#5o R.P.I. wvu @ #16o R.P.I. Virginia Tech:

 WAR Arizona State on Saturday nite!!!

(as I fear we may get, mugged, here)

Read on to find out, why…

west virginia at a glance:

• #1 in Steals (12 spg)!!!
• #1 in offensive rebounding (18.o1 orpg)
• #2 in Scoring margin (+25.9 ppg)!
• #2 in 3-point percentage allowed (22.4%)!
• #6 in Rebounding margin (+12.6 rpg)!
• 13th in Scoring (85.7 ppg)
• 321st in personal fouls (22.7 pfpg)

mountaineer Returning Starters=4

wvu Strengths:

• Xavier McDaniel, errrrrrr, ahhhhhh, I mean third year Devin Williams. All 6’9” and a super brawny looking 259 lbs. (see: pic) of his team leading 16.1 ppg and 9.4 rpg! This guy is Xavier McDaniel brought back to hooping life, albeit a much thicker version with just a little less quicks. Man-child 1o1 or say it with me: “…he’s a beast, a beast!” A second best 58.8% shooting tells you just how much he dunks the basketball and if you wanna step in front of this runaway freight-train and try to draw the charge, you and Amtrak can be my guests’. A Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll member who’s only real knock is that he tends to be too aggressive and therefore a bit foul prone, here-n-there. Though he does get fouled himself, quite a bit, what with 70 FTA’s already on the campaign (70% FT shooter). Mister Williams goes hard in the paint yo’. And I’d dare to say that Devin is the most physical Four we will face all season. This guys N.b.a., not if, …when?

  

• Jevon Carter: more of a substitute than a full-time starter in his 2nd year at 6’2” 195 lb. Pt.Guard. Though already an all-Big-12 defensive team member after his rookie year! 92 steals in just 1.33 years is pretty amazing; as Mr. Carter thrives as a pickpocket up at mo’town Wv. Yah; this guys a stopper and his third best 12.5 ppg make you wonder how good he will be come 2018?
• Dexter Miles Jr.: 6’3” 195 lb. soph. and loquacious, as in extremely, as in Gary Payton smack would fit D.M’s mouth like a… glove. Still yet, this guy same as Jevon above, is gonna be a 3-year starter @wvu. A second best 12.9 ppg as an off-Guard with serviceable range on his J does not suck. Neither does a second best 2.o spg. State champ’ in high school (Massachusetts) and does have a history of late game heroics.
• Jon’ Holton: 6’7” 229 lb. r-senior S/F, who is netting you 8 ppg and hauling in a second-best 7 rpg is pretty decent work, if you can get it. Holton does not have a lotta offensive range to his game, though he is a serviceable and experienced glue-guy upfront. He is also well traveled, Rhode Island Ram for season, then off to Palm Beach State Community College, now at wvu. Will dunk on you, goes hard to the offensive glass and makes his living per the same. Never quite lived up to his scholastic numbers of 25 ppg and 15.5 rpg once in college.

wvu Weaknesses:

• close to nil, none, nadda.
• : (
• I suppose the ‘eers can be rightfully labeled as foul-prone. Conceivably, that could cause some rotational pain.
• Ditto not blocking many shots (300th best), if/when wvu must match-up vs. a true back-to-the-basket towering front-line.
• 3-point shooting is a C—, with only one guy north of 34%.
• Beyond that? Not much. Not much at all.

‘eer Bench: (depth=4, nice solid Pine squad that is well balanced, with 2 reasonable F’s and 2 reasonable G’s)

Illation, conclusion (s) and OPT digits:

the takeaway:
The takeaway here is… the takeaway here is that we/Virginia Tech have about two chances to win this one. First of all, #17 wvu has been off for about a full Holiday week. Maybe they have rusticated and gobbled up a bit much of momma’s cooking and come into the New River Valley a bit flat and/0r outta sync? On the other hand, Buzz should know a thing or three about huggy-bear’s style of play. That’s can’t hurt. And each team must by definition enjoy a season shooting high and likewise a seasonal shooting low when it comes to shooting. Maybe in an O&M prefect storm those two rival nights can intersect on Wednesday afternoon? And yes, I am now officially reaching here, (perhaps mo’ than a little)…

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Because if they do not? The straight truth is that wvu could punk us in our own house. Recall what happened last time somone type that, circa @wvu in 2003.

As I’ve watched seven wvu basketball games this year and press virginia is for real! As in a really tough looking match-up for our less than organic ball-handlers; and who is gonna check that human ballista Williams kid up front?

Don’t know? Yah; me neither and I doubt Buzz does as well.

***

closer:
The overall season stats and the most recent 3-game splits all favor west virginia, nearly straight across. As the eer’s pressing trapping high volume steals/turnovers defense, turns into its own old-gold and blue offense, while simultaneously really throwing opposing O’s outta sync.

In particular in 3-shooting with way too many rushed opposing hoists from range from wvu opponents who play in a possessive frenetic hurry –(only 16% allowed on 3’s in the last 2.5 weeks from wvu’s D). As you really do need 2 or 3 super quality basketball-handlers, patience, more patience -or the ability to beat the wvu press down the floor- and prolly a few extra days practice to sagaciously get ready for coach Huggins brand of trapping/pressing stop-unit sets.

We/Virginia Tech do actually enjoy the extra preparatory time, and that’s about it.

As GOD in Heaven, I just can n-o-t stand to have to pick wvu to win!!!
Only way pull for them is if they play hateful i.s.i.s.
And even then, I’m cheering against i.s.i.s.

Though to do anything else is to lie, and lying is for rugs.

So here is your truth…

(89% confidence interval)
Virginia Tech=55, wvu=79

“LETS GO!”

“Hokies!”

 bourbonstreet**