Virginia Tech is itching for a win, itching for some bit of inspiration as they look to get a derailed season back on track.
We’ve reached one month since the last time the Hokies won a game, currently engulfed in a five-game skid that has put the reigning Atlantic Coast Conference champion not even within arm’s reach of the NCAA Tournament bubble as things stand, one would think.
Despite bracketologists having Tech still pretty much on the bubble, the team has to get that out of their minds and focus on what is immediately ahead.
Another opportunity arrives on Wednesday in their pursuit of victory, taking on rival Virginia on Wednesday in Charlottesville.
But what realistic chance does this team have against a top-10 team that prides itself on its defense, taking on a typically hot-shooting team that has gone as cold as can be?
Here are the three ways the Hokies can put themselves in a position to pull off the upset on Wednesday.
Get Cattoor back
Is this it? Is this finally the moment Hunter Cattoor returns? The senior leader is Tech’s top perimeter defender and it’s elite shooter from three, and boy, have the Hokies missed him with his arm injury. That arm knock occurred in the Boston College game last month where the bad streak started. All signs point to this actually being the time he returns, though we’ve heard that story before. Coach Mike Young said Cattoor is set to return to face the Cavaliers.
“With the addition of Hunter and Rodney Rice, we’ve got more punch on the perimeter, and that’s only going to help us move along,” Young said.
If he is 100 percent ready to go, there are 10 crucial points per game that this team so desperately needs. Cattoor is a lifetime above-40 percent shooter from deep and has averaged a steal a game during his Tech career. Without him, there is little chance of winning. With him, this team is capable.
Keep chucking from three
The 3-point shooting has been far from superb, but it wasn’t always this way. In the first 10 games of the season, Tech had hit 14, 16, 10, 7 and 9 of them in different games. During this losing streak, only one have they hit more that six.
Sure, part of that is playing against better teams, especially better defenses, in the ACC. But it’s a dramatic decrease in conversion percentage. Tech is shooting 33 percent from three on the season, but in four of their last five games, the Hokies have shot under 29 percent, including just 15.8 percent against Syracuse last time out.
But now isn’t the time to give it up, despite some improved effectiveness inside the post. They need to keep taking those shots, perhaps trying to cut down on possession time and be mor aggressive from deep.
The shots will start falling at some point, and it may be when Cattoor gets back into a rhythm. That is when he will command more attention, opening up space for others.
Don’t think long-term, focus on the short-term
Tech started 0-4 in the ACC last season and was 2-7 at one point. But Young will be telling his team to not worry about records, to have fun, fight for each other and enjoy the journey. His team is far from polished, but they all know the potential is there.
Having the NCAA Tournament on their mind this early in this season isn’t healthy for their mindset and focus, and he’ll be telling this team to live in the moment and continue along the same path. The expectation is for things to start clicking, and many of these guys have shown just what happen when a team gets hot.
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