Television
Regional Sports Networks - Wes Durham & Dave Odom
Radio
Virginia Tech IMG Sports Network - Bill Roth & Mike Burnop
Also available on:
Satellite: Sirius: 92 XM: 193
(Miami broadcast)
Digital: Hokies Xtra & TuneIn
"Which version of the Hokies will show up tonight?" You might think that would be the question of the day, but in reality it probably is "which version of the Hurricanes will show up?"
This season the Hokies have had the occasional disappearance but for the most part have played hard-nosed, undersized, up-hill basketball with top effort. The Hurricanes have been something else. Early in the season it looked like Miami might be a NCAA lock, now they are probably sitting just on the outside of the bubble. In their last game, it took two overtimes for Miami to dispatch another ACC cellar dweller in Boston College. They are currently 6-6 in the ACC, with two very bad losses to Klemson by 20 and another to Wake Forest. Their other conference losses arent nearly as bad, with three coming to ranked teams. This team is just hard to pinpoint on which version will show up. This is the same team that earlier beat Florida, Duke and Illinois. So which version will the Hokies face tonight?
Part of the issue is that Larranaga is having to rely on transfers to lead his team once again, as his two top scorers are in their first seasons at Miami. Injuries and suspensions have also hurt this team from getting consistent performances from key reserves. It has led to some uneven play from the Hurricanes.
The Canes are led in scoring by Sheldon McClellan, (#10) a 6'5, 210 lbs junior guard who transferred from Texas. He is giving the Canes 14.6 ppg, 5 rpg, and 2 apg. He is coming off a 24 point performance against BC. He is also clutch at the free throw line, shooting 81% and can hit from outside.
He is joined in the backcourt by Angel Rodriguez, (#13) a 5'11, 181 lbs junior point guard who is averaging 12.7 ppg, 4.4 apg, and 2 rpg. Rodriguez comes to the Hurricanes on a transfer from Kansas State. He seems to be a bit of an anomaly for this team, sometimes finding his touch for big games, but mainly guiding the offense and only scoring 2 or 3 buckets a contest.
The third Cane we will need to focus on is also a guard, 5'11, 159 lbs sophomore Manu Lecomte, (#20) who adds 8.4 ppg and 2 apg. The other thing that will require the Hokies utmost focus to be successful today is that these three players have attempted 328 three pointers in 25 games so far. The trio hit at about 37% on the season, so unless we want a repeat of most of our ACC conference games, Buzz has to find a way to defend the perimeter against this Miami team. Otherwise, it could be much like the Klemson game.
These guards are joined on the floor by Tonye Jekiri, (#23) 7', 235 lbs junior Center, who is averaging 8.2 ppg to go with his 10.9 rpg. He also adds 1.6 bpg as well. He is a rebounding machine and could prove our undoing underneath unless Pierce can find a way to play a solid game. Henry and Beyer just don't have the size to keep Jekiri off the glass. He shoots 50% from the field and a solid 73.2% from the free throw line, so essentially he scores about 80% of the time he touches the ball in the paint.
If there is a sleeper in this game its redshirt freshman Deandre Burnett, (#1) a 6'2, 191 lbs guard who recently sat out seven of the Hurricanes last eight games. Against Boston College though, he came off the bench to add 13 points to help the Canes win that 2OT game. He sat out last season with a wrist injury but before arriving at Miami, he was their highest ranked recruit to ever come to Miami.
This is a very difficult game to predict, having an up and down team against a scrappy underdog. I unfortunately think that with the game on the road against a team that needs a win to remain on the bubble its a road to tough to hoe for the Hokies. The Hurricanes send Tech to another terribly tough loss, as their big men step up to bring home the victory.
Miami 68 - Virginia Tech 62
Comments
Miami has played to the level of their opponents in most of their games this year, and has been sputtering lately. I think we can help prove that they shouldn't be considered for tournament bid tonight.
Can we get the Miami team that got blown out by Eastern Kentucky? I'd like that.
Just saying this game is being aired on MSG.. And no I don't know why....
They're probably the NYC area's regional ACC affiliate. Up here in New England, NESN has the game (thanks BC)
More ACC wins than last year, readyyyyyyyyyyyyy go....
It's important to set goals for the season:
More ACC wins than fans at the LOLUVa spring gameMore ACC wins than last year
More ACC wins than team's average GPA
Looks like Miami fans don't like basketball either...how do their programs generate revenue anymore? I mean I know they're a private school, which means small alumni base and student population, but still.
Really rich alumni comparatively
Game time. Csnwashington in dc area.
Buzz needs a haircut. Wow he is looking shaggy.
Good start! Shane Henry is rocking the 24 instead of the donut for some reason.
Good to see Johnston back on the court
couple mistakes but i like the attacking offense. A lot of movement, ball moving around a lot. Defensive intensity is there so that is nice to see. Also, 4 minutes in and no fouls on us.
I am not sure I want to know what message was sent at practice to get the frenzy we just saw for the first six minutes of this game.
I'm just happy to see the team back to giving the level of effort we were used to seeing at the start of conference play.
Wilson just posted up a guy down low and scored
I feel like we are outplaying them but the game is so close.
We've given up 5 off of offensive rebounds. That's the big reason why this one is as close as it is.
Damn the ACC must be awful at free throws this year if 81% is fifth best in the conference right now. And Pierce blows it on both ends after getting the offensive rebound. So frustrating.
He just seems like he doesn't want to be there sometimes...
We have got to find some more success in the lane if we are going to keep shooting threes like this or we are going to fall way behind. Have to stop giving up the wide opendunks as well.
Sweet grab by Buzz there.
Great catch Buzz
The announcers have been muted. The color guy is atrocious.
+1
The announcers are annoying looks like I'm watching more than listening
While the color guy isn't the best voice to listen too, he at least does know his stuff. He coached at Wake Forest in the 90s leading them to several tournament appearances and recruited Tim Duncan there. But I understand what your saying! He's just really old.
Live by the 3, die by the 3
Seems that's how this game will be for us
Bibbs finally hit a jump shot. Hopefully that gets him going
We needed that one from Bibbs pretty badly.
Not shooting well, but at least we didn't come out flat, loving the hustle out there right now. Lets see if we can hit a few more shots in the second half to get that 3rd ACC win
Laranaga did a good interview. He didn't seemed irritated about having to talk.
In other news, DoDo has been suspended from the UF team indefinitely for violation of team rules.
Florida is having a horrendous year, which I imagine played into Finney Smith getting in trouble. They have lost seven of their last night. They are about to lose to Vanderbilt for the second time this season tonight which will put them at 12-14. They were expected to be a top 10 team this season. This could be it for Finney Smith considering this is his second time at Florida with the indefinite suspension.
Giving up a transition basket off of a dead ball...unacceptable. Lazy
Yeah Energy and attention have really fallen off to start the second half. This was what I was afraid of, the little run that gives Miami a buffer we wont get back from. Hopefully we get a run going soon or it could end up like Clemson at the end.
Post concussion Bibbs gives me the sads:(
His shot and his confidence driving the lane has definitely been affected. Hopefully in the off season he gets his head back on straight, literally.
Tech is shooting 34.5%
I have to turn this game off. Our total inability to score is maddening
We have no post game to speak of in this game which effects getting open looks from outside. When our guards have gotten inside they have been out of control with the ball. Poor shooting from outside combined with that has the blowout a step away.
Since mueller didn't shoot the second free throw is he out for the game? Not good, if so.
Is this d/t the technical foul? ESPN just has a technical listed for VT team, not a specific player
I missed it. Did the officials make him leave for his head injury or did Tech pull him off the floor? If Tech did, he may have to sit for the remainder of the game. I am not going to search through the obscure rule book tonight though.
He shot one free throw, then it opened back up again and he came out to get it bandaged up. Adam Smith shot the second free throw. Hes back out there now.
Don't give up hope. A team like ours can flip a switch in a blink. Just need a run and get it under 10 before the last tv timeout. Still plenty of time
I wish I had your optimism but when we shoot as poorly as we are now and have 0 size we don't really stand a chance
Get down by 20, fight back with 4 minutes left, come up short, everyone praises their "fight". Same shit, different night.
Guess we ought to be more satisfied if they get down by 20 and quit.
..Or not come out flat in the second half and get down by 20 in the first place, but you know that's what I was referring to. You just chose to go the other way with my comment as in opportunity for you to post your snarky comment. Good for you. Hope you feel better.
I may have strawmaned you by implying that you would rather we just lie down if we get down 20. Let me back up.
Should we expect anything better than this? Anything better than an undersized, undermanned, relatively under talented team fighting to stay in games, but coming up short more often than not? I'm pretty happy with the overall direction of the program. Nights like this suck, yes, but we can't expect much more than "fight" out of this team.
Agreed! Just sucks to see us get blown out by pretty average teams. It's borderline cruel and unusual punishment to watch us play sometimes and looks as though we've taken a coupe steps backward as of late.
We're getting blown out by average teams because we're a below average team, and you're right, it's frustrating to watch. I watch anyway because I love Tech, and I love any athlete that represents Tech and what Tech stands for. I'm hoping we can pick up that 3rd win to top last year's total, but if we don't I'll still be satisfied with where the program is and where it's heading. The season is starting to wear the team down some and it shows. I expect to see a few more of these results, but I'll keep watching anyway.
I apologize for my previous comment. See you in the next game thread.
No worries! We're on the same page!
Pierce needs to hit the gym, like 3 times a day this offseason
He needs more work in a lot of other areas.
This hurts
Sure does. Appear as though they've taken a step or two backward in the last two? Long season may just be wearing on them too.
Well it's the meat of the ACC lineup... teams have time to plan and learn how to exploit VT's size problems and we get beat down and lose moral. Probably a lot of things
24 more points in the paint for Miami, 14 more second chance points for Miami, 21 more rebounds for Miami, biggest stat to me though in this game was that Miami had 21 assists to our 10. Too many times we allowed a direct pass to a man right under the basket for an easy put in. Jekiri almost single handedly outrebounded Tech, he had 15 to Tech's 19. Other main stat was 51% to 35%, as in shooting percentages of the two teams. Amazing what happens when you score in the lane. We missed seven layups tonight among other things.
So what did we learn this season, children?
So, yeah uh, what were we talking about again?
LETITSNOW
I'm feeling a lot better about falling asleep right at the start of the game.
I just made cinnamon rolls for anyone that needs a pick me up after that game. No, seriously.
How upset would you be if I ate all of them?
Outmanned, outsized, outplayed, everything. When the blowouts start coming like this, it's hard for the players and fans to keep from mentally checking out for the rest of the season. It's such a shame our basketball program has gotten to this point. I have a ton of faith in Buzz, and I know there shouldn't have been much in the way of expectations this year. But just horrible our program was left in this bad of shape before Whit and Buzz arrived. It's rough having all three major sports on a downswing at the same time. But I'm hopeful our best days are still ahead of us.