#26o R.P.I. Alabama A&M @ #262 R.P.I. Virginia Tech:

Are we so bad that Alabama A&M might, could, actually … I believe it’s spelled: win?

Before you LOL and spew your favorite beverage all over your monitor, i-pad or tricked up phone, ask Radford and Appalachian State how that one tastes.

I affirm and avow that I saw real live improvements from this 2014-2015 men’s hoops basketball squad after Joey and Smitty went to the bench. I thought the spacing was better, and I thought this team could Yin-Yang off of a Joey first or an inside—>out policy. Or maybe even outside—>in when our 3-pointer’s were falling. Stretch the floor if you will in either direction … and maybe even serially flirt with being average if both the in’s and the out’s are clicking.

I likewise affirm and avow that I have no idea what I saw, now. Allow me to seek the mother-ship, “…speak bocce” to the barking-dog down the street and go outside and ask the nearest 5 outta 4 tree-dentists what I saw.

As after what I just saw vs. a lowly Radford squad, who had never ever beaten an Atlantic Coast Conference team in the history of history itself, I can no longer be sure, no more gar-ron-damn-tee’s, no more nothing! From the looks of the real-time R.P.I. index, we may not be the fave here, even if this is an OFF basketball game as the Vegas big-board betting line goes. I’ma pretty sure I’ma gonna pick Tech to win; although I am likewise pretty sure that this is gonna be a long season, indeed.

Alabama A&M at a glance:

• 346th in scoring (49 ppg)
• 343rd in FT percentage (57.9%)
• 334th in Turnover Margin (-4.8)
• 330th in 3-point shooting (26.3%)
• 329th in FG shooting overall (37.3%)
• 319th in defensive rebounding
• 190th in FG percentage defense allowed (42.6%) a&m’s HIGHEST ranking!!!
• no injuries reported

Alabama a&m Backcourt: (returning starters=ZERO)
(5 foot 8 inch 160lb. senior lead-Guard Jeremey Cruther -the would be lone returning starter on the team- is no where to be found. At least no where that Google could find. He does not appear to be injured or suspended. Nor does he appear to be playing much less even on the team. That’s 12.2. ppg that a low scoring a&m team surely would industrialize; if they only could. As he is listed in all of my preview mag’s and yet in no on-line roster. He is said to be doing basketball camps right now; just not for Alabama a&m; and Google confirms he has been suspended before, for “melee” involvement)

Ladarius Tabb: 6’5” 190 lb. lead-G who is almost hedging his Three bet as a Smallest/Forward in this 3-Guard a&m offensive set. Shelton State Community College transfer that S.S.C.C. prolly wishes they had back. S/F lead-guard ‘tweener who is leading a&m in scoring at 12.2 points per game (ppg) and is second in board work at 6.2 rebounds per game (rpg). Ladarius also leads the Bulldogs in steals at 1.2 steals per game (spg) and he has some range on his J at 37%. More parts perimeter player who is comfortable on the edge and less parts slasher. This is the one kid who could prolly come in off of Buzz’s bench.

Justin Colvin: 6’3” 190 lb. junior season Guard who gets you 4.7 ppg and about 1 straight across at everything else. Not a lot to see here beyond some defensive acumen. Which is odd considering his ‘bama and Georgia offers outta high school; as every pre-season mag I gots hinted he could be something of a breakout backcourt player this year. And Clovin is another guy comfy with life out on the perimeter with only 6 FTA’s this year.

Rakiya Battle: 5’10” 180 lb. second season point-G who is the closest thing to a pure One that coach Willie Hayes deploys. Battle is third in scoring at 5.5 ppg, yes, that’s not a typo, he is third in scoring at 5.5. ppg. Battle is first in assists per game with 4 apg, and he is 67% from downtown, albeit it only 3 three-point attempts. Rakiya will at least foray to the hoop, and the book on him says he is the fastest guy on the team.

Bulldog Frontcourt: (starters back=ZIP)
Nicholas West: 6’10” third year rail thin 188 lb. Power-Forward, with a short circuiting on  the voltage. A second best 11.5 ppg and a team leading 6.7 boards and a likewise leading 1.2 blocks per contest. Making him the only Bulldog shot-blocking threat, as the second best guy only has .4 swats! This from a Four who only shoots 37% on the season and who’s bio’ page is so thin, it has the look and feel of a guy who was not expected to play; at least not right away.

Michael Hutchins: 6’6” 2o5-lb swing who just broke into the starting line-up and has the substitute looking numbers to prove it. 2.5 ppg and 2.8 rpg are not what you want from your substitute S/F, much less from your starting Three. Hutch’ does have some depth to his shot at 33% for the year from 3-point land, and yet a very pedestrian 40% from the floor.

A&M Bench: (depth=2 and change)
Tyler Davis: 6’2” 180 lb. combo-G, junior year guy who did start a few games last year and at least was a state champ’ in high school. Ty’ has the look and build of a footballer, maybe someone’s Fs or something like that. Broad shoulder, which are good for football framing. That said, when you net 4.o ppg on a lowly 28% overall and a miserable looking 16% from beyond the arc, back to the bench you typically go. This however is a pretty smart looking kid as his bio’ says he is pretty close to completing his B.S. in electrical-engineering. Somewhere Randolph Hall is smiling, no word year on Dr. Jasmin of electrical theory fame.

Adrian Edwards: 6’4” 195 lb. shooting-G in his sophomore year who is giving you 2.8 ppg and 1.5 boards in relief. Does offer some defense and he will block a shot here and there. Zero for life in college as a 3-pont shooter, so I’d have to say you can sag off of this guy a bit.

Illation, conclusion (s) and OPT digits:
The Bulldogs finished only two games below .5oo at 14-16 overall, 10-8 in conference, and made it to the South West Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals last season. That’s not half bad work from a historically very bad basketball program; if you can get it.

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And when you are coming off one of the worst team shooting performances in S.W.A.C. history, you take what you can get.

 Or in other words, I know we really should beat Alabama A&M, same as when we hosted Appalachian State and Radford, and we all know how that went, alike.

So I did a little extra research, to attempt to lend some statistical backing to this preview in an effort to mollify Radford and Ap.State. So here goes … Alabama A&M has not won on the road in years, at least as seasons go, plural. As they currently have not won a roadie in .81 years! Alabama a&m has broken 61 points once this year. Alabama a&m averages 51 as the visitor on 33% and 28% shooting respectively. Alabama A&M is being out-rebounded by 13.2 in your house.

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And yet, I’ll go ahead and confess, I’m feeling a little snake-bit right now, all the more so with this 2014-2015 Virginia Tech men’s hoops incarnation mired right in the middle of Fall Semester 2014 final-exams. As this one surely has the look and feel of a sleepy post football Bowl delay venue, and likewise an off-court VT.edu focused basketball squad.

Nothing very motivating here sports fans, and nothing very motivating is what I expect you will get.  Although I did slice my confidence interval open by about 10-15%, just in case….

(75% confidence interval)
Virginia Tech=72, Alabama a&m =44

“LETS GO!”

“Hokies!”