Efficient backcourt offers chance to improve
Virginia Tech
Coach: Mike Young (315-260 in 18 seasons overall, 16-16 in one season at Virginia Tech).
Last season: 16-16 overall, 7-13 ACC (finished tied for 10th in ACC regular season).
Three players to watch
Tyrece Radford Despite being just 6-foot-2, he plays much bigger and creates matchup issues with his rebounding ability. Only two Division I players in the nation his height or smaller averaged more than his 6.2 rebounds per game. He’s also Virginia Tech’s leading returning scorer (10.2 points per game last season), contributing primarily on straight-line and baseline drives to the basket (team-best 60.4% shooting from the floor).
Wabissa Bede He was one of the most efficient ball-handlers in the nation last season, finishing with a 3.34-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio (fifth in the country). Bede won’t score much (5.2 ppg), but he’s one of the top distributors (5.5 assists per game last season) in the ACC and a choking on-ball defensive presence.
Nahiem Alleyne His scoring production (8.8 ppg) dipped in the final six weeks of the season, but he showed plenty of promise as a freshman with his ability to penetrate into the lane off the dribble and move without the ball. Alleyne is also one of Tech’s most dependable perimeter shooters (38.9%).
Most promising newcomer
Cartier Diarra Transferring from Kansas State in the offseason,
the 6-4 Diarra offers Tech instant contributions on both ends of the court (13.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game last season) from his guard spot. He should complement Bede, Radford, Alleyne and sharp-shooter Jalen Cone (team-best 45.7% from 3-point range off the bench last season).
Strengths
Backcourt options-galore should give Tech the ability to change tempo and make shots from the perimeter. Freshman Joe Bamisile will be in the mix in Tech’s guard rotation, with his sweet shooting touch and high-flying finishes in
transition.
Weaknesses
Rebounding could still be an issue for Tech, which was thirdfrom-last in the ACC last season in rebounding margin (minus-3 per game). Wofford transfer Keve Aluma, Iowa transfer Cordell Pemsl and freshman David N’Guessan — all of whom are 6-9 — and 6-7 Delaware transfer Justyn Mutts will be depended upon to combine with 6-10 sophomore John Ojiako to change the Hokies’ fortunes on the boards. Losing wing Landers Nolley, who led Tech with 15.5 points per game last season before
transferring to Memphis, means the Hokies need guys to pick up the scoring slack.
Prediction
Tech finished last spring with a thud, wrapping up the season with losses in 11 of its last 13 games after starting 14-5. Added depth in both the backcourt and frontcourt gives Tech an opportunity to finish in the 14- or 15-win range in a 27-game schedule, which would move it closer to the middle of the pack in the ACC.