control VMI has shown. Would epect this alone to be the source of a 15-18 point advantage by games end.

The Hokies should work the ball inside to Aluma, Mutts and Pemsl. We got a taste of how effective Pemsl can be in the paint against South Florida and could be even more so against this much smaller and less physical VMI lineup. N'Guessan likely gets around 8 to 10 minutes in this contest, mostly in the second half. This should also be Mike Young's best opportunity to clear his bench and get a few of those working man baskets for Williamson, Maddox and Yates.

Interested to see what Jalen Cone inserts into the conversation when he suits up after being held out the first three games. Expect limited minutes in this first game just to get an idea of where he is. Not sure we see Ojiako in this one as there is a bigger cloud over his knee issue and the path forward. Plan to check closer to game time to see if there is any reference to his status.

This likely is the first time this season the Hokies win the rebounding battle. Both teams shoot the ball fairly well but expect VMI to not be as productive or accurate as the Hokies will be the strongest defensive team the Keydets have faced.

The Hokies are dependent on perimeter shooting with 62 attempts on 167 total shots. Fortunately 42% from the arc for 33% of their points. VMI plays an aggressive man to man and has the guards to run around with the Hokies so finding open looks will be more difficult unless they play this game inside out, having Aluma and Pemsl kick out to open shooters.

Highlight of the South Florida Game

Boots put together his best game yet this season 👊#StoneByStone | #Hokies 🦃 pic.twitter.com/SNY7Nv69MW— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) November 30, 2020

Tyrece Radford going off a night after playing 44 minutes.

In Closing

The Hokies will take advantage inside and get their young bigs some playing time. Aluma gets to double digits but likely gets a break in this contest.

Expect six Hokies in double digit scoring in this contest. To put a finger on it, Radford, Alleyne, Cattoor, Aluma, Pemsl and either Diarra or Bede. Five or more each from Cone, Bamisile, N'Guessan and at least one working man basket for Maddox, Yates or Williamson. Well-rounded game using the entire roster.

Hokies come out strong from the tip and establish a 15 point lead by the half. Second half will have its ups and downs with the bench players getting minutes but should be able to maintain the buffer. Hokies cruise to an 85-62 victory.