The Opponent
No. 8 UVa (11-2, 7-0 ACC) at No. 20 Virginia Tech (12-3, 6-2)
6 p.m., ACC Network
The Cavaliers will look to run their win streak to eight games and remain unbeaten in ACC play when they travel to Blacksburg tomorrow night. This weekend’s meeting is the first between UVa and Virginia Tech this season after the previously-scheduled meeting in Charlottesville was postponed.
While UVa sits atop the ACC standings, the Hokies aren’t too far behind. Tech is 6-2 in ACC play, currently third behind the Cavaliers and Florida State (6-1). The Hokies have been one of the league’s surprise teams, starting off with a 4-0 record including an upset win over Villanova, and eventually moving to 8-1 on the season, and then 11-2. Tech doesn’t have the most impressive collection of ACC wins, the best of which is Duke or Clemson, but has yet to lose an ACC game at home.
The series between UVa and Virginia Tech has gone between being lopsided and competitive over the past decade, with the Wahoos usually getting the better of their in-state rival.
Last season, Virginia dismantled Tech at JPJ before a Kihei Clark jumper in the final seconds put the Cavaliers over the top in their most-recent trip to Blacksburg.
The Numbers
The Hokies rank 40th in KenPom heading into Saturday’s contest and are a Top-100 team on both ends of the floor. On offense, they rank 57th nationally in efficiency and have a balanced attack, with 42 percent of their points coming on made 3-pointers. They are making nearly 34 percent of their tries from beyond the arc so far this season. Tech shoots the ball well around the rim as well, making 52 percent of its two-pointers, which ranks 82nd nationally.
The Hokies aren’t elite in any offensive categories but they are solidly above average in nearly every area. They don’t turn the ball over much and do a nice job on the offensive glass. The one area that needs to improve is their free-throw shooting, where they rank 205th nationally with a 69.2 percent average.
On defense, the Hokies rank 33rd and use a lot of the same principles that the Cavaliers use on that end of the floor. Tech opponents are shooting 47.9 percent on two-pointers and 31.8 percent from deep. The Hokies don’t turn opponents over much, because like Virginia’s pack-line, the defense isn’t designed to do that. They do a nice job preventing offensive rebounds and a high percentage of points scored against their defense come on plays with an assist.
