When Virginia and Virginia Tech last hooked up, back on Jan. 4, the Cavs were humming, with a 12-1 record, a #5 national ranking, two days removed from a huge win over Notre Dame.
We all know what happened next. The Hokies pulled the upset, and UVA fell into a funk that saw the ‘Hoos lose three of four and fall below .500 in ACC play.
The ship has been righted, to say the least. Virginia (19-4, 8-3 ACC) has won six straight, including key road wins at Louisville and Pitt the past two weeks, and now sits a half-game out of first in the ACC after North Carolina lost twice last week to come back to the pack.
It’s fitting, then, with things being back to where most expected them to be, with UVA competing for a third straight ACC regular-season title, that Virginia Tech is back on the schedule.
The Hokies (13-11, 5-6 ACC) are feeling a bit better about themselves right now, after a 60-57 win over Clemson on Saturday that ended a five-game losing streak.
For the most part, Tech played well even in the losing streak, losing by two at Notre Dame, by five at home to UNC, and blowing a late lead on the road before falling in OT at Syracuse.
Second-year Virginia Tech coach Buzz Williams has fared well in his matchups with UVA coach Tony Bennett, with the win in Blacksburg a month ago, and a pair of solid outings in losses last season.
Inside Virginia Tech
- How to explain Zach LeDay? The 6’7” junior has a lot of hitch in the giddyup on that ugly-as-sin jumper, but the kid is effective, scoring 16.0 points per game on 47.5 percent shooting from the field and 41.7 percent from three-point range, and pulling down a team-best 8.3 rebounds per game. He also gets to the free-throw line (6.2 attempts per game) and connects on 79.2 percent.
- Seth Allen was the problem for Virginia in the 70-68 loss in Blacksburg last month, initiating the offense through pick-and-rolls that the Cavs never could seem to figure out. Allen, a 6’1” junior, is averaging 14.4 points on 37.7 percent shooting from the field and 28.2 percent from three, and underwater assist-turnover numbers (64 assists/76 TOs).
- Justin Bibbs is second in the ACC in three-point shooting (47.8 percent), though his numbers have been in decline of late. Since hitting 4-of-5 in the win over UVA, he has gone 17-of-50 (34.0 percent) over the past nine.
- Team Defense: The Hokies allow opponents to score 1.007 points per possession (116th nationally, 11th in the ACC) and 72.8 points per game (14th in the ACC). Opponents shoot 42.8 percent from the field (ninth in the ACC) and 33.3 percent from three (fifth in the ACC). Tech is 13th in the ACC in defensive rebound percentage (67.2 percent).
- Team Offense: Virginia Tech scores 1.066 points per possession (also 116th nationally, and here 13th in the ACC) and 75.3 points per game (ninth in the ACC). Tech shoots 44.4 percent from the field (10th in the ACC) and 34.5 percent from three (also 10th in the ACC) and is 11th in the ACC in offensive rebound percentage (31.4 percent).
- Tempo: 71.2 possessions per game (82nd nationally, fourth in the ACC).
Inside Virginia
- Malcolm Brogdon is scoring 19.8 points per game in ACC play (third-best in the ACC). For the season, Brogdon is averaging 17.9 points, shooting 46.2 percent from the field, 40.7 percent from three and 86.9 percent from the line. Brogs also pulls down 4.4 rebounds per game and dishes out 2.8 assists per game.
- Anthony Gill has made three shots from the field the past two games, all dunks. His shooting from the field is down from above 60 percent to 58.6 percent, and he’s averaging 14.2 points and 6.1 rebounds a game.
- London Perrantes is shooting 50.0 percent from three-point range in ACC play (second-best in the conference) and 52.9 percent for the season (best in the ACC). LP averages 11.4 points, shoots 47.9 percent from the field and 4.3 assists.
- Team Defense: Virginia allows opponents to score .932 points per possession (15th nationally, second in the ACC) and 60.1 points per game (also second in the ACC). Opponents shoot 41.8 percent from the field (fifth in the ACC) and 34.8 percent from three (10th in the ACC). UVA leads the ACC in defensive rebound percentage (75.2 percent).
- Team Offense: Virginia scores 1.181 points per possession (eighth nationally, fourth in the ACC) and 71.6 points per game (12th in the ACC). UVA leads the ACC in shooting from the field (49.5 percent) and from three (41.1 percent). The Cavs are 14th in offensive rebound percentage (30.1 percent).
- Tempo: 62.1 possessions per game (350th nationally, 15th in the ACC).
– Preview by Chris Graham
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