Virginia Tech Alabama State Emerald Coast Classic preview

#257 R.P.I. Alabama State @ #2oo R.P.I. Virginia Tech:

 

The Alabama State some-kinda-stinging-insects, fresh off  of an illustrious silver-medal or runner-up 19 up and 10 down  Southwestern Athletic Conference season, may be a bit more than you think.

The king bee?
The king bee?

Or maybe not.

As I wanna say this logo looks like a Hornet, as the Hornets were ranked 1st place pre-season in the S.W.A.C. by Lindy’s and Alabama State may just deploy the best Pt.Guard we will see during our out-of-conference portion of our 2015-2016 regular season docket.

Yes, Coach Buzz prolly does have more talent in his top-7 this year than last. Just ask swingman Chris Clark and Maryland transfer 13.4 ppg (points per game) Pt.Guard Seth Allen about that. No, he still does not have much of a frontcourt unless the Kerry Blackshear Junior  kid can truly impress; though he does finally have some measure of size down in the key.

So are we/Virginia Tech better.
Yes.
Do we deny this?
No.

What however is our positive or talent:victory conversion rate? R.A.T.T. how far north are we from a pretty lowly 11 win 2014-2015 debut Buzz campaign?

Alabama State at a glance:

  • nobody on the roster >6’9” or >237 lbs.
  • 31st in Rebounding Margin +5.6 rpg!
  • 58th in scoring O last year (72.1 ppg)
  • 3o5th in FT percentage (65%)

Returning Starters=2 (Waters and Brown)

Strengths:

  • 1st-team all-S.W.A.C.  #12 Jamel Waters, a 5’9” 161 lb. Sr. One, returns for his final year to run what was statistically the best offense in the conference. This jitterbug Pt.Guard averaged 14 points (sixth in the S.W.A.C.), 3.8 boards and 5.2 assists (second best in the S.W.A.C.) last year and 2 steals. Seams to up his game in the bright-lights and seems to enjoy bow-ties. ‘mel also won the Quad-A Alabama State champ’ in high school. Likewise being tabbed the Best Defender in the S.W.A.C. by Lindy’s pre-season mag’.

    this kid CAN ball ... can the rest?
    this kid CAN ball … can the rest?
  • Bobby Brown, no not that Bobby Brown, this Bobby Brown is a 6’6” 195 lb. final year swing that is a 9 ppg and 5 rpg returnee. Prolly the best pure shot-blocker per his elongated wingspan and Stretch Armstrong shot swatting arms.
  • 6’1′ 159 lb. bantamweight Soph. G, Steve Rogers: rated the top marksman in the whole S.W.A.C. by a couple of pre-season mag’s. 46% from beyond the arc does not suck. Freshman of the year last season in the S.W.A.C. as his range is basically the gym, if he’s in it, he’s open. Blowtorch type scorer when hot from distance.

Weaknesses:

  • 2nd and 3rd best scorers are gone; as are the top-2 rebounders from last year.
  • last years team was barely adequate on the inside and hit hard by frontcourt injuries last season. 3 JuCo’s have been added to try to sure-up the Hornets paint, however that remains to be seen.
  • 6’9” 237 lb. senior Pivot and South Carolina transfer Robert Ojeah does have some nasty down low. This Nigerian is physical and does appear wiling enough; if healthy, as a career hobbled back-up goes. Although does he have any help in the key?
  • Not a ton of pure P.T. (playing time) or returning minutes worth of experience here. Some green wood on this State fire.

Bench: ( depth=3 to 5, ‘pends how early all of these JuCo frontcourter’s contribute)

bama state match ups

Buy or Sell: ............... Buzz has just enough to get into some kinda post-season next March?

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Illation, conclusion (s) and OPT digits:

the takeaway:
The takeaway here is… I’ma little bit surprised to see Lindy’s and all the pre-season mags picking Alabama State this high –after departing 6 seniors off of lasts years pretty good, though not exactly world beating squad. Yes, State has been to the big dance 2 more times than Virginia Tech has in the last 6 seasons and yes they did go to the C.B.I. last campaign.

However, maybe this has more to do with the Southwestern Athletic Conference, and less to to with Alabama State itself? Because if this State club is this good; I’m not seeing it.

157-156, career
157-156, career

As beyond the Pt.Guard (Jamel Waters) I did not see much of anyone who could contribute at Virginia Tech right now. Maybe the Brown or Rogers kids could be in the rotation or at the end of the O&M bench.

Now that being said Waters is pretty dang tight, hell, he might could start for us. However, we really only have one guy to stop and he’s a little guy at that on a smaller team overall and in particular near the hoop.

 ***

So, in other words, yah; I do expect and predict Virginia Tech will win here. State seems to like to push the tempo and that may elevate the game total here a bit. Though to me, it does not look like these Hornets have enough down-low to sting the Hokies on the inside and pull the major major upset.

State may hang around for a bit, although I do like Buzz to turn out their lights and run away and hide sometime after 8pm, give or take. As ‘bama State just does not have the numbers nor the size to keep Atlantic Coast pace.

(89% confidence interval)


Virginia Tech
=79, Alabama State=53

LETS GO!

Hokies!

 bourbonstreet**

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