I still don’t know what was going on when Virginia and Virginia Tech met back on New Year’s Eve, for what became a 95-85 three-OT Hokies win.
The excuse that emerged from Ryan Odom afterward was, Chance Mallory was under the weather, and Odom decided to go for long stretches with a three-forward lineup with Devin Tillis as the third forward, alongside Thijs de Ridder and one or the other of the seven-footers, Johann Grunloh and Ugonna Onyenso.
In so doing, the ball got slowed down on offense – which is why the ‘Hoos shot 9-of-31 (29.0 percent) with seven turnovers in the first half, 13-of-28 with six turnovers in the second half, and then 2-of-12 in the third OT.
Problem with the official story being: Mallory played 32 minutes, and had 11 points and six boards.
Also, Mallory isn’t a starter, but Tillis did get the start that day – his only start of the season to date.
I’m wondering if Odom had meant to say that it was Sam Lewis who was sick – the Tech game is the only game this season that Lewis didn’t start, and though he got 24 minutes off the bench, Lewis didn’t score, missing all five of his shots from the floor.
That’s gotta be what it was.
ICYMI
- UVA Basketball: Hokies ride advantage at stripe to upset of #21 ‘Hoos
- UVA Basketball: Virginia Tech upsets #21 ‘Hoos in three OTs, 95-85
The somebody-was-sick excuse also doesn’t explain why Malik Thomas, who finished with 26 points in 29 minutes, subbed out with 3:04 left in regulation, with UVA up one, 51-50, then didn’t check back in until the 14-second mark of the second OT.
That’s 12:50 of game time without a guy who would be your leading scorer on the day.
By my math, Odom went with the three-forward lineup for 29 of the 55 minutes of that three-OT loss.
It was obvious pretty early on that the three-forward lineup wasn’t working, and yet, he stuck with it.
As long as Odom doesn’t coach himself into a corner in the rematch on Saturday, Virginia should be fine.
Analytics: Virginia Tech vs. UVA
Data: KenPom and CBB Analytics; rankings: among 365 D1 teams
Points per possession
Virginia offense: 1.218 PPP (33)
Virginia Tech defense: 1.033 PPP (64)
Virginia Tech offense: 1.169 PPP (66)
Virginia defense: 0.962 PPP (16)
Rebounds
Offensive-Virginia Tech: 31.0% (166)
Defensive-Virginia: 71.5% (86)
Offensive-Virginia: 38.2% (8)
Defensive-Virginia Tech: 67.3% (291)
Turnover rate
Virginia Tech offense: 14.9% (57)
Virginia defense: 15.8% (237)
Virginia offense: 15.9% (124)
Virginia Tech defense: 17.4% (130)
Shooting zones-Virginia offense vs. Virginia Tech defense
Virginia at the rim: 378/598, 63.2% (FGA/g: 107; FG%: 140)
Virginia paint 2s: 118/273, 43.2% (FGA/g: 266, FG%: 135)
Virginia mid-range: 42/98, 42.9% (FGA/g: 326, FG%: 29)
Virginia threes: 304/857, 35.5% (FGA/g: 24, FG%: 90)
Virginia FTs: 20.7 FTA/g, 71.3% (FTA/g: 173, FT%: 225)
Virginia Tech at the rim: 387/635, 60.9% (FGA/g: 310; FG%: 117)
Virginia Tech paint 2s: 132/285, 46.3% (FGA/g: 109, FG%: 310)
Virginia Tech mid-range: 78/186, 41.9% (FGA/g: 207, FG%: 325)
Virginia Tech threes: 219/724, 30.2% (FGA/g: 248, FG%: 22)
Virginia Tech FTs: 17.1 FTA/g (FTA/g: 41)
Shooting zones-Virginia Tech offense vs. Virginia defense
Virginia Tech at the rim: 378/598, 63.2% (FGA/g: 117; FG%: 235)
Virginia Tech paint 2s: 118/283, 41.7% (FGA/g: 249, FG%: 185)
Virginia Tech mid-range: 72/228, 31.6% (FGA/g: 97, FG%: 319)
Virginia Tech threes: 258/715, 36.1% (FGA/g: 151, FG%: 64)
Virginia Tech FTs: 20.6 FTA/g, 73.8% (FTA/g: 177, FT%: 143)
Virginia at the rim: 274/495, 55.4% (FGA/g: 89; FG%: 16)
Virginia paint 2s: 138/375, 36.8% (FGA/g: 305, FG%: 30)
Virginia mid-range: 87/244, 35.7% (FGA/g: 338, FG%: 147)
Virginia threes: 202/656, 30.8% (FGA/g: 127, FG%: 35)
Virginia FTs: 19.6 FTA/g (FTA/g: 134)
Virginia Tech rotation
- 6’8” junior Amani Hansberry: 14.4 ppg, 7.5 rebounds/g, 49.0% FG, 35.2% 3FG
- 5’11” sophomore Ben Hammond: 12.6 ppg, 3.2 assists/g, 43.8% FG, 43.5% 3FG
- 6’8” senior Tobi Lawal: 12.5 ppg, 8.5 rebounds/g, 53.9% FG, 22.7% 3FG
- 6’9” freshman Neoklis Avdalas: 12.4 ppg, 4.8 assists/g, 39/0% FG, 32.7% 3FG
- 6’4” senior Jailen Bedford: 11.1 ppg, 40.6% FG, 36.6% 3FG
- 6’5” sophomore Tyler Johnson: 8.4 ppg, 4.8 rebounds/g, 52.9% FG, 42.1% 3FG
- 6’5” junior Jaden Schutt: 7.7 ppg, 39.7% FG, 40.0% 3FG
- 6’10” freshman Christian Gurdak: 5.7 ppg, 4.3 rebounds/g, 65.6% FG
Virginia rotation
- 6’9” freshman Thijs de Ridder: 16.0 ppg, 6.2 rebounds/g, 51.8% FG, 34.1% 3FG
- 6’5” senior Malik Thomas: 11.9 ppg, 4.1 rebounds/g, 39.8% FG, 33.5% 3FG
- 6’6” junior Sam Lewis: 10.2 ppg, 3.5 rebounds/g, 44.7% FG, 36.7% 3FG
- 5’10” freshman Chance Mallory: 10.0 ppg, 3.9 rebounds/g, 3.5 assists/g, 44.4% FG, 35.1% 3FG
- 6’3” senior Jacari White: 9.0 ppg, 45.5% FG, 44.4% 3FG
- 7’0” freshman Johann Grunloh: 7.8 ppg, 5.5 rebounds/g, 2.4 blocks/g, 53.3% FG, 35.1% 3FG
- 6’4” senior Dallin Hall: 6.1 ppg, 4.2 assists/g, 42.4% FG, 34.5% 3FG
- 7’0” senior Ugonna Onyenso: 6.0 ppg, 4.9 rebounds/g, 2.6 blocks/g, 54.0% FG, 24.1% 3FG
- 6’7” senior Devin Tillis: 4.8 ppg, 40.6% FG, 37.9% 3FG
Game Details
Virginia Tech (19-11, 8-9 ACC, NET: 55) at Virginia (26-4, 14-3 ACC, NET: 13)
Day/Time: Saturday, noon ET
TV: The CW (Thom Brennaman & Brian Oliver)
Forecast
KenPom: Virginia 78-67
BartTorvik: Virginia 77-66
ESPN BPI: Virginia +11.4
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Chris Graham
