Will Vah.Tech ring the Liberty bell tonite???

By: bourbonstreet |

In the Association, this is called the proverbial “get-away-game” for Liberty (last game on the Road for a while). But n0t for VT. That’s the entire key here to me (as we must face Wake 2 days before Christmas), but Liberty is off until 28 December 2007 A.D.

So I fully expect the Liberty kids have some muted version of Bing’s all-time Christmas Song crooning though their heads tonite; as in some manner or another, the Flames ballers are departing late tonite or early tomorrow to be “…home for Christmas.” We/VT however are not (though this may be a real live factor for our Wake game). But tell us about Liberty b’street? Ok, here goes………Liberty is several things…….

  • A hot shooting team of late, as the Flames check in at over 51% from the Floor for their last 5 games.
  • An awful Windex team that is cleaning nobodies Glass, as the Flames are only pulling down 26 Rebounds over those same 5 games; and Liberty might very well be the least-great Board-work team we face all year. In fact, Liberty is 12th from last in Offensive Boards.
  • Liberty is a great 3 point defensive team, only allowing 25% of opponents shots to tickle the twine over their last 5 games, and only 29% on the year.

Liberty has 3 guys logging major, major minutes. As McLean, Smith, and Jenkins all check in north of 34 minutes per game (that’s McLean #21 on the right, Liberty’s best baller). So getting one of them in early-foul trouble would go a long way to stuffing the Flames stocking with lumps of O&M coal.

So, the Flames are pretty suspect in the Key, in both Rebounds and Blocks. as Liberty only really plays 2 Forwards who only combo for just under 13 Boards per game; while the whole entire team only gets 2 Swats in 40 minutes of play (we are 43rd in Blocks at over 5 a game). On top of that, we are a brilliant 32nd in Turnovers per game with basically a Rookie Backcourt. So I’m gonna gar-ron-tee this one. Like I have wvu games for years, like I did the first B.C. football game. VT is gonna win this one folks, as Liberty experiences a 9% FG% Margin swing against as the Visitor, while our Hokies benefit from a 9% increase in the same as the Host. Virginia Tech 67, Liberty 58. b’street