Sport Preview: Virginia Tech hosts North Carolina A&T – 247Sports

The Hokies have had a disappointing begin to the season however Virginia Tech (3-6) will probably be trying to bounce again and switch issues round towards North Carolina A&T (3-6) on Thursday night time in Cassell Coliseum. The Hokies are 15.5-point favorites for the 7 PM tipoff however the Aggies have been aggressive in most video games and should not be discounted evenly. The sport is offered to be streamed on the ACC Community Further and ESPN Plus. 
Virginia Tech has proven flashes in each recreation to this point this season however the consistency and size of these flashes is what brings concern when wanting on the roster. The crew did play a extra aggressive recreation the final trip towards Pittsburgh however aggressiveness, particularly in shot choice, has been a problem for a lot of the roster. A participant like Jaden Schutt has nice perimeter taking pictures talents however did not all the time hunt his personal shot and take the open look. If the Hokies can get the aggressive type of Schutt then they might run away with this recreation, but when the crew performs extra passively then North Carolina A&T will linger and have the possibility to make issues fascinating. 
Schutt was only one instance and he’s nonetheless having a superb season, averaging 9.9 factors, 3.4 rebounds, and a couple of.2 assists per recreation whereas hitting 38.3% from past the arc, however there are many different examples throughout the roster. Tobi Lawal is a superb athlete and might create mismatches when attacking the rim however hasn’t proven he’ll repeatedly slash to get these seems to be or get to the road. Tobi’s partnership with Mylyjael Poteat additionally performs an element as Poteat is a stable passer and might create some seems to be passing throughout the lane. When Poteat and Lawal are harmonious and capable of produce within the paint it makes the Hokies a special crew. Patrick Wessler is the one different large who will certainly see time and the 7-footer is a rebounding presence that may rating off the offensive glass. 
Jaydon Younger, Tyler Johnson, and Ben Burnham are three of the opposite wings that may see time on the courtroom. Younger will be an explosive offensive participant however can even rush some photographs and attempt to drive his personal manufacturing. Jaydon has gotten higher about it for the reason that begin of the season and for the Hokies to steal some wins later within the yr that must maintain bettering. Johnson is a promising true freshman that flashes his expertise via physicality and rebounding. His skill to create off the glass and get to the road has been essential to the offensive circulation. Then you have got Burnham, a School of Charleston switch who began the yr slowly however is beginning to fill his function. These three are 4 via seven on the excessive scoring listing for the Hokies, so clear bench manufacturing that Virginia Tech must win. 
The ultimate spots are held by Brandon Rechsteiner and Ben Hammond. Each gamers have contributed to Virginia Tech’s turnover points this season however they’ve the power to carry one thing totally different. Rechsteiner is a shooter that has additionally spent a while at taking pictures guard due to his above common perimeter skill. Protection has been a wrestle for Brandon at instances however when he isn’t turning the ball over he is a vital offensive piece. Hammond is an undersized level guard however one who has the defensive skill to leap the lanes and create quick break alternatives. 
North Carolina A&T likes to push the tempo however the Hokies are a greater rebounding crew that ought to be capable to dictate tempo at dwelling. There will probably be instances when it will get near the way in which the Aggies wish to run, however Virginia Tech has carried out a superb job with tempo in most video games and in a recreation the place they need to have the sting in expertise it ought to be a slower recreation. If turnovers result in quick break possibilities for North Carolina A&T then issues may get fascinating, but when the Hokies play composed and use the expertise on the wing to make progress there’s a lot to love about Virginia Tech ending their 6-game dropping streak. 
The Aggies have one of many higher scorers within the nation proper now in Ryan Forrest. Ryan is the clear offensive cog for North Carolina A&T and whereas he would possibly take lots of photographs, he often makes lots of photographs and is averaging 19.9 factors and three.9 rebounds on the season. Forrest scored 33 factors in a recreation earlier this season and is hitting 31.7% from past the arc. If Virginia Tech can sluggish him it ought to throw a lot of the crew off however somebody with that scoring skill isn’t held in test for a whole recreation. Landon Glasper is the second highest scorer for the Aggies at 17.6 factors per recreation however he missed the final contest and his standing for the sport tonight isn’t presently accessible. The 6’2″ guard is an effective scorer who can stretch the courtroom and create for his teammates, so if he’s accessible it opens issues up significantly for the Aggies. 
Johnathan Lamothe is the opposite participant in double figures and the Maryland switch is averaging 12.3 factors, 4.7 rebounds, and three assists per recreation whereas hitting 35.4% from the perimeter. Lamothe has the power to create some mismatches together with his size however the Hokies ought to have the scale to match up towards him between the 4 important wing gamers. Exterior of Forrest, Glasper, and Lamothe, there may be solely scattered manufacturing accessible. 
Camian Shell has stepped up with some gamers out with accidents and is coming off back-to-back double determine video games. Shell is averaging 9.6 factors, 3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per recreation. Nikolaos Chitikoudis is the first large man, averaging 9 factors and eight.1 rebounds per recreation. Chitikoudis is a pure put up participant that may battle it out within the put up. Efstratious Kalliontzis is the opposite put up who will see some restricted time all through the sport and he’s one other pure put up. Then Jalal McKie and Jason Murphy ought to spherical out the rotation.  McKie is the principle participant between the 2 however is not a major scorer, averaging simply 4.4 factors per recreation to this point this season. 
Bryson Ogletree is a gifted wing however he has not performed in a month and isn’t anticipated to be accessible tonight. Will Felton is a giant man that introduced the scale to battle with the Hokies, particularly Poteat, however he has not performed in a pair weeks with damage. There are different gamers who’ve stuffed a while and random minutes however Forrest, Lamonthe, Shell, Chitikoudis, Kalliontzis, McKie, and Murhpy would be the probably rotation until Glasper is offered. 
Prediction
The Aggies aren’t a terrific taking pictures crew however they do have some wing expertise if the can get the Hokies on the again foot. With the restricted depth presently accessible if the Hokies push them into foul hassle it may spell doom fairly early, however Glasper being again would change all of that. I feel Virginia Tech wins this both approach however with Glasper out it won’t be lengthy into the second half earlier than issues are determined. A scoring drought of the Hokies would push the timeline again some however there may be an excessive amount of expertise throughout the roster to not reap the benefits of all of the Aggies accidents. 
Closing: Virginia Tech 78 North Carolina A&T 61
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