#126 R.P.I. Boston College @ #115 R.P.I. Virginia Tech: 

Virginia Tech men’s basketball returns home in search of a Coach Spock (see the pun?) style VastTly needed Tech Triumph @Home on Saturday at high-noon.

The Hokies now host highly middleocore looking at11 up and 12 down overall Boston College. The Flying Eagles are (.467) or 5-7 in Atlantic Coaching Conference play. Or so-so for 2019-2020 tied for 8th place in the A.c.c. Also tied for 8th place in the A.c.c. you ask? Well, how ’bout the team that has tallied precisely one win since mid-January? The caveat being, even as a (VT+7) seven-point home-standing favorite out on the Vegas big board, it is actually Boston College who has come correct, shook themselves and rallied to begin to press for post-season contention. Having gone a useful looking .5oo since the upset us— whereas we have gone a useless looking o for four over the same times pan. Nevertheless, you wanna know who is gonna win and by how much, right? So read on, to find… out!

Boston College Head Coach: James Patrick Christian: Age=54, 315–264 (.546) overall, and yet 73–111 (.397) at Boston College.
$1,140,225.oo, (lowest in the A.c.c.)

Baller Christian was born in Bethpage, New York. He was an all-state Guard at St. Dominic High School in nearby Oyster Bay. Following his prep career, Christian was recruited by current Louisville coach Rick Pitino (then) at Boston University where he played two seasons before transferring to the University of Rhode Island. Christian played his final two seasons under Tom Penders at the University of Rhode Island, where he helped the Rams reach the Sweet Sixteen of the 1988 NC2A Tournament. After earning his bachelor’s degree in consumer affairs from the University of Rhode Island in 1988, Christian spent one season playing professionally in the Australian Basketball Association for the Sydney City Comets.

After that Baller Christian became Coach Christian with numerous apprenticeship assistant coaching stops along the way, including: Western Kentucky, St. Francis (Pa.), W.K.U. (again), Miami (Oh.), Pitt, and Kent State; where he finally won his first job as a big whistle. Coach Christian had an impressive run of six seasons at 20 wins or more, five M.A.C. titles and six post-seasons. T.C.U. then came a calling and Coach Christian lead them to their first winning record in seven years and the N.I.T. After one year there he was off to a two-year hitch at Ohio U where he rang up 49 wins, one M.A.C. championship and two post-season bids in two years. Then Coach Christian climbed up Chestnut Hill and entered the big leagues of A.c.c. power conference play for the Eagles.

Coach Christian has won seven total conference crowns and has two mid-major Coach of the Year Awards to show for it. He is somewhat itinerant, or a modern-day Larry Brown with 10 coaching notches already carved in his resume` belt. Coach Christian teams come with a rep’ for lower scoring, tempo curtailing offense and defense alike. He is very friendly to the JuCo and/or transfer circuit finding/soliciting talent as and wherever he can.

On April 25, 2018, Christian signed a two-year contract extension to remain at Boston College through the 2021-22 season.

Daddy Christian and his wife, Patty, were married in the summer of 2005,
and have three children, MacKenzie, Zach, and Jay.

Bee.Cee. at a glance:

• 29th best in steals! (⇔, only 2-spots movement)
• (this space intentionally left… blank)
• 318th in FT-shooting!! (⇓, nearly 30 spots worse!)
• 322nd in FG-shooting!! (⇑, actually 12 spots better, and anything counts here).
• 328th in 3-point shooting! (⇔, only 4-spots movement)
• 336th worst in Rebounding Margin!!! (precisely the same; somehow? ⇔)
• 23 total National Rankings 201st or worse (with 5 of ’em 300th or worse!)
• 2-3 injuries listed | ‘pends who you asked… (Coach God up to triune-help).

Eagle Returning Starters=3

Boston College Strengths:

• Nik -no relation- Popovic, is a final year, 6′11″, 255 lb. P/F imported by way of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina as bucu Scrabble points are yours if you rock it from there. Even more bonus points for Nik’s new River Runs Through It comb-over look as that’s a pretty-boy Brad Pitt -esque (roaring) 1920’s hairstyle indeed. As hoops goes… Nik is dropping you 10.4 ppg with 5 rpg on 44.7% in and around the basket. That’s not half-bad; although the news is he is down across the board and when a big drop’s near ~14% on shooting; something is up. (more in a second…) As this is an actual rarified back-to-the-basket, strong-finishing, dunker of a Euro’ Four. Not a stretch-P/F or another Dirk. Nik does send back .6 shots in colligate terms although he lacks rang beyond ~15′ as his improved tho’ still below average 31.3% from downtown says. Although there is a history of foul-trouble at times in-play or DQ’ed, here. Ditto a history of dings-n-dent; and a history of meddling in FIBA and Serbian National Team Euro tourney terms. (UPDATE: Nik has a bad-back (may St.Siegfried bless). Nik has now missed 9-games and his status is unknown to ‘day-to-day’ depending upon whom you resource). (2nd UPDATE: Nik did surprise and suit-up and ball for a whopping 30 minutes and manufacture an oxidized looking or rustic 12 points on Wednesday night— good on Nik!) (newest UPDATE: Nik is finally shooting a bit better and seems to be just beginning to round back into form, ⇑)
• One #11, 6′3″, 195 lb. Derryck Thornton is a grad’-student transfer in his 5th year by way of Duke and more recently by way of U.s.c. West or the So.Cal Trojans. Derryck (now) leads the way in scoring at 13.1 ppg and that’s okay enuff. Although he has the look in feel of a B-side guy being asked to do too many things to me. His 39.9% overall and mere 24% deep speaks to this, as does the fact that he never averaged mo’ than 7.7 ppg prior to this. Even if he did start at the One as a nugget-year ball down at Duke— which does impress. d.Thor’ does find his way to 3.o rpg and he does lead the way in assistance with 3.6 apg while placing second in spg (1.2). This from the no.11 ranked kid in America according to Scout a handful of years ago who has at least lacked appointment if he has not outright disappointed thus far. As he has a rep’ of a guy who takes care of the ball and can score a bit. However, his career-high of 3.4 tpg (turnovers per game) just does not mesh with all of this and supports the notion of being asked to do too much too often all the more. (UPDATE: mixed overall though only fractional movements since we faced Derryck, ⇔)
  

  

• Washington D.C. escapee (Woodrow Wilson H.S.) Jay Heath is a 6′3″, 175 lb. off-G trapped in more of a One or a Pt.G’s body. He was the 32nd overall ranked S/G in the country per ESPN and he did enjoy a pretty good all-around set of Box Score metrics in Sr.Prom level terms. As Jay was basically all-everything you can name in all-Dee.Cee. listings and that’s typically a pretty strong talent needle to move historically. Where Jay crafted a pretty crafty looking: ‘versatile scoring and aggressive/hard-nosed’ defender rep’ on the playgrounds of the District. The only rap I could find was that he needs to sharpen his passing a bit. Tho’ the second-best 12.4 ppg on a team-best 38.1% from 3-point land when married to: 3.4 rpg, 2 apg, and 1.5 spg is not half-bad work if you can get it when you are only 18-games into your NC2A career. The 55.4% FT-shooting tells you who to foul late, tho’ this kid strikes me as being better than that. Making Heath an interesting ask-back come 2023; if not before. (UPDATE: this has been a kid on the come, upping his floor game mo’ than a little of late!) (2nd UPDATE: slight upticks across the board, ⇑)
• 6′4″, 2o3 lb. r-Sr., Jairus Hamilton started his freshman year of college ball at Jacksonville State University and then transferred to Georgia Southern for his sophomore year before joining his brother Jarius with the Eagles last year. I suppose this is a better look for the typical flag of three schools in three years; although it is still three schools in three years no matter how purely chicken you slice it. BeeCee’s j.Ham gets you: 9.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, .6 swipes and he has nearly doubled his 3-point shooting from last year now up to 27.6% from downtown. Now mix in the team lead at 82.8% on 15′ set shots with 10-unguarded-seconds to shoot and you have a rather improved baller on your hands. Although when you read his box score output metrics, and see that Hamilton yo-yo’s like the Smothers Brothers routine between mid-range single-digits and all the way up to mid-range double-digits. And when you see this you see that you have a very inconsistent player on your hands as well. That said Jairus is a Koufax (i.e. a lefty) and that unorthodox approach helps him check peeps on D. He has hit the weight room and added over 15 lbs. of right mass since before college number one. So at least he ain’t afraid of reps/work. He has had some left forearm/elbow issues and that’s even worse for the southpaw here (may St.Amelia bless). (UPDATE: hommie is now listed as: “QUESTIONABLE” with a turned-ankle that has cost him his last two games; may St.Phillip bless) (UPDATE: Jay is rebounding better tho’ everything is in retreat, nearly a bearish regression shooting wise, ⇓)

Boston College Weaknesses:

• Only two guys kicked rocks; although they (Bowman & Chatman) were the top-2 talents here. Gone with them are 35 ppg and 12 rpg as well. And Bowman was legit.
• Wynston Tabbs is/was a 6′2″, 194 lb., sophomoric off or Lead-G who has been really dented since he got to the lowercase parquet floor. A good prospect here to be sure, and a pretty clutch one with a history both scholastically and collegiately of late-game-heroics. NTTAWWT.  However, that was one unfortunate left-knee surgery ago (may St.Nikhon bless). As this Wynston went Churchill in his mere 15 nugget year games and knocked down 15 ppg, on 44% overall with 4 rpg, 3 dimes, and a swipe. Which makes you wonder where a healthy Wynston would be and where Boston College would be with him being healthy in addition to that? As Rivals had him as high as 150th best in all the land and yet this Eagle has not yet landed… at least not in full form so far. Godspeed. As the tag read: “excellent scoring potential” and the only nag was a need to ‘lengthen shooting-range.’ (UPDATE: newer listings now suggest BeeCee won’t be keeping tabbs on Wynston until next year; Godspeed!)
•  6′5″, 19o lb., rookie year Julian Rishwain is a long good-looking Shooting-G prospect all the way from the City of Angels or Lakerland out on the left-coast. He is said to have an excellent shooting range and a high hoops I.Q. And the next time any roundball team does not need/enjoy that will be the, first. Julia did/does need to add strength. As this kid was a pretty dang productive shooting-scorer out at well-fabled Sherman Oaks High School just last year. (UPDATE: Leg-injury, status=UNKNOWN, St.Nikhon bless). Likewise, also unknown is the status of Jullian’s: 4.1 ppg, on 34.4% long and his couple of boards on top of that. (UPDATE: Jullian is back; now, though his shooting is still a bit gimpy or outright in regression, ⇓)
• The vibes say BeeCee lacks a so-called: ‘go to’ baller sans Ky Boman by-the-bye.
• There are cyber whispers that this hoops club: “has the flu”; Coach God Bless on dat.

Flying Eagle Bench: (depth=6, now more like 3 to 4 injury-wise)

Jr. season Steffon Mitchell, at 6′8″, 220 lbs. is the real Minnesota native workhorse here as one or two other guys play token or match-up minutes whereas Steffon nearly goes for starting stat sheet time in relief. As Steffon (great name) was basically a Florida High School human double-double machine who could and still can, defend. Right now, Stef’ is at: 6.7 ppg, on a team-leading 8.5 rpg with 2.8 apg, 2.4 spg, and 1 swats; and that is doing a lotta little to medium things big on right. And if Mitch’s offensive game ever evolves (42.2% from the floor with 22.9% from 3-point-land and 51.9% FT’s), he’s prolly an overseas pro’ just for his defensive acumen. As he’s a stretched version of our very own Hill sans the reticent offensive output as-is. (UPDATE: this is one of the ones said to be bitten by the flu’ bug; Godspeed!) (UPDATE: modest retreat on most offensive markers are the story; here, ⇓)

6′7″, 230 lb. CJ Felder is a Baltic Ave. man’s kinda lean(er) looking Ben Wallace and his rack-attacking game tends to reflect this as well. Ben, I mean CeeJay, nets you 6 hard-fought, hard-won ppg and 4.2 rpg in frontcourt subbing. Felder missed a lotta high school time (injuries/God Bless) and this may have capped his P/F ranking at 45th best in the USofA overall. The book here says that Felder is a surprisingly good face-up Offender who athletically runs the floor well in spite of his at least partial defensive reputation. As the shooting will likely rise (40.3% from the floor) as worker-bees typically drone on and on and on at practice just like dat long-term. (UPDATE: mixed with movements elevating both up and down, ⇔)

Illation, conclusion(s) and OPT digits:

Number of Eagles who could nest @Tech=5.

the takeaway:
The takeaway here is… well, according to my 36 hours of calc’ and stats over in McBryde Hall, ESPN now has us pegged as being ~14% mo’ likely to beat BeeCee @home inside our very own Cassell Coliseum than we were up @BeeCee before.

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The only caveat being… we sprained both ankles looking for what climbers colloquially call a: “line of weakness” during our last got eaten by Yeti ascent up Chestnut Hill.

^that^ and for the first time in our now way too rapidly expanding -though not preseason unexpected- 9 L’s on the season…  well, honestly, I thought we looked weak last time out.

Even weaker than when we got too much Maui in our Wowie and basically forgot to show up for Dayton and/or B.y.u. or each.

As our recent visit to the ATL looked like total weak-sauce upon breaking tape.

And as we know it is NOT injuries or illness, it makes and therefore leaves me wondering out loud if it is (now) indeed something more than:

1. our Young(er) scholastic legs have finally hit the collegiate long-range shooting wall?
2. our Young(er) minds have not figured Atlantic Coast Constant efforting out.
3. there is (now) too much tape out there on Young’s misfit inherited parts. (i.e. we have been figured-out by our opponents’)
4. we just do not generate many easy baskets in this set and he who lives by the 3-point sword shall (robert) Parrish by the same. PROPS @HokieHeel09!!! (plus we are merely 310th in o-rpg as Heel’s take correctly identified).
5. other?

Because, methinks although any and all of ^that^ is prolly right to some degree or another, I am left wondering if this is something ‘other’ in addition to all of ^that^.

As this is indeed what playing .167 basketball since the middle of last month tastes like.

 ***

     Our handy-dandy friend the so-called Forum Guide of Graham Houston fame is calling for a now somewhat cut down to size -although still utopian looking- 32-point Fighting Gobbler VicTory on Saturday. However, when taken in only inclusive to 25 January 2020 A.D. terms? It is calling for a triskaidekaphobic game or a 13-point VomiT for ~3 PM Saturday!

The annualized year-to-date vitals say that… V.Tech is up almost 4% in shooting percentage margin (¾ of which was courtesy of  O); V.Tech is up 7% in 3-point percentage margin (almost all on O); and highly unusually enough, V.Tech is up +5 in rebounding margin; (only because BeeCee is even more negative in rebounding margin than V.P.I. is for the duration). (UPDATE white-board: these shooting metrics were cut nearly in ½ for the season in just 12 days time!!! Wowza!)

The most recent 5-game metrics say that… the Eagles are now up a staggering near +9% in shooting percentage margin (per the Hokies slumping on both ends; although worse on D); the Flying Eagles are now up a numbing +12% in 3-point percentage margin (with close to 10% of that being from superior 3-point BeeCee D); and neither team up a |absolute-value| tied –5 caroms apiece in Windex work. (UPDATE pasty-board: double Wowza! As my-oh-my how the statistical tables have turned in the last fortnight of play!)

V.Tech is up +4% at the charity stripe for the year.
V.Tech is a modest +1 in R&R and in their own T.G.I.F. beds.
V.Tech is a .769 host; whereas BeeCee is .375 as a guest in your house.

1. Boston College just won @U.n.c. for the first time in over a decade and they led Duke by 7-points late before freezing out on O.
2. Beginning with a 56-61 L to the Eagles on the road Jan. 25, the Hokies have averaged just 59.3 ppg during their ill-timed slide!
3. Landers Nolley II leads the Hokies in scoring with 17.2 points per contest, yet he’s only averaging 13.3 ppg on 35.5% shooting during the L’ing streak.
4. Hokies freshman G Jalen Cone leads the A.c.c. in 3-point percentage (52.4%), yet he is 1-of-6 from long range over the last three games.
5. t-Freshman Tyrece Radford has picked up some of the slack and is averaging 17.3 points while making 22-of-31 shots over his last three games. Radford leads the Hokies in rebounding (6.3).
6. Virginia Tech has won 5 of the last 6 here. Although the Fighting Gobblers only enjoy one home W in the last month.

The Call…

No.147 Net Ranking Boston College @ no.71 Net Ranking Virginia Tech:

So, right now and after updating -and then re-crunching- the last 5-games numbers; twice… I would not care to say these are my pet and proverbial: “two ships passing in the night.”

As one ship (the O&M one) is passing a lotta H20 right about now.

Further, although not sure I’d say the U.s.s. Young is aging out and 2020 sinking as I type— nevertheless, it is surely beginning to list: “to port”.

As there is no longer any denying that something is up down in the chilly mid-Winter New River Valley.

–oOo–

Ergo, therefore, to Whitt… I really was gonna pick us to get well soon @Home. A little home-cooking, a little homesteading, 702-miles worth of Boston College sledding and some bad O&M juju shedding.

Right?

Well, what part of ‘right’ did you see down @Gah.Tech last time out?

Yah; me three on me neither as my trust quotient is way way down right about now.

p.s. for clarity… Eye am NOT typing that methinks BeeCee is better, consider the mathematics of my confidence interval for this upsetting pick. I am however typing that I know
I can not trust VeeTee right now.

And to borrow a sources’ word: something has:
“disconnected” here.

🏀🦅🏀

(49% confidence interval)
Virginia Tech=7o, Boston College=73

“LETS GO!”

“Hokies!”

 bourbonstreet**