TOP-10 THROWDOWN
Old rivals Hokies and Cavaliers meeting as top-10 foes for first time
Long-time rivals Virginia and Virginia Tech face off in their first match as top 10 foes on Tuesday night.
All of the usual suspects that have put both Virginia and Virginia Tech into position to have the first top-10 matchup in the history of the rivalry will surely be relied upon once again Tuesday night when the programs renew acquaintances in Charlottesville.
Yet, there are essential figures in secondary roles that have helped deliver the efficiency that has driven both teams. U.Va. coach Tony Bennett has long demanded that productivity on both ends of the floor from his program, but he’s also seeing it offensively defensively from No. 9 Tech (14-1, 3-0 ACC) due in part to players who may not necessarily hog the headlines.
“What I’ve seen is Virginia Tech always offensively is efficient and good and up there in the rankings, but defensively — they’ve always been solid — but they’ve taken that step where they make it tough,” said Bennett, whose team beat Tech 78-52 last season in Blacksburg, but lost 61-60 to the Hokies in Charlottesville. “I mean, some similarities to things we try to do — jam the lane, and I mean, they will flood and they have a team-oriented defense with moveable parts and athleticism.”
Tech and No. 4 U.Va. (15-0, 3-0) are two of just seven teams in Division I ranked among the top 25 in both defensive and offensive efficiency, according to Ken Pomeroy’s advanced statistics.
Though U.Va.’s Kyle Guy (team high 15.4 ppg), Ty Jerome and De’Andre Hunter and Tech’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker (team high 17.8 ppg) and Justin Robinson will garner most of the attention Tuesday, U.Va.’s Braxton
Key, Jay Huff and Kihei Clark and Tech’s Ty Outlaw, Wabissa Bede, P.J. Horne and Isaiah Wilkins have contributed in big ways to the efficiency monsters both programs have become.
Key transferred to U.Va. in the offseason from Alabama and has shown an aptitude for Bennett’s pack-line defense. In addition to his defensive presence, Key’s 20 points off the bench provided a boost for U.Va. in a win against Florida State.
Clark’s on-ball defense has already helped the freshman develop a reputation as arguably U.Va.’s most dogged pest. He’s played the last couple weeks with a splint on a surgically-repaired wrist.
Huff, a 7-foot-1 forward, has studied forward Mamadi Diakite and center Jack Salt playing defense — an area where Huff has improved. He’s also had an offensive impact, contributing 11 points and seven rebounds in just 10 minutes off the bench Saturday in U.Va.’s 63-43 win at Clemson.
“It makes us a much deeper and even better team when one of the guys steps up like that,” said Guy on Saturday regarding Huff ’s performance.
“Having no fear when (Huff is) on the court is a big part of his game.”
Observing U.Va.’s offensive growth, Tech coach Buzz Williams attributes some of it to the maturation of the Cavaliers’ less-celebrated players.
“I think they’re running more stuff than they’ve ever ran since I’ve been at Virginia Tech,” Williams said. “A much-wider play catalogue than in years’ past, more offensive weapons with (Key, Clark and Huff ). I think that they’re able to play different personnel groupings, more personnel groupings than in years’ past — play little, play big, play normal, play fast, play with multiple shooters, more so than even normal for Virginia.”
At Tech, Outlaw continues to be a perimeter-shooting specialist. His shooting off the bench in the second half of Tech’s win against Notre Dame (14 points, 4-of-7 on 3-pointers) provided the Hokies with a necessary spark.
Bede has been a part-time starter (eight games) and bench contributor this season, but no matter when he’s entered games, he’s been a defensive glove. He’s destined Tuesday to harass Guy, Jerome or Hunter.
Wilkins, a freshman, hasn’t been bashful shooting from the perimeter, connecting on 13-of-28 shots (46.4 percent) from 3-point range. While Wilkins offers an offensive trigger off the bench, the 6-5 Horne’s rebounding and athleticism is crucial considering Tech won’t get those elements from wings Chris Clarke and Landers Nolley, both of whom won’t play this season.
As the only coach who has seen both U.Va. and Tech this season, losing to both of them, Boston College coach Jim Christian has a good read on both teams.
“Their systems are different — they play at different speeds, they play with a different aggressiveness on defense, but both teams have completely bought in to what they need to do to win,” Christian said. “Their players have bought in to an understanding and acceptance of their roles that make them good. … As long as both teams maintain that throughout the season, where guys appreciate and understand how to champion their roles the way they’ve done to this point, they’re both going to have tremendous, tremendous years, and it will be a heck of a game.”