#16 R.P.I. Virginia Tech @ #241 R.P.I. Boston College:
Virginia Tech men’s basketball IS butter!
The Hokies are on a Major Williams, roll! Or, at least on a very tasty Owens Dining Hall freshly minted, croissant kinda way. As this team is playing pretty dang tight on O. Playing better (or is it: harder) on D and off the ‘glass since we took our single shot, L. Now Boston College takes their homecourt shot at us. The F’n Eagles check in at a very pedestrian looking: 6 up against 6 down or basically code for 13th place in the A.c.c. race of 15. .5oo could be their (remaining) 2o22 apex here; as these Eagles have had their hooping wings clipped a bit of late, (mo’: below). Nevertheless, what you wanna know is… who is gonna win and by how much, rights? So, read on… to finds, out!
Boston College Head Coach: Earl Grant: Age=,146–115 (.559) overall, and 19–26 (.422) @BeeCee. Has a rep’ for: music… wait… and, well… I’m not sure? A stall-ball pace?
(His bio’s prior to the B.C. posting say: defensive rep’).
$1,500,000.oo (with: $437,500 per annum, and a $225,000 buyout)
Pianist, who rose to some ebony & ivory acclaim back in the late 1950’s up through the late 1960s… The Ed Sullivan Show reg’… and… wait a damn egg-nogged minute b.street?!?
Baller Grant was/is a native of North Charleston, South Carolina, where Grant attended R.B. Stall High School.
A former student-athlete, jock’ Grant played two years at the NCAA Division II level at Georgia College in Milledgeville, Ga. He led the school to two appearances in the NCAA Tournament and to consecutive Peach Belt Conference Championships (1999 and 2ooo). In 2ooo, the Bobcats advanced all the way to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division II national tournament. He was named an All-Peach Belt First Team selection in 2ooo.
Shows he rides clutch, don’t it?
Big Whistle Grant began his coaching career as an assistant at The Citadel under Pat Dennis from 2oo2 to 2oo4. Gregg Marshall hired Grant as an assistant at Winthrop University in 2oo4, and when Marshall left to take the head coaching gig at Wichita State in 2oo7, he brought Grant along with him. Grant was hired as an assistant at Clemson in 2o1o, serving under Brad Brownell.
On September 2, 2o14, Grant was hired as the head coach of the College of Charleston, replacing Doug Wojcik. Where Coach G spotted two so-so-seasons, three near-stellar seasons, and then three mo’ so-so-seasons. Hard guy to super-peg for it, like the old high school gymnasium climbing board over on the side, way way back when. Tho’ he did make the post-season twice for Charleston too.
Championships: C.A.A. regular season (2o18) and the C.A.A. Tournament (2o18).
Awards: C.A.A. Coach of the Year (2o17).
Pretty much the neverwasbeen celtic’s attempted Prybar of their very own.
Hard to say here either way… could be a good hire?
Could be a: Bridge Too… Far?
⏳=tell…
Official Title: The Clement and Elizabeth Izzi Family Head Men’s Basketball Coach… whatever that means?
Grant.edu earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Georgia College in 2ooo. Daddy Earl and his wife, Jacci, a 2oo1 College of Charleston graduate who received her degree in elementary education.
They have three sons: Trey (13), Eyzaiah (12), and Elonzo (9).
God (thrice) Bless!
Boston College at a glance:
- 89th best in Swats/game.
- 311th best in 3-point percentage D allowed!
- 329th best in Effective FG percentage O!!
- 331st highest in Scoring O!!!
- 332nd tightest in Assist:Turnover Ratio!!! (VeeTee is 6th best F.Y.I.)
- 35oth best in 3-point percentage O!!!
Returning Starters=4!
Boston College Strengths:
- (In theory: my preview mag’s all ratify that Coach Earl has an experienced backcourt and some perimeter continuity available this time for the first BeeCee time, ever. Such should theoretically help.)
- The (former) leading scorer, leading assistor, and leading stealer alike would be one double #1, Makai Ashton-Langford. Makai is a 6′3″, 18o lb., One, who is really prolly mo’ parts Lead-G that pure orange-ball Qb1. He has also been dinged up all year so far; Godspeed on that. He was also BeeCee’s only returning starter last season as well. So, systemic experience he surely gots. Tho’ Makai is down/off a bit thus far this year: per his: 1o.3 ppg with 2.1 apg on 3.o rpg and 1.4 spg is decent if not useful all-’round stuff. (Pardon the hoopy pun). The BeeCee Roster says he has cut a whopping 2o lbs., down to ≈18o since transferring over from Providence College. And yet he (somehow) found 1″ in height since we saw him last. LOL, go fig’ there? Someone unplugged his deep… Friar, indeed. 18 ppg along the High School way… where Ashton Attended Brewster Academy in 2o16-17, helping to guide the team to a 33-o mark and the National Prep School Championship. That counts. So did Langford’s Attended Cushing Academy run in 2o15-16, averaging 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists per game as he helped his team win the AA New England Prep School Championship. As M.A-L was merely a consensus Top-5o rated recruit as a prep— peaking at 33rd per Scout. I’d say that count as well, as well as I would say mo’ was counted on here (by both schools). Does have a history of trick knee(s), (St.Nikon bless) which have expensed him a handful of games or so per season(s) thus far. He did get his BeeCee degree; so .edu props on Graduate Year dats. Has run hot-n-cold the whole time for it; or up then down then back up. Is willing, and does get to the rack, tho’ his range is a tad limited at 30% deep, now down 16 icy percent this season. As Mr. Ashton-Langford is more of a mid-20s 3-point percentage caliber gunner career-wise so far. Does keeps a long-azz burnt orange twist-top, so there is that as well. A solid baller, with a very fringe overseas backup kinda potential who has prolly found his collegiate level. (UPDATE: …very chilly shooter of late, snowbank slumped if you will).
- 6′5″, 22o lb., Junior year, DeMarr Langford Jr., is another guy on the ’22 drop. Even if his bench is on the incline as he has found a 10-lb. plate of right-mass this off-season. As he was BeeCee’s 2nd-best scorer last year. This year DeMarr is down to: 7 ppg with 2.2 rpg and his 1.4 apg are what you Off-G gets here. 247Sports 94th hommie outta high school. McDonald’s All-American, and the younger bro’ of the above/aforementioned Langford. Likes to flex his not-really-bulky muscles; a lot. Knifey penetrator who takes contact well; is stronger than he looks, and looks older than he is. Clearly, shooting does not run in the family, at a lowly 9.1% on dialing long-distance, 58.5% from the charity stripe, and at just north of 40.6% overall would aver, connote, and posit. Also made the Brewster National Bling a family affair. So, that is a checkmark in the family dinner icebox. Lindy’s says this Wing is good off-the-dribble and a solid lockdown defender. I would not be inclined to dispute that… needs to add depth to his O-face or offensive game, however. An average Wing, kinda not a great or a bad Wing, (boneless or not).
- Double-Soph’ or redux year Jaeden Zackery is a Pt.Guard. Who checks in at: 6′2″, 215 lb., and finds his way to a new team-pacing: 11.3 ppg with 3.3 rpg and 2.o apg as your quasi-first option on O here. None of which is all dat and a ‘snap’, less his range itself. As this kid can flat-out shoot the damn rock. His range is the gym. If he is in it? He is open. Nearly 20% better than ANYONE else is on the 3-ball. Or, at least he was, as Jaeden is now down to a very middleocore looking 30% on his 3’s this year. Which does not technically suck. And yet neither does being a 2o2o-21 Third Team NJCAA All-American out of Chipola College. Wherever/whatever that means… that is supposed to mean he is a decent small-school pick-me-up hand-me-down get. Supposed to be a 3-n-D One; in a very crowded One-through-One-through-Wing 3-Guard BeeCee backcourt. Tho’ the on-trend: 1.83:1 assist/turnover ratio and a 1.20 steal/turnover ratio say this is a pretty handy guy as handles go as well. As he does lead BeeCee in swipes with 1.5 spg. Does have a near lowercase fullback build from football, a pretty strong northward or penetrating guy when he wants it for all his legwork. Did southern hemisphere impress upon breaking tape here. Not a soft touch on the outside. Kinda a very light-complected less bulky Mitch Richmond Lyte. Tho’ +1 for the Jersey Shore blow-out afro’ look. That takes the triple-double pre-game mirror, time.
Boston College Weaknesses:
- Well, for starters, BeeCee lacks playable or pliable depth.
- BeeCee also enjoys zero, that’s (o) pre-season A.c.c. Honorees in any of my mag’s for anythang. And that typically tracks rather power conference poorly, indeed.
- Health; or, lack thereof. As BeeCee is not running at full strength. (Mo’: down below…)
- One #12, Upperclassman (with unused cv19 year) Mississippi State Bulldog transfer: Quinten Post, is OUT. As this poor Post sustained a key foot injury (St.Servatius bless), and he is expected to miss four to six weeks. Also expected to miss 4-6 weeks would be his: 7′, 25o thickly lbs. As Amstel Lyte this just, ain’t. As this is a big boy by way of: Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Q’ is said to be a versatile player with a legit inside/outside game and some credible 3-point range (34.4%). Has FIBA experience, and has 1 mo’ Dutch National Championship bling than you and I do combined too. Academic Honor Roll member; props on that. Has Germanic H.S. experience as well— where his scoring got him internationally hoopology radar scope noticed. Does have 3-years of eligibility remaining, this after 10 points and nearly 6 boards last year down in Starkville. This is a pretty big subtraction for BeeCee down-low folks. Interesting kid… worth a 2o23-2o24 ask back too.
- Also truly hurting would be: Donald Hand. As Mr. Hand Jr. will miss the rest of the 2o22-23 season with a torn A.c.l. Yikes and St.Culbreth bless. Also missing the season would be his: Virginia Beach, Va., escapee 6′5″, 195 lbs. worth of S/G or Two. As Don’ was merely named the 2o22 Virginia Class 6 Player of the Year after a high-scoring (26 ppg) senior scholastic season. His old man: (Donald Sr.) was only a three-year captain at virginia from 1997 to 1999 and only averaged nearly 13 points per game for his career. So, the basketball Genome Project projects swell enough here. Top-5 consensus in-state Commonwealth baller. 247’s 141st baller overall and something of an out-of-state recruiting coup for BeeCee. Said to be a combo-G who can score at all three levels (inside, midrange, outside) alike. Good handles, textbook shooting form; (was averaging over 5 ppg early this year)— as this too is hurtful subtraction for depleted BeeCee to 2o23 add-up.
F‘n Eagle nest: (depth=1 or 2, tho’ who starts/subs do match-up vary)
(true) final-year T.J. Bickerstaff: P/F, at: 6′9″, 22o lbs. No (coaching the verb) nepotistic relation that Eye could find? Until I went a generation deeper… ‘aye’, his old man’s old-man is coach Bernie of Supersonics fame! How can we be that old, now?!? This grand-sonny Bickerstaff started all 20 games for Drexel during the 2o2o-21 season. Where TeeJay averaged 1o.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game for the Dragons in his debut or rookie voting season last year. This year he is getting you 6.6 ppg and leading the way at 7.3 rpg, in relief! With a 1.4 spg and a block and yet the 43.5% that close to the rack is not a sophistican’t look. Did seem to play bigger in bigger games on bigger stages last year— which could be a sign of being a gamer. The ≅82% from the FT-Line careerist maker says there has to be some Talent here on the O side, somewhere. Tho’ the mere 59.4% from the ’22 FT-Line says he too is shooting slumped this year. A high-energy guy, attacks the rim, and does not seem sweat-adverse… so maybe ask back in 2o24 if/when he returns? As the only place winning comes before working is Webster’s. And T.J.B. is at least willing to put in work.
Grad’-student, C.J. Penha Jr. Is a 6′7″, 23o lb. thumping S/F or oversized Three. He is also the bronze medalist in netting: with 10.3 ppg and 4.2 rpg off the pine. CeeJay also leads the rotational way with 36.8% from behind the arc and a sporty looking 52.6% overall. The 1 outta 2 (fiddy%) from the free-throw line is a throwaway here. As this is a Graduate Student by way of little ole: Division II Trevecca Nazarene. So, getting to Beantowne is a huge come-up-in here. Accordingly, maybe we do not grade this one so stringently. As C.J. was a solid scorer and board man down two levels below… as he broke in three, that’s (3) levels down below at: Taylor University (NAIA). WoW. And welcome up @Mr. Penha Jr.
6′7″, 215 lb., r-Fresh. year, Devin McGlockton F… only leads the way at 64% from the floor and another shiny looking 75% from deep. This paired with his: 7.3 ppg and 5.1 rpg and a steal and a team-leading 1.1 bpg gathered to all of that. As this Glock’ gathered some cross-sport honors to boot as an All-Metro ATL award winner on the hardwood and on the gridiron alike. Check it… Mr. McGlockton was only a 2o2o First Team All-State selection in football, starring as a Te1 for the South Forsyth H.S. War Eagles. So, there are some who might be wondering if this was/was not his alpha sport? Lindy’s however is saying that Devin is good enough to: “help inside right away”. As this is a curious prospect; maybe even in mo’ than one, sport.
Mason Madsen, is a true pasty red-bearded 6′4″, 19o lb., Jr. year, lead-G who never met a shot he did not like— or would not, take. Although mo’ parts taker than maker (3o% overall married to 24% long), Mason Madsen is one other thing. He is a downright explosive leaper with a team-best 44-inch vertical leap! He was also a three-star rated recruit out of Mayo Senior H.S.; starred alongside his 13 ppg Utah Ute twin brother Gabe ‘ Samson’ Madsen while scoring better than 2,000 points for his father Luke’s squad. So, he is a coach’s son and that is typically code for a pretty high in-ring I.Q. This Madsen bro’ is ambidextrous, does ‘yell’ a lot, can shoot with either hand, and did Eye mention the “volume”, yet? K’. M2 is a Cincy transfer, where he did average 36% from trifecta-land on the reg’. Said to be a shooter who can jump and his (now) coach likes him as a hardwood Qb1 head-game-wise. So, time=tell here, as there are some lofty adjectives -in addition to leaping itself- that this Mason needs to un-jar at some point in time. As this is a very streaky kid; like mid-teens pops clean or pops for goose eggs (zeros) in ppg terms.
Illation, conclusion(s) and OPT digits:
Number of Eagles who could soar @Tech=2-point-something give/take.
the takeaway:
The takeaway here is…
…that there is just not a lot to be truly F’n Eagle taken with, here.
Such is the science-fact Coach Spock objectified realm of teams who tally twenty-six; that’s (26) National Rankings of 150th best or worse outta the 32 National Rankings I track for each-n-every, game.
That is C, C— or all the way down to, F+ caliber ball.
As in… basically nine, that’s (9) of said lowly National Rankings are rather; well, ‘rank’ indeed.
3o5th worst or even worse than that if you are keeping score @home.
Meaning, this is just not a good All Championship Conference calling male hoopz team.
And getting upset by them even 7o3-miles Nor-by-Nor-East away would be a meme thing indeed.
***
Our handy-dandy friend the so-called Forum Guide of Graham Houston fame is calling for a soon enuff intra-league ask back. Tho’ it can tell you that Duke got BeeCee by 16 a couple of weeks back.
The annualized year-to-date vitals say that… VeeTee is up right at +11% in shooting percentage margin (per: being very efficient on O; although BeeCee only merits a C— or so here, it is their deeper work on which they truly F— misfire as you are about to see…) with VeeTee up a whopping ≅+16% in 3-point percentage margin (due to: BeeCee cannot make a “3” with a pencil and penultimate to last at such might just be a clue here. VeeTee shoots and defends the 3 at a C+++ to B— level as well), and VeeTee is up an okay +3 caroms in rebounding margin for the duration. (VeeTee is a little better than average off the ‘glass whereas BeeCee is just a smidgeon below average in collections for the year).
The most recent 5-game metrics say that… the Hokies are now up a shocking +17% in shooting percentage margin (from: VT is ever slightly honing/increasing their possession efficacy of late, though mo’ so sharpening their D; that, and the B.C. D has wilted a mite of late); with the Gobblers now up a mind-numbing and nearly unheard of +27% in 3-point percentage margin (due to: VT is closing out 3-attempts better on D and yet BeeCee is Polar cold on O and nearly lax on D of the 3 recently), and the Techmen are now up a rather beneficent +8 misses in rebounding margin in the last fortnight of board-work. (As in… the O&M has improved a scosche on the O-‘glass whereas Boston has not been bruin off the D-backboard at all).
Armchair Pt.Guard’s:
Thinner≠winner(s):
Boston College has a 2-4 record in games decided by 1o or more points. i.e., this team lacks cultural staying power and it shows out, late. i.e.e., they are getting way tooooo used, to… L’ing.
(So, do not give them any hope— early).
Hokiebird D buy-in now trending, bullish?
No. 21 Virginia Tech (11-1, 1-o A.c.c.) continued its impressive start by erasing a 1o-point 1st-half deficit and beating Grambling State 74-48 on Saturday. The Hokies made 11 shots from 3-point range and forced a season-high 19 turnovers!
Streakin’ 1o1:
Mike Young is o-3 against the Eagles since he was hired as Virginia Tech’s head coach, and two of those L’s came up on Chestnut, Hill.
Charles Emerson Winchester ‘the third’; M*A*S*H(ed):
Injuries have been a problem for the Eagles, who have been without guard Makai Ashton-Langford, guard/forward Prince Aligbe, forward Quinten Post, guard DeMarr Langford Jr., and guard Donald Hand Jr. for at least part of the season.
V.P.I. s up +7% at the charity stripe for the year.
BeeCee is up +7 in R&R in the last two weeks of runs.
BeeCee is a .667 host; whereas VeeTee is .ooo as a guest.
The Call...
No.19 Net Ranking Virginia Tech @ no.246 Net Ranking Boston College:
So, to me… this one has that so-called Association Property of a: “get-away game” to it to me.
Code fo’: …the final roadie of a team that just wants to get the road trip over with and get home their ownselves.
–oOo–
Or, a bit of an Ichy Crane look or a contest played on the J.V. Parquet inside of… Sleepy, Hollow.
Exams are over. And so is student attendance just the same.
As in… the 8,6o6 capacity Conte Forum will have lotta spectators cleverly disguised as empty, seats.
As in… Boston College has fielded one single solitary winning menz hoops campaign since 2o12!
As in… the Eagles have swooned to single-digit victories in six, that’s (6) of those talon years.
The VerdicT:
…do you sees what Eye means?
This one has that ‘cold‘ gym feel to it to the shooter in me.
Not that Boston College records an upsetting: Tech Triumph.
More like we/VeeTee have a chilly shooting nite and that leaves BeeCee within contact -through no credit of their own- for the duration.
🎄 >>> 🏀
’cause BeeCee beat Cornell by 1-shot, Detroit Mercy by 1.33-shots, and Rhode Island by the same 1.33-shots. With a four-game fortnight-n-change long L’ing streak mixed in for bad, measure. A L’ing streak that saw them done out by: 62-points combined.
Also ’cause BeeCee just got up off the not {sic: won anything} since Thanksgiving schneid with a 63-56 victory over crumbly Stonehill; a mere first-year Division I program mind yah.
Literally, as in BeeCee has not even won the 1st two Q’s of roundball prior to Intermission since Wyoming or in one full month right on the full Monty money.
So, that is my magic number here men… anything O&M north of sixty-two and we get this one done.
As BeeCee has tallied 63 (or less) every single time less once since the middle of November!
(69% confidence interval)
Virginia Tech=63, Boston College=58
“LETS GO!”
“Hokies!”
bourbonstreet**
Merry Christmas!
GO HOKIES!!!
Thank you!
U ’22 MDHokie79.
God Bless,
b.street
Well, we either win or we are embarrassed. I dont know about our team but for me that was a highly motivating situation. Back in my days on the mat if i was supposed to win i was downright mean to the other guy because the horror of lossing to one i was highly favored against was so distasteful.. Go Hokies, no mercy it is the ACC and a loss here will be bad for us come March
Eye feel yah; …it can be a fun way to run out hard to start to FREE your buddies @the end of the bench too as a get-err-done starting 1.
Scrubs need P.T., too!
bigeiii