#39 R.P.I. Virginia Tech @ #40 R.P.I. virginia:

(now: uva=15th @ R.P.I. VT=32nd) 

Virginia Tech men’s basketball returns to a weekend jaunt over in C’ville Va. vs. you know hoo! (or at least we, were…)

The Hokies (now) host 149.8-miles sojourning hateful archrival hooVa. hoo is o-1-4 in cancellations and postpones in order thus harshing 2020-2021 far. God Bless on that. Erstwhile in games actually played, the cav’s check-in at 11 up and 2 down; (and a shiny 1st-place: 7-zip inside the A.c.c.). As most have this uva men’z hoops squad pegged as surely Top-10 this season and a few had them as high as Top-4. Ergo, therefore, to Whit, nearly falling outta the Top-25 had been a screwball roundball start for hooVa. Until they went on a living and a winning spree alike. Nonetheless, you wanna know who is gonna win this hardwood Commonwealth Cup and by how much, rights? So, read on to find, outs!

Crooner: Anthony Dominick Benedetto: age=94, 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=51, 354–131 (.730) overall,
and 288–98 (.746) @uVa.
$4,150,000.oo

The other Tony Bennett is also a pretty fair to middling 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 an 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. Whereby 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.

u.v.a. at a glance:

• 7th most personal-fouls ‘whistled’ against!!! (hack-a-sac’ team) (⇑, now penultimate 2nd most!)
• 7th fewest turnovers/game on O!!! (⇑, now 2nd least!!!)
• 8th best in FT percentage makes!!! (⇑, now 3rd!!!)
• 27th in Assist:Turnover ratio! (⇑⇑, now 6th best!!)
• 31st in scoring D allowed! (⇑⇑, now 8th stingiest!)
• 36th in FG percentage makes (overall)! (⇑⇑, now 15th best!!)
• 57th most Swats per game. (⇓, now 74th in blocks)
• 289th on the offensive-glass (some of that is making >>> taking). (⇓, now 328th least!!!)
• 315th fewest turnovers forced!!! (contrast this with the first team thingy…) (⇓, now 336th!)
• 3 injuries listed. (Coach God thrice bless!)

Returning Starters=3

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…)

Keve Aluma…I’ma looking at you…
tho’ John Ojiako mighta just helped match-up size-wise vs. the Pack Line too.
(may or may not be lookin’ @Cordell Pemsl –‘whispers’ say bad-back (St.Sigfried help),

virginia Strengths:

• Pretty well-seasoned squad… as virginia’s Sam Hauser, Jay Huff, and Trey Murphy III have combined to account for 49% of the team’s scoring this season and have scored 49% of all Cavaliers points over the last five games.
• 5′9″, 16o lb. mighty-mite former caddying now starting and two years ago the former alpha-recruit, Pt.Guard, third-year Kihei Clark is a fun little bugger to watch and an instant fan-favorite for it. Ditto, any kid who refuses to sit and balls-out in a left-wrist cast/brace for it. That makes him a tough little bugger as well. Per his bio’, this hawt Cali’ recruit: “spent several hours at the Children’s Hunger Fund in Sylmar, Calif.” whatever that means though “yes” that is more hours than I spent there, admittingly. That “look@me” jab being rightfully placed… Lindy’s says Clark has: “extreme quickness” and is a dangerous open-court player for it. Although he must improve his shooting depth (9.7 ppg on 21.4% deep) and avoid 1-on-1 facebook type tête-à-tête battles for it. Although he did (somehow) find one-inch (1″) in height (allegedly); and he did grow in the weight-room by a much needed 8 lbs. So there is that, and the Junior-year Clark enjoys a good set-up or Qb tag’ to his Pt.Guard swagg and he did end up starting 20 games last year. Now mix in 1.7 rpg and a franchise-best 4.5 dimes-dropped (apg) with 75% FT-shooting and you get a well-rounded albeit sawed-off baller. Albeit again, one who has significantly declined in rebounding, assisting, and both 3-point & FT-shooting alike since we saw him last. So, this Clark kid is not shy about tasty development at this early/premature career stage. And apparently, he is now recovered from the broke left-wrist (his off-hand as an orthodox shooter) surgery; may St.Julia bless.  That all said, this Clark bar just took a tasty bite outta N.Dame and may have finally 2020 broken-outta his opening slump. Finally, Clark is the only real perimeter penetrator that uva enjoys, as he enjoys nearly 180% more FTA’s than anyone wahoo else backcourt does to this… point. (get it?) (UPDATE: Shooting is off here, in particular from long-range, ⇓)
• 7′1″, 24o lb., r-Sr., stretch-P/F, Jay Huff -who apparently donated his inch in height to Clark up above- found himself about 10 lbs. this offseason. And then his game found about a 200% increase in all major metrics across the box-score board. With Huff now up to a steadily careerist improving: 13.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.5 bpg, and a scorching/irradiating 63.4% in overall shooting. And he has really been on the come of late; as he’s been doing way more than most of my pre-season wraps expected. And unlike last season, he’s found his 3-point range that had plummeted by a very shaky looking 22%↓ last year and yet is now up to a coolie-O 45.7%! Type about a Ray Stevens or a streaky guy from the outside. Ditto his formerly bricky or masonic-looking Free-Throwing (51.2%) last season; now up to a nearly slow-boiling 88% this season. Can you say: “…most improved“? You could here to be sure. And the book here says that Huff is more parts size and defense/shot-blocking and less parts anything else. Therefore, the offensive betterment is prolly MacDaddy style savory gravy at this stage. That said… the roundball export world market always needs another BIG, and if Huff can keep this sharpshooting overseas up… Rand McNally here he comes. (UPDATE: overall shooting cooled from nearly 70% makes, so he ain’t up; although his other markers are up, so close to ⇔ or even here).
• One #10, Sam Hauser is/was a 6′8″, 218 lb. r-Jr., S/F transfer baller by way of Marquette. The Marquette transfer was merely a second-team All-Big East selection last season after averaging 14.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest. He sat out last season due to NC2A transfer rules— and in general terms, this kid woulda been a major 2020 cavalier help. As he is only the cav’s leading score netting you 15 ppg on just under 43% long this far. Now mix in a leading looking 7.4 rpg 1.8 apg and you have a pretty well-rounded hardwood guy. As Sammy was the 74th ranked baller in America per Scout; and a serious sharpshooter (50.6% in high school) from Wisconsin long-range; (with a mere 48.7% deep collegiately). As Hauser is also 74% from the FT-line and he found an inch in height and cut nearly a 10 lb. plate in (off-season) weight. I have to presume this is a quicker version of Hauser than the one we last saw at Al McGuire U or up at Marquette. (UPDATE: ⇑, noticeably up since we did not see him last… only FT shooting slipped). (UPDATE2: “back spasms” is the word here… game-time=tell, St.Wolfgang bless!)
• ex-Rice Owl, and 6′9″, 2o6 lb., Jr. year Trey Murphy III is a very elongated lean looking or sting bean SG or even a slightly heighty Wing. Either way, he’s a real live vertical mismatch for any classically sized 2 and an ungood match-up for most any 3. That said, 10.3 ppg on 3 rpg with 1.4 apg per a team-pacing 49.2% from 3-point land is a pretty interesting and very juxtaposing guy. This from a Charlotte, Nc. area kid who only hit 93% of his FTA’s and only splashed 45% of his 3-pointers as a pure sniper type of outburst scorer in scholastic terms. As “trey” is well first-named and suffixed alike; in terms of being a pure trifecta or long-distance specialists. Whose range is basically the gym, if he’s in it he’s… open. The fam’ Genome Project has it workin’ what with his pops (Kenneth) who was a standout player of basketball at East Carolina from 1986-88. Curiously enough… Tree III was left outta all my preview mag’s and honestly Google and Eye are not sure, why(s)? Though we are sure his length really aids and abets him on the defensive-glass. (UPDATE: pretty flat, ⇔, which is to say still pretty dang efficiently good).

  

virginia Weaknesses:

• uva does not get to the FT-line much, nor do they take many 3’s by steph•Curry backcourt centric modern-era standards. And you have to wonder how that will go late in close games?
• 1.3 ppg from alpha recruit (rookie or nugget year: Jabri Abdur-Rahim, G) did not forecast here. Not even in a pure handcuffing systemic offensive-set such as Tony’s. As this is a VHT (very highly touted) big-time Wing recruit at 6′7″, 214 (pretty much) play right away lbs. As hommie was only the New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year in 2018-19 where he picked-up a Single-A championship bling. 37th best outta H.S. (247Sports) is jus’ like dat “Great Expectations” wise and that can be a Dickens of a weight to bear. Tho’ he does list all kinda African and generally colorful charity works and progressive/modern volunteerism. And he wants to end his career as a “television personality”. So, he gives back and he has a vision to boot… there are worse things we could say; much. Although, we could also say that this is a rarified get-his-own-shot, athletic Lane scorer and then we could close by saying: let us ask back by oh say 2024 give/take. (and he needs to stay fit, as he had a history of Jersey Shore breakers and dings and dents). And oh yes… oui-oui, his old-man is indeed: Shareef. He only played 12 seasons in the NBA, was an NBA coach/executive, and is the current president of the NBA G League.
• t-Fr., Kadin Shedrick is a 6′11″, 217 lb. raily looking C-P/F from Raleigh, Nc. Who is out with an: “Illness“. (tho’ one vibe did say nothing 2020-2021 or cv19 related). Out also would-be Kadin’s 3.3 ppg, his 2.9 rpg, and his 52.4% rookie year relief frontcourt pitching from the bullpen. Godspeed to 247Sports 68th nationally ranked rim-protecting rebounder here!

hoo la Bench: (depth=at least 5 deeps, some nights, the full 12; no bleep!)

Yet another skyscraping pack-line jamming C, although may St.Nikhon bless this one’s, left-knee and get it all right. As Francisco Caffaro was done for the year last season. Thus, making this his r-Fr. debut at 6′12″, 25o lbs. of him— as ‘cisco has thoughtfully added a 10-plate and a cuff as sinew or right-mass goes. As the r-Soph. year El Trebo, Santa Fe, Argentina imported native baller has a wealth of F.I.B.A. international hoops experience having balled for his nation since before he could drive (legally) in the states or since age 15! Averaging 16.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest in doing so and that makes this 2020 big-man addition no small measure indeed. Although his numbers (1.4 ppg and 1.2 rpg alike on 57.1% for his career) have yet to emerge as some had expected from this skilled-big who is supposed to be able to score in close and crash the boards. Time=tell here… and so will leg-health. (UPDATE: …actually, just starting to contribute, all numbers up, nicely on a percentage basis recently, ⇑)

4 ppg and 1.4 rpg, 1 apg, with 38.7% behind the arc belong to fourth-year Tomas Woldetensae… who is a 6′5″, 197 lb., Bologna, Italy import. And “si”, he has some game… not to mention an Irwin M. Fletcher type 6′9″ looking twist-top ‘fro. As I did not know you could even remotely pull twist-tops out this far? Nonetheless, this pretty swaggy back-up by way of Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa; or the place where “radar” O’Riley used to do work, is said to be: “a strong shooter” who is versatile enough to fill all three traditional perimeter positions. And Tony never takes any Community College lowercase types; so, you know he does not have that many doubts re: this Tomas. As this Tomas just earned National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) first-team All-America honors after averaging 17.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 2018-19. The book says he can also defend a bit and he is one of the few peeps to only list his father in his bio’. May St.Thomas bless on dat. (UPDATE: slightly trending positive, right on a ⇑/⇔ fence).

(already cut-up/strong-looking) Casey Morsell (6′3″ and 197 lb., Soph., Pt.Guard) and Kody Stattmann (6′7″ and 2o4 lb., Juniorfic Swing) combined to net you just short of 13 ppg in backcourt relief. With 3 apg and a useful looking 4.3 boards, a pickpocket and a send-back. Which ain’t ½-bad pine-squad G work if you can get it. (Casey is said to be the 2019 Gatorade Player of the Year and USA Today Player of the Year for Washington, D.C., and his rap sheet says he is a tough Wing who can handle outside shooting (from 17.7% now up to 34.6% just in-season this year) and defensive responsibilities. Casey was uva’s alpha-recruit last year and is said to be competitive and smart and that never hurt nothing in my book). (Kody is said to be inconsistent and in need of improving the range on his J (25% to start 2020 now all the way ZOOM chatting you up to a nifty 58.3% thus far)! Although this Aussie Wing (Bentley Park, Queensland) has a Greg Brady’s pasty ‘fro met some straightener mop-haircut, he is reported to be a pure scorer and he does dangle a gold medal from the 2017 FIBA Oceania Championships. Tho’ Kody has been sick/illness off/on this year, Godspeed on that. As Stattmann is an interesting kid to watch come 2022; as some say he has the potential to weaponize the Wing position for Tee.Bee. We will see here…) (UPDATE(s) both are ⇑, Kody is more like ⇑⇑, sharp returns from each here).
(UPDATE2: Kody is now listed as: “out with a non-COVID-19 related cardiac issue” geez! May St.Victoria blessblessbless!)

Justin McKoy is a 6′8″ and 215 lb. Sophomoric P/F-S/F classical ‘tweener who finds his way to a quietly useful 3.8 ppg and 3.1 rpg in relief as something of a surprise contributor this season. Good FT-shooter (88.9%); available from range (28.6% 3-ball), and comes with a tag of being a: ACC Honor Roll member (uva.edu PROPs here) and of being something of an instant O guy when he gets it substitute going here-n-there. And his bio’ says that he “likes to sing and dance”, so there you go. (UPDATE: one of the few hoos to be off or ⇓ in the meantime).

Illation, conclusion(s) and OPT digits:

Number of cavs hoo could mow the Drillfield's lawn @Tech=4-5.

the takeaway:
The takeaway here is… you gotta say this fo’ th’ hoos, they do not schedule soft outta the gate. They schedule humility at times in a word. Kinda like Michigan State does… hottest O.O.C. (out-of-conference) fire melts the strongest, steel… or words to that effect.

At least early on…

---

…though later on, maybe it smelts the strongest steel when mettle really counts come March Madness?

Anyhoo… now is not the right time to access where 2021 uva will rightfully be. This is a pre-pubescent and less than fully formed uva at the moment. The 4th-trimester uva could be a real catty one again.

…as Eye say that as these cavs seem a mite less defensive, or athletically-defensive if you will so far. Tho’ there Eye go again, putting the cart out in front of the Marching horse.

A couple of months=tell, here…

 ***

Our handy-dandy friend the so-called Forum Guide of Graham Houston fame is calling for a basically umpossible –73 point Hokie-hole in a VomiTorium of a game. Even when taken pro-rata, this pet metric is still calling for a  near 15-point boo-hoo of a night —when round-robin head-to-head mutually common opponent is asked, up.

The annualized year-to-date vitals say that… uva is up a nice looking +7% in shooting percentage margin (about 6/7ths of which is on O and 1/7th on D); with uva up +4% in 3-point percentage margin (da hoos trifecta better and yet VT defends the trey better), with nobody really up any caroms in rebounding margin (although both clubs are positive +5 boards on the fiberglass thus far year-to-date).

The most recent 5-game metrics say that… the cavs are now up almost +9% in shooting percentage margin (almost all an offensive superiority split); with the hoos now up an astounding +15 in 3-point percentage margin (per: VT at an icy season-low of 29% from 3-ball-land and uva peaking behind the arc at 46.1% in their last 5-contests!!!), and the Jeffersonians are now up +3 Windex wipes in rebounding margin in the last fortnight of play (Tho’ the Hokies were +3 off the glass recently here; uva is just better).

uva is up a hurtful looking +11% at the charity stripe for the year!
uva is a 1.oo guest (3-o); whereas VeeTee is .888 as a host (8-1).
VeeTee is up +3 in R&R in the last fortnight of ball.

The Call...

No.47 Net Ranking Virginia Tech @ no.44 Net Ranking Virginia:

…now…

@ no.6 Net Ranking Virginia @ No.43 Net Ranking Virginia Tech:

The Cavaliers, after plunging from No. 4 in the preseason polls to No. 23 in the in-season polls, have bounced back. Beginning with a 66-57 vs. a serviceable N.Dame club. This on the heels of their 98-75 drubbing type of L against No. 1 Gonzaga back on Boxing day (12.26). Then they played six of their next eight at home and began to climb back up the rankings.

Scheduling Ladder Theory 1o1 or one-o’-none?

⇐⇔

^that’s^ from where this (roadie preview) was.

From here on out is where this (hommie preview) is…

As of right about now hooVa is 11-2 (1st in the A.c.c., at 7-nil).

Because the cavaliourous ones have not been beaten since ‘Zaga.

And frankly, they are just 1 single shot from being one whole entire game removed from, prefect.

–oOo–

So, uva has held VeeTee to .25% 3-point shooting in the last two years! Then we come to the little factoid that it’s two L’s this season to San Francisco and No. 1 Gonzaga, hooVa’s opponents shot 47.8% from 3-point distance. In its five wins, opponents shot just 28.4% from 3-point land. Whereas the Hokies have made 10 or more 3-pointers in four games this season. Additionally, Virginia Tech is a sterling 11-nil when its defense holds opponents to a field goal percentage of ≤43.6%. The Hokies are .333 (win-percentage) when allowing opponents to shoot any better than that.

Then we sees that… No. 8 virginia hasn’t got beat in an Athletic Coast Conference game in nearly a year and hasn’t been beaten true road game all season. Further, the cavaliers, who have allowed just 57.9 ppg during their winning streak. On the other end… Winter Has Come… and yet Hauser and Huff are warming to the offensive task with career highs of late.

virginia has swept the last four meetings in this Commonwealth Cup rivalry.

And suddenly you see what Eye means, n’est-ce pas?
As 3-point-percentage and Hokie floor-percentage are your in-game barometers du jour!

⚔️ vs. 🏀 vs. 🦃

So, a Revenue Sports rivalry sweep would be a real live unusual Commonwealth Cub (binge) drink indeed. In… 🂡’s in point of facts.

And yet with nothing 2021 all that for-sure, hoo knows?

Maybe we are only 40-minutes removed from the very same?

As I did like seeing that unlike Buzzketball, m.Young actually prefers Tony and uva’s slower pacing or lower gearing.

Though is that easy riding enough —as @uva is one tough nut to crack?

⇐⇒

If you ask me -and you did via reading these very words- if you ask me, we set up much better at home per our teamfull and selfless line-up than we do @uva. Because to me, @uva and you will need at least one guy who can flat out go get his.

And get his when the rest cannot.
Hooever, two of our guys who can do this got, got. One got got, a lot.

Cattoor? Maybe Cone getting sparky and going off for the 2nd-half?
As we needs that instant-O guy like a dead man needs a coffin.
’cause the Pack Line D can go O cold. Just ask the
Nc2A round-of-64 once/twice a decade.

’cause if we don’t get that Saturday?
We may get got here.

Maybe, a lot…

💯🏀💯

(62% confidence interval)
Virginia Tech=59, france=73

please support the VT F.C.A.!

“LETS GO!”

“Hokies!”

 bourbonstreet**