Game 2️⃣1️⃣🆚 Florida State🕖 7PM📺 ACCN🔗 https://t.co/Ypqs6c7UWE pic.twitter.com/Cboos1nnGn— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) January 29, 2025
Virginia Tech (8-12)
at
Florida State (13-7)
Tucker Center
7pm ACCN
Road woes...
The Hokies are coming off a loss to Clemson at home and now go on the road to Tallahassee needing an upset win to avoid being in the bottom FOUR in ACC play.
Is that likely? Not really but maybe? Florida State is 13-7 but 4-5 in ACC play. Wins in the ACC over Syracuse, Miami, Georgia Tech and Pitt but then have losses to Cal, Stanford, Clemson, NC State and Louisville.
Very inconsistent play but more consistent at home. The Seminoles are led by a pair of Forwards in Jamir Watkins and Malique Ewin. Ewin and Bol Bowen score the most consistently both shooting over 53% from the floor. Four of their top five scorers are Forwards. Daquan Davis is the only guard in that group. As a team, they substitute frequently and use a ten man rotation.
As demonstrated by who does the scoring, Florida State is very determined to score inside. They attempt less than 20 perimeter shots per game. They shoot 53% inside and 33% outside. They are scoring almost 17 points per game at the free throw line.
Defensively expect to see an extended high pressure man-to-man defense. They will switch up from 3/4 to mid-court on picking up pressure. They do force around 8 steals per game but overall turnover numbers are about even.
This will be one of those games decided by who has the hot hand and can the Hokies avoid foul trouble in the paint?
shootaround work in Tally ⌚️ pic.twitter.com/n2qTHp3n08— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) January 29, 2025
Seminoles Starting Five
Jamir Watkins
1 SR F 6-7 210
18.6 Pts, 5.0 Reb, 2.2 Ast
Malique Ewin
12 SO F 6-10 220
14.4 Pts, 8.2 Reb, 1.9 Ast
Daquan Davis
5 FR G 6-1 176
9.1 Pts, 2.4 Reb, 2.7 Ast
Taylor Bol Bowen
10 SO F 6-10 195
8.7 Pts, 5.4 Reb, 0.9 Ast
Chandler Jackson
0 JR G 6-5 215
7.6 Pts, 2.4 Reb, 2.2 Ast
Key Bench Players
Jerry Deng
7 SO F 6-9 220
6.5 Pts, 2.2 Reb, 0.7 Ast
Justin Thomas
25 SR G 6-7 179
5.3 Pts, 2.3 Reb, 1.9 Ast
Bostyn Holt
3 SR F 6-6 199
3.4 Pts, 1.3 Reb, 1.2 Ast
Alier Maluk
21 FR F 7-0 218
2.7 Pts, 1.7 Reb, 0.3 Ast
Comments
Let's Go!
Hokies!
Chandler Jackson questionable tonight
Hokies up 10-2 early
Defense has looked solid thus far. Good pressure and well-timed double teams. Wess has surprisingly put in a solid performance. Helps a ton in keeping poteat out of foul trouble.
So far so good. Helps that fla st is not making shots. Hope that's somewhat because of our defense.
Connor Serven?
FSU defense moves very well and creates havoc. Need to keep this shooting up.
Shooting 5 for 13 from three would not lend you to think it was 30-13 Hokies lead
Hokies with the comical bank shot that goes in to end the half up 20
We are playing with a ton of energy and doing hockey subs. A lot of contact is being let go which so far has not hurt us with us forcing some turnovers and missed shots that feel like get called fouls in other games
Yeah would say we are getting away with much more contact especially near mid court
Only 15 points for the noles in the first half. Our defense has been pretty good. Got to keep it up in the second half. I feel like fla st shooting will improve in the second half. They were 0-fer from deep, I doubt that will continue. They also missed multiple layups and a dunk. They've also only had 3 offensive rebounds and two 2nd chance points. So we've done a good job on the boards. Can't afford a let down and especially one of our patented 4 or 5 minute scoring droughts. Let's go HOKIES... don't take your foot off the gas!
That bank 3 at the end of the half always happens against us. Nice to get one for us.
Interesting story...my youngest daughter has been down in ATL for several weeks helping open a new restaurant. The Hokies were playing GT last week & stayed at the same hotel. Some of the players were in the hotel bar & my daughter went up to tell them she was a Hokie by birth & her Dad was a huge fan. She said they were all very nice, acted with class, & Lawal even bought her a beer.
True Hokies...
That should have been goaltending and then a foul on FSU
Should have been a Tech on FSU
Really dumb foul by Rechsteiner
Lawal going 1 on 4 right there is just not smart basketball.
Where was the foul there? No one was within five feet of ball handler?
Brown and Reich is about the worst combo I can imagine when trying to hold a lead. Just need to slow it down now.
Patented scoring drought
4? field goals in 9 minutes
Brown has the confidence of Steph Curry. I do have to admire that.
I'll be glad when he can play a little more under control.
Now the contact is being allowed all the other way. Brown got hacked three times and then Lawal got shoved out of bounds going up for rebound
Out of control and trips over his own feet. Obvious foul.
Yep...steps out of bounds...foul on Schutt
Obvious hook there but it's called against us.
Davies hooked Hammond there. Do they not call that anymore?
Who are these refs? Rookies? /s
This 2nd half is on me, folks. Completely missed the 1st half, but checked in right as the 2nd half started.
I am convinced I am just not destined to enjoy sports.
Need you to check out until around 9.
How that wasn't a foul at midcourt but worked out getting the And 1
Oh my God, Tobi. What a sequence.
every screen for fsu is moving
Does Mike know we have timeouts? It was obvious Schutt was going to turn it over.
These guys make the dumbest rushed mistakes of any VT team I've watched. It's just baffling every game they can get so panicky so easily
Lawal killing them
Every time it got close, we got a big shot. Reich, Schutt, and of course, Lawal. This is one of those games where you expect FSU to ride momentum to a late lead. What a response from the squad.
Wow about four fouls on that sequence not called
Yeh. This group of officials is letting them play.
Stat of the night. Hokies 5-23 on the road over the last 3 seasons. Ooof.
Good news is Notre Dame is worse.
15-26 at the free throw line...woof
This always kills me. It's not like they move the line back from grade school to pro. The defense doesn't get any tougher at the free throw line as the competition advances. College athletes should be able to hit 80% from the FT line.
Guys had a great first half, and then worked hard to maintain the win against the 8 in the second half. They let FSU get away with everything in the second half.