#38 R.P.I. virginia @ #85 R.P.I. Virginia Tech: 

Virginia Tech men’s hoops returns home to attempt to school you know hoo on a rarefied National T.V. Monday nite chilled-back-out New River Vally jump.

The Hokies are (back) to being a bit outta step— as Coach Mike just sat this girl’s b/f down! As our Techmen went wimminz species down at Chapel Hill and they appear to have caught at least some measure of coaching scorn for it. And mo’ than some fan-base deprecation depreciation just the same. Now, Mike Young (and Sean too) must rally the N.b.a. quick-turn ~51-hour troops. Get them back up; get them to reengage and get back in the arch-rival fight. As the #21 ranked virginia cavaliers are setting their post-season sights… with a nifty tradecraft mark of: 2o up against 6 down. And a pretty dang shiny All Championship Conference mark of: 11-3, or .785 in intra-league runs. Nonetheless, what you wanna know is… who is gonna win and by how much, rights? So, reads on… to finds, out!

Crooner: Anthony Dominick Benedetto: age=96, with 19 Grammy Awards (including a Lifetime Achievement Award, presented in 2001) and two Emmy Awards, and was named an NEA Jazz Master and a Kennedy Center Honoree. Bennett has sold over 50 million records worldwide.
$200,000,000.oo (est. net worth)

This Tony, known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. He is also a painter and the founder of the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, Queens, New York.

Virginia Head Coach: Anthony Guy “Tony” Bennett: Age=54, 427–164 (.723) overall,
and 358–131 (.732) @uVa.
$4,150,000.oo

The other Tony Bennett is also a pretty, kinda, sorta, decent basketball coach up at uva. In point of fact, he is basically the Bud Foster of D-1 men’s hoops in defensive terms. His motion offense is about as efficacious as can be, albeit overshadowed a bit by his much-ballyhooed pack-line defense. Coach Bennett is the only A.c.c. coach to win 16 conference games in consecutive seasons, and one of three in A.c.c. history to enjoy back-to-back 30-win seasons overall.

Coach Bennett is known as a rapport-annexing basketball player developer or the coaching (verb) in the truest sense. He has only won (an updated) 16 Coach of the Year Awards (national+conference) at Washington State and uVa combined, and yet curiously enough Coach Bennett only wears six conference crowns to show for it. He does own the single-season win records at both Virginia (35) and Washington State (26, twice). And he does sport a: FIBA Under-19 World Championship gold medal to boot. As a Christian, coach Bennett is known for the use of his father’s “Five Pillars”: humility, passion, unity, servanthood, and thankfulness.
Amen!

Baller Bennett, one (retired #25), was a 6′, 175 lb. lowercase shooting man’s Jeff Hornacek/Jonny Stockton hybrid type of player of a Green Bay Wisconsin Pt.Guard who balled for coach Dick Bennett (his pop’s); and oh yes… Tony Bennet the now elite coach, and formerly ex-baller, is merely the #1, as in first-best all-time in college basketball history for career three-point field goal accuracy, at 49.7%, peaking at 53.3% in 1990–91; wow! i.e. baller Bennett is the best shooter in college basketball history; all-time; ever! He was awarded the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award in 1992 as the nation’s top player under 6′ in height and was twice an Academic all-American in ’92 on top of all of that. While merely being the 2x M.c.c. (today’s Summit League) Player of the Year; mind yah! When Bennett left college, he was the Mid-Continent Conference’s all-time leader in both points and assists before being drafted 35th overall in the 1992 NBA draft.

Then playing three years for the Charlotte Hornets and several more in Australia and New Zealand, where he started coaching after foot and knee injuries forced the now highly esteemed coach Bennett to suit-n-tie, up.

And oui-oui oh by the way… he just won a National Championship on a magical 35-3 2019 maddening title run. Thereby thereafter Coach Bennett declined a raise when extending his contract before the season, leading hooVa President James Ryan to call him “one of the most selfless people I’ve ever met.” (As inside this hoo there is a Hokie screaming to get out!)

Daddy Bennett and his wife, Laurel, have two children
—a daughter, Anna, and a son, Eli.

france at a glance:

• was: 2nd best in Scoring-D ppg allowed!!! NOW: 3rd!!! What a tumble of 1 single, spot; (⇔).
• was: 5th best in Assist:Turnover ratio!!! NOW: 1st-best!!! wow! Again, holding rock-steady (⇔).
• was: 9th fewest fouls/game ‘whistled’ against!!! (Do not expect any calls in gay Paris here). NOW: 12th fewest!!! Same drill… consistent as you can be, (⇔).
• was: 25th best in FG-percentage D allowed!! NOW: 14th best!!! Just a bit tighter! wowow (⇑).
• was: 33rd most in Swats!! NOW: 26th best!! Just a bit better (⇔).
• was: 52nd most in Swipes. NOW: 71st. Just a little dropsy here (⇓).
• was: 294th best in Rebounding Margin. NOW: 259th. Not epic, tho’… better (⇑).
• was: 319th best in FT percentage!!! NOW: 158th!!! Helluva an upward move to average itself (⇑)
• was: 327th most in Fastbreak points O!!! NOW: 336th!!! Meh; T.B. is a pacing the floor guy (⇔).
• was: 333rd most FTA’s/game!!! (not a penetrating team, contrary to memes/rumors du jour). NOW: 346th!!! Same as it ever halfcourt HIGHLY structured O was (⇔).

Returning Starters=un*.

Tutorial: The Pack–Line 1o1:
The “pack line”, is a defensive strategy that was actually convinced by his father (Dick). The pack line is designed to clog up potential driving lanes to the paint by forcing ball handlers to the middle of the floor where more “help” is concentrated. It forces opposing teams to pass and shoot well while limiting dribble-drive penetration and post-play.

(tho’ I do feel our Youngling version of the elbow-high-post Point-Forward set would work well here; if/when Coach Mike can find that very Point-F kinda playar…)

Prior to a halt-unit Saturday matinee “Wake”-up call… the first matter that needs tidying up is Virginia’s signature pack-line defense. The unit ranks No. 3 in the nation, holding opponents to an average of 58.3 points per game, yet the Cavaliers had surrendered 15o points in their last two outings.

That’s now how Bennett plays… Tee, ball.

Returning Starters=un*.

virginia Strengths:

• Good team here… B— to a solid B caliber.
• Better than good on D, good G play… tho’ missing a few things and some panachè here-n-there to me…
• * (Lindy’s 1st-string All-A.c.c., Lindy’s A.c.c. Top Defender): Reece Beekman, who is a 6′3″, 194 lb., super-Senior year Pt.Guard who has the look-n-feel of more of a Lead-G; or of an outright leader his ownself. He has added some Joe Burrow-esque swagg to this team of late. Helping hooVa actually cop a bit of a ‘tude. Netting game-winners this year could be a sign; here, as well… the: now leading 14.2 ppg with 3.2 rpg on a 1st-best 6 apg could also be a clue. The sweltering (team alpha) 44.9% long (now down to: 31.2%) though yield-curve inverting 43.8% from da floor (now up to: 45.9%) did not paint the total picture for this kid. As of this year, his 3-balls are down to 28.9% and his flooring is up to 46.7%. This year the blue-ribbon 2.3 Swipes or 5-finger-discounts count enough; as do recall this reecey-cup was ranked #1 in spg for the entire A.c.c. in 2o22. This is from a kid that the only incoming (2o21-2o22) knock from my preseason magazines was: ‘range’ on his J. Although the fact that Mr. Beekman only pocked four, that’s (4) Louisiana High School Athletic Associate (LHSAA) AAAAA or penta-A state championship blings in a row-row-row-row, mighta been a can-ride clutch hint as well. Ditto Reecey being named the: 2o19-2o Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year. This is from an: Afro-American who lists: Game of Thrones as his favorite show… do not read that too much. Tho’ does also list an already reposed older bro (Bryce), do read that (sadly) from time to time (may St.Julia (momma-bear’s name) bless!). uva.edu Dean’s List honoree, that counts too. 51st ranked recruit nationally with improving high school digits each and every year counts as well. Ergo, therefore, to Whit; I fear this kid is a keeper… he has that *it* factor to his courtship look-n-feel. Has found a little sinew since the last time out and yet seems quicker to me upon breaking tape; best of both worlds. That and from what I could see? I was kinda left wondering if Beeker is trying (or, being forced) to do too much this year and if said necessary expenses are wearing him down a notch or notch-point-something. As he seems a bit ’24 off to me. (Tho’ most of his metrics not named shooting are up just a scosche, F.Y.I.).
  (UPDATE: less threeing, pretty much up or living his best basketball, life, ⇑).
• Isaac McKneely: see below… starts sometimes, bullpens others… neat (localized) kid with a BIGtime small-State rep’. See: ‘dot-matrix pic.
• 6′8″, 216 lb., Ryan Dunn, off-G/’tweener, second-season by way of: Perkiomen School. Rivals **** and 112th ranked. And he has glossed himself: “the Almighty-Ry’”. LOL! What??? As you need mo’ than: 8.9 ppg with 7 rpg and coming up short on the long-ball of 22.2% on thy 3’s it rocks it out like dat. Chicks dig the long ball bro’. Trust Pt.G1, me. You can also trust me on he, off-court, and in the classroom: as the: All-A.c.c. Academic Team and A.c.c. Honor Roll accolades would seem to suggest. The kid is a hard/willing finisher at the rack; he has rises and will dunk on you. Keeps a: ‘body bag’ count on his very own slams. LOL… again… take a deep breath bro’… breeeeathe… innnnn-oooooout. Does play (even overplay) the ball well always looking for the breakaway steal; (2.1 swipes is tight). Most FTA’s on the team and 57.7% from the floor tells you he does succeed in getting to the basket. The ~53.6% FTs tell you he could succeed even mo’ if/when he gets to the practice court on 15′ set-shots too. Does have something of some caliber of headroom remaining to his game it would appear. Played for 3 high schools in his final 4 years; you know how I feels about thats… 44% scholastic netting from behind the (shorter) arc is a rangy clue. As Dunn done won several skill competitions and a dunk-off in touring H.S. terms to boot. Again, there is some measure of headroom here… the only abacus is just how much? Brother Justin is a pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds; so, there is that too. This is a G.N.C. strong defender, some say their best.
  (UPDATE: pretty mixed, a bit yin a bit yang, laterally guy overall, ⇔).

  

• grad’-year: Jacob Groves F 6′11″, 211 lb., beanpole, Boomer-Sooner by the way of: Eastern Washington and before that an: O.G. from the way of Spokane, Washington. “jake” to his friends… with yet another g.Brady moppy-fro’-top. Alice the Maid is soaking wet as Eye types… never done mo’ than 7.7 ppg and 2.5 rpg no matter which/where Eye looked. So, not so sure why Alice has her knickers in such a twist, here? Still yet, Lindy’s says he is: ‘skilled’ and: ‘can hit the three.’ As the 49.5% from 3-point-land would seem to, agry. Jake came from a not-so-hot-to-trot high school, (never won ≥15 games) and yet he social-needia era stuck it out. +several on him. Gathers trash up on the Wash.State highway clean-up crew in the summer. +several there as well. Fam’ has game too. Brother, Tanner played three seasons at Eastern Washington (2o18-21) and one at Oklahoma (2o22-23). Father, Randy, played basketball at Shadle Park HS and Community Colleges of Spokane. Mother, Tara still owns the Whitworth scoring record of 2,o4o points and is in the school’s Hall of Fame. “snap”. Three snaps at thats. Rivals 294th baller in the USofA. Seems like a likable bloke, and a high buy-in guy. Does what he’s coached to do… as every big whistle is appreciated on any given Groves’.
  (UPDATE: really splashing well from 3-land, everything else went down tho’, sideways guy, ⇔).

virginia Weaknesses:

• This team has something of a ‘stale’ feel to me. Like hooVa has ever so slightly been leaking some just detectable measure of Talent itself— ever since their monsta Natty run. (UPDATE: looks like Eye went “mighty” Casey and swing-n-a-miss here… mea culpa)
• Gone as well is nearly 2.8 decades worth of {sic: baller} Experience and Learning Curve ’23 Effects. Which has left ’24 less effective indeed.
• Additionally gonzo is a whole lotta signature Pack-Line/base-line anchoring… true-C height. –21′11″ here. And as we all (additionally) know… try as you might, you kan’t coach… Hite? ; )
• This has always been the Bud Foster of hardwood Defense: first, second, third, next, middle, …penultimate, and last… granted. Tho’ this is not even an offense via committee, this is a quorum in… recess.
• V.H.T.’s: Dante Harris (ex-pat-Georgetown: 6′, 17o lbs. true-Fr., One/lead-G, 12.1 ppg, and 4.6 apg); and Jordan Minor ((no relation), tho’ the: ’23 NorthEast Conference Player of the Year: Merrimack: P/F: 6′8″, 242 lbs., true-Sr. 17.4 ppg, 9.4 rpg, and 2.6 bpg!) both have kra-kra hype-tapes and yet have only conspired to deliver just north of 6.5 ppg thus far. Lindy’s and all my mags really serially high on them.
• Dante Harris: (UPDATE: “OUT INDEFINITELY” due to an ankle-turn right before Christmas. St.Philip bless).
• rookie; Christian Bliss: 6′4″, 2oo lb., Queens borough NYC street-baller. Bliss is idle with a left foot injury, and there is no timetable for return. St.Sebastian help. NO stats available as he had only played a couple of minutes in a couple of games with no scratch-marks scratching the Stat-Sheet itself. Said to be a **** or quad-star recruit. Who reclassified and is only 19 years young to (early-entry; after missing two seasons) show for it. Some say ‘combo’-G, some say Qb2 or so on the One. Pa. H.S. Player of the Year last year in his solo Keystone state season. There is that… Was said to be an outburst-typea scorer and Pa. State runner-up. Says he: “… trying new restaurants.” So, there is that too. On3’s 16oth ranked baller nationally. NOT listed in any of my preseason magazines; did have a slew of Mid-M.A.C. level offers; some think this is a reach take by Tony/U.v.a. Time=tell on that…
• and oui-oui boohoos… there is still… this…

lā lawn: (depth=4’ish give/match-ups/take) 2o5th most in bench ppg. (Actually, better here).

Taine Murray, is a chalky-looking Shooting-G, from Auckland, New Zealand. (Some of the most U.S.M.C. grateful peeps in the World you will ever meet). 6′5″, 2o8 lb., true-Jr. Well, not here of course, though Eye tangent. Steinlagers for all… oh wait, back to the preview… Anyhoo… this hoo only fields two, that’s (2) National Championship blings, by way of Kiwi clubbing itself. Played for the: New Zealand Tall Blacks (hilarious rugby satire), in 2019-20 and was selected for the 2020 FIBA Asia Cup team. Competed for the Auckland Huskies of the New Zealand National Basketball League in 2019-20. Also, a member of the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian National Basketball League in 2021. So, experience and/or matriculation are not wanting here. T.Mur’ was only named College Sport Male Sports Person of the Year in 2o19 and only won the Earned Rosmini College Sports Person of the Year honors in 2o19. I may not know what that means… tho’ I do know you and I have combined to win that not, once. Said to have been discovered (of sorts) at the Nike Asian Basketball Camp. 4.o G.P.A. in high school and his poppa-bear (Carl), played professional rugby in New Zealand for Counties and Waikato (1987-95) and the All Blacks. Dang, mo’ Steinlagers here we comes. Said to be a marksman from 3-point-land (∼46.2%, now) good for right at 2.9 ppg with 1.3 rpg in backcourt relief. A curious kid who has lived a neat-O life Globetrotting-wise (born in: Hong Kong) already. Even mo’ curiously, Taine misplaced 2″ in height and yet found himself a 9 lb. plate in weight. Go fig’ on dat?
(UPDATE: smooooth as glass, very reliable if not left/right or a flat guy, ⇔)

The 3o4’s very own: 6′4″, now up to: 188 lb., Isaac McKneely, is a backup Qb1 or Pt.Guard1 for uva. Isaac comes to c-ville via the greatest nicknamed Dub.Vee school of them all… or from the: Poca, Dots! No, I’ma not making that up. Nor am I making it up that this was actually a pretty big border-war recruiting get for the wahoos. As Mr. McKneely only nabbed: The two-time West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year (2o21 and 2o22). The two-time Bill Evans Award as West Virginia Player of the Year in (2o21 and 2o22). He only led Poca to the West Virginia AA state championship by averaging 22 points, 6.o rebounds, 4.o assists, 1.o steals, and 1.o blocks as a senior in 2o21-22. And he was only named: the West Virginia Small Town Player of the Year by Max Prep. That is all, he Dub.Vee. sucks, cut him now. Tho’ you would also be cutting: 12.4 ppg with 3.1 rpg with 1.7 apg and a sniping 46.6% netting from beyond the arc. 63rd overall baller from the People’s Republick of the 3o4 in all the land according to 247Sports. Team alpha at 87.5% FTA’s and Top-5 A.c.c. Did Eye mention that he is from West ‘by God’ Virginia, yets? K… I may have said that already, tho’ he wants to be Coach McKneely someday alrighty enough. Lindy’s says that Isaac is a: “straight-line driver who can shoot and is strong with the ball”. Me says that this pasty is kinda a slight j.West-looking bullet-headed kid is a big-get over eastside Va. wise as I.M. will be your next k.Guy+++ for hooVa.
(UPDATE: this Dub.Vee kid is: ‘on the come’, up everywhere I looked. +3.o4 ⇑‘s!)

Touted, V.H.T. quad or ****): Blake Buchanan, P/F2, (relief baseline anchor), 3.8 ppg with 3.3 rpg, .4 apg, .5 spg and the keeps him playing .8 bpg. Not a lot… tho’ he fits his role. Role-playar or roll-player if you will. A Coach Shakespearean guy… “all the worlds a stage— and one baller in his time plays many, roles?” A plural guy… to be sure… putting Together Everyone Achieves Mo’ ahead of his selfie-self. Prolly (like Fu’); make you a good bringing your garbage cans in for yah neighbor. 44.3% overall married to a chippy 52.4% donations from the charity stripe tell you why he is not playin’ mo’. 6′11″, 224 lb., true-Fresh’., so, this may be 72-stroke golf or par for the course at this stAGE in his career. As he is surely an ATH playing ball, a nice long/lean tho’ pointy strong kid with hops in his springs. His dunk tape was a surprise… don’t see many peeps with (see: pic) the rim at eye-level (Zima humor insert here_____, check). I was mop-top g.Brady gone slight fly-guy surprised here… mea culpa. Moscow, Idaho native… from big-time Volleyball fam’… fraternally and maternally alike(s). (With a paternal IdahoU pops). Last year was only named Idaho Mr. Basketball, Gatorade Player of the Year, and MaxPreps Player of the Year. And the Idaho H.S. is actually *the* Midwest hoops factory with *the* (former: R.I.P.) alpha Midwest H.S. coach. So, there is that… ESPN’s 63rd baller overall… had a mo’ defensive rep’ in scholastic terms. Hence the baseline gets, no doubt. Did Eye mention the vert’, the brady-fro’, and the defending, yet(s)? K… and either way… there appears to be some upside(s) (possibly plural) here yets. Lindy’s calls him: “a Euro-style Forward with Guard skills.” That counts too; as this Four kinda has a sleeper feel to me…
(UPDATE: Pretty much inch-worming his way upward, finally finding his improving range, ⇑, here)

6′6″, 2o2 lb., Andrew Rohde SG4, from: St.Thomas (D-1aa), or a portaling baller. A pretty fair-to-middling transfer by the look(s) of this… All-Summit League First Team and Summit League Freshman of the Year (’23). That does not suck. Not at all. Neither did ‘drew’s: 17.1 with 3.6 rpg on 3.7 apg debuting digits. The (current) 4.8 ppg with 2.o rpg on 3.1 apg married to 28.3% behind the arc tell you he could be doin’ mo’ elsewhere as he just, did do mo’ yesteryear. Good talent here, and the T.B. system does not exactly cough big possession metrics up (individually).  316th 247Sports baller for the nation… (#5 in-state: (Whisky)). Only per se *** or three-stars… may have been overlooked just a bit for his TriStar hit too. Has a rep’ for pure scoring; maybe that cooled a few teaming up heels? Not sure here… as he is only listed in one of my preseason mags. Kinda came off with something of a trying to go poser or street-life (as a pasty) and just trying too hard to be jus’ like dat; to me. Though there is Talent(s) here to be sure… prolly was not less than a fringe export baller; had he Horizon League (statistics) stayed put. (Tho’ –1 for the (Dancing with Self) strawberry blonde spiked cropped looked bro’… try that Beatles medium-bowl look and watch thy social game, grow…)
(UPDATE: pretty linear or non-moving guy, ⇔, not much Δ’ed or changed here)

Illation, conclusion(s) and OPT digits:

Number of cavaliers hoo could hooty-hoo @Tech=6 or 7.

the takeaway:
The takeaway here is…

…not to be too taken with basketball.

As any real damn man will tell yah; the real braggin’ rites belong to the griders.

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Like ^that^ or lump that… and even though playing hoops is my personal favorite sport to do… it is not the alpha bragging-calling rivalry card. It; jus’, ain’t.

Don’t let any Jeffersonian Monticello-type hoo-boo you on this.

Football is flaunting King.

Anything else is queeny indeed.

💃

 ***

Our handy-dandy friend the so-called Forum Guide of Graham Houston fame is calling for a… tie! Not sure I’ve ever seen one at equilibrium or knotted at zero total points (Σ=o). Zilch, zero, zip. Nadda, none, nil. That’s the measure of separation that this uncommon Commonwealth Cup Forum Guide is predicting here. That, or, extra-innings or overtime if you will. While that may not tell you much prima facie, I can tell you that until about a fortnight ago, the Forum Guide was predicting a decent-sized homecourt Tech Triumph for this one. Tho’ hooVa has been playing a bit better of late… having taken 9 of their last 1o whereas we have netted IV wins in our last X. Thus, possibly making this one another one of my pet phrases… or two ships passing in the, nite.

The annualized year-to-date vitals say that… hooVa is up +4% in shooting percentage margin (all: in stricter more halting D, as VT is up +1% over on O itself); with hooVa up another +4% in 3-point percentage margin (this time: via being +1% on 3-D and yet much harsher or forbidding on 3-D itself than we), and yet VeeTee is up right at ~+3 caroms corralled in rebounding margin for the year-to-date. (this from: being defensive backboard better mostly, as the much-vaunted Packline is a mite planted/stiff looking here this year).

The most recent 5-game metrics say that… the cav’s are now up a staggering +15% in shooting percentage margin (wow!: netting a bit better tho’ just destroying our slipping halt-unit on D; –12% mo’ serrated here if you are keeping score @home, yikes!);  with the hoos now up a mind-bending +19% in 3-point percentage margin (pur: our nearly sissy approach to 3-D, our missy approach to 3-O and their vice-lock death-grip of a hurtful –14% cutter or bloody exsanguinating on 3-D, geez!), and the frenchy’s completed the triune trifecta sweep from now being up +3 misses collected in rebounding margin in the last fortnight of play. (due to: VT has really softened up here, tired legs or just lack of vertical heart(s), tho’ it should be observed that hooVa won this one in |absolute value| terms, as they were in a –3 fiberglassing hole of late their ownselves).

Armchair Pt.Guard’s:

Hemmingway Hoops: “To have and to have not…”

• vs. no-names? +153❗️ Which is one of the mo’ remarkable no-name markers that I’ve nubile statistical category run thus far. As Tony beat the damn breaks off of nearly every bum-fighting bum he fought this year. Serially smoking a set of tomato cans by 3o or better over-n-over-n-over-n-over and over again. Seriously, one one of ’em kept his final blown-the-spark-out margin south of thirty itself {29 points}. And do recall what The Logo: Jerry West taught us about great teams way way back when at Traveling All-Stars Camp. Great teams beat the teams they are supposed to beat and they beat them badly at that. 30 or mo’ strikes me as T.B. and Co. mighta been a bit better early on than Eye myself had thought.

  

• vs. Surnames? +27❗️ The queer part here is thus… TeeBee and Co. have gotten sparked by several BIG names thus far this year. This speaks to some match-up weaknesses or a lack of inherent headroom or ceiling from a very very good though just not quite great hooVa menz hoops squadron to me. Still yet, Tony has indeed managed -to his acumen credit- to tighten up on what he does ’24 deploy of late. The Catch-44 is… that he has not been going .9oo of late vs. the top-shelf part of his A.c.c. docket. As 5 of those 9 wins have been vs. south of ≤.5oo A.c.c. brethren and only one of them (State by 2 shots in 1OT) has passed any real live on-paper testables to the cavaliers. Although, they are beating who they are supposed to beat… and yet now we shall see if these alleged improvements can cavernous, post-season seeding eat. As 5o% of their final fortnight is vs. Top-9 ranked or better clubs!

LAST 10 GAMES: Hokies: 4-6, averaging 75.0 points, 29.5 rebounds, 14.9 assists, 4.9 steals, and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 46.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 76.o points per game.

LAST 10 GAMES: Cavaliers: 9-1, averaging 65.1 points, 32.9 rebounds, 16.6 assists, 6.4 steals, and 5.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 58.1 points.

Nobody is anything in R&R. Even-steven.
VT is a .846 host; whereas france is .5oo as a guest.
V.P.I. is up a staggering +14% at the charity stripe for the year.

The Call...

No.4o Net Ranking virginia @ no.63 Net Ranking Vah.Tech:

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virginia coach Tony Bennett knows the NC2A Tournament selection committee may be stingy toward the Atlantic Coast Conference on Selection Sunday.

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi projected Friday that the A.c.c. will seed four teams in next month’s tournament, while other experts believe that only three teams will qualify. Yikes. After allowing ≥7o points in consecutive games for the first time this season, virginia clamped down and limited Wake Forest to its season-low scoring output. Yikes! The Hokies surrendered the most points they’ve allowed in a game this season during Saturday’s 81-96 L at No. 7 North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C. Yucks! Foul trouble among Virginia Tech’s frontcourt allowed the t.Heels to muscle their way to 54 points in the paint and 17 second-chance points. Ouch.

Hooever, Bennett believes his No. 21 Cavaliers (2o-6, 11-4 league), who have won nine of 1o games, are in a favorable position to make the tournament ahead of their clash with archrival Virginia Tech (14-11, 6-8) on Monday in Blacksburg, Va.

The VerdicT:

Same drill as last time albeit to a diluter; homesteading and Rivalry kicker to boot…

…it would be dishonest to come in here and type that hooVa is the rightful dog here.
They prolly would win this in an N.b.a. Finals format 4-2 or, so…

ELO #24 🇫🇷  >>> 🏀 >>> 🦃 ELO #97

…so, you gotta favor the Spice Boys here.

’cause you do not have to be St.Joseph the Carpenter to know that… “lying is fo’, rugs.”

The digits:

Well, and aye, Eye knows… wells are fo’ water…

I did try to find a way to pick the good guys in this one here.

Tho’ those most recent 5-game vitals nearly undid or shattered that all by their ownself.

-oOo-

Still yet, @home, in defense of our very own Cassell, with Tee.Jay.U. traveling one-fiddy (15o-miles) So-by-So-West is our best shot to net or to nick or to steal this one here.

Maybe Mike Young and Co. can coax the Hokiebird into pulling a rabbit outta the O&M hat?

Nevertheless, hooVa is the better team and they are playing -if not peaking- the better ‘ball of late.

All fingers point to that.

👉🏿⚔️

 

 

 

 

 

 

(63% confidence interval)
Virginia Tech=65, virginia=68

please support the VT F.C.A.!

“LETS GO!”

“Hokies!”

 bourbonstreet**