THE SETUP

The Opposing View: georgia tech

All-Time Series: VT 7-3

At VT: VT 4-2

Since Joining the ACC: VT 3-2

Last Meeting: gt 81, VT 70 – at georgia tech on 1/19/08

Of Note: A.D. Vassallo will surpass the 1,000 point mark with his first point on Saturday. He is currently at 999. Vassallo will be the 39th Hokie to reach the century mark.

Also, VT is encouraging all fans to wear red and black in support of Northern Illinois as they cope with an on-campus shooting. The Hokies will be handing out 6,000 red and black t-shirts at the game.

Had it not been for VT’s win at maryland, this game would have featured two teams mired in bad slumps.   But the Hokies overcame a 14-point first half deficit and an 11-point second half deficit to pull away from the terps and complete a sweep.  Now the Hokies return home to the Cassell where the Hokies are 9-2 this season, but lost their last game at home to the canes.

The jackets are another story.  As a team, they were leaking oil coming into the week, having lost three straight and four of five, including a home loss to streaking miami.  Now, gt is leaking water!  Their game against uva was postponed on Thursday due to a leaky roof at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.  So the jackets could be rusty on Saturday, especially after what is due to be some hazardous travel plans on Friday.

Don’t forget – the Hokie Celebration is in the Jamerson Athletic Center before, during, and after the game.  Here’s pics of Niemo at last year’s Hokie Celebration.  Think they’ll be a ban against arm-curling this year?  I do.

THE NUMBERS

THE GAME

This jacket team is not as bad as it looks on paper. They have lost to three top ten teams – indiana, kansas, and unc – by just 10 points combined. The problem is the other games. The jackets just don’t play hard and aren’t consistent. This is one of those “other games”, so we’ll see which team shows up. The yellow jackets are just 5-11 this season against teams from major conferences. Oh, and they lost to unc-greensboro (whom VT destroyed).

This team has a lot of role players, but not a true “star” or go-to guy on offense. The jackets do have experienced players though. It is almost as if last year didn’t really happen and we are back to the 2005-06 jacket squad (which wasn’t very good then either). anthony morrow, lewis clinch, and jeremis smith are all upperclassmen that have been in the top five in scoring for georgia tech each of the last three years. They are #1, 2, and 3 (in the order above) this season. Because of this, the jackets were picked 6th in the preseason ACC poll.

But things haven’t worked out well for the jackets. They have improved at point guard over the last month.  The floor leader was an area of concern for the jackets until matt causey went nuts against the Hokies.  Going into the January VT game, causey, who had been at a NAIA school the last two years, had only hit double-digits once.  Since pouring 30 on VT on 7/12 shooting from deep, he has hit double-digits five times.  VT must get out on him and not give him the easy looks he had in the ATL.  He cannot hurt you off the dribble, so take away his outside shot.  This means spreading the D out and not collapsing in as much.  This will require good one-on-one post defense and solid rebounding to compensate.

The jackets’ biggest problem has been defense. They allow opponents to shoot 45%. That’s 2.5% higher than any other ACC team (that’s a lot). They just aren’t quick, and due to that, teams can beat the jackets in transition, or penetrate right past them to get easy buckets as VT did in the first meeting in the second half.

Traditionally, georgia tech has been strong inside, but not this year. They are 9th in the ACC in Rebounding Margin. Part of the reason for this is mouhammad faye’s absence. The 6’10″ sophomore has missed the last 10 games. He lit VT up for 17 points and 9 boards last year, including 7 offensive rebounds, so the Hokies won’t miss him any.

anthony morrow is averaging 17.5 points per game in the last two meetings with VT.  Tech must keep him from getting good looks from outside, where he’s lit up the Hokies.

jeremis smith, who is a poor man’s Jeff Allen, will present a challenge to VT. If Allen covers him, he may end up in foul trouble. Expect Diakite to man-up on smith. The Hokies do not have to respect any of the jacket low post players from outside. None of them have a good long range, or even really mid range, game.

KEYS TO WIN

• Execute the Formula: Win Rebounding Margin + Win Free Throw Attempts + Win Turnover Margin = Win. Plus, keeping the game in the 60s is always a good sign. The Hokies are 12-3 on the season when both teams score fewer than 70 points in regulation, 3-8 when either team surpasses the 70 mark in regulation.
• Hit an early three.  If VT can get their outside game going, it will open things up for Allen inside.  Against maryland A.D. hit an early three to get himself going.  VT needs that again.  And Thorns and Washington knocked down a clutch, open three.
• D the 3!  The jackets hit 10/21 threes in the ATL last month.  causey hit 7/12.  That’s unacceptable.  VT must defend the three better.
• The jackets like to get out and run and attack the hoop. VT must do a good job of getting back and stopping the transition game.
• The Hokies must attack the weak georgia tech defense. There’s a reason teams shoot 45% against gt. They gamble on D, going for steals, and give up easy hoops. If VT goes at the rim, they should find easy buckets, especially since gt doesn’t block many shots. georgia will also hit the offensive glass hard, allowing for breakouts for VT and numbers in transition.

THE LINEUPS

* J.T. Thompson is questionable with an ankle injury.  He missed the game on Wednesday at maryland.

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