At home again, for our first during the week game in some time. Second to last home game for the team this season as well as your second to last time to see Shay and Aurelie at Comcast. A win clinches a .500 or better record for the fourth straight year and keeps us in the driver seat for the first round bye in the ACC Tournament.
Most eyes tonight will be on UNC-Duke and since I will be at Comcast, I won't be able to study the game. NC State hosts Clemson, while Miami hosts Wake Forest.
Game tonight is on ACC Select for those that want to multi-task and watch two games at once.
Virginia Tech:
Record: 16-9, 5-4 (ACC), 3-4 (Road)
Common Opponents: Wake Forest (W, 74-54; W, 74-34); North Carolina (L, 102-68); Duke (L, 86-54; L, 75-65); UNC Greensboro (W, 56-45); Virginia (W, 70-60); Miami (W, 78-71); Georgia Tech (W, 73-68) - 6-3 record against them.
Most Points Allowed: 102
Fewest Points Scored: 40
About the Team - Stats
Team has won 5 of it's last 6 with the lone loss being to Duke by 10
Team starts three seniors and two sophomores.
Averaging 65.8 ppg (67.3 in the ACC), while allowing 63.3 (68.7 in the ACC).
Outrebounding opponents 39.7 - 35.5
Turn the ball over 18.9 times per game, with the opponents generating 9.1 of them.
Averaging 8.2 steals per game, while opponents only turn the ball over 16.8 times per contest.
Averaging 4.2 blocks per game
Rarely make a 3, averaging only 2.3 per game and shooting 24.3% from out there.
Their interior defense is better than their outside defense as teams shoot 39.1% inside the arc and 34.9% outside the arc.
Not a great free throw shooting team, averaging 68.5%
Players to Watch - Roster
Kirby Copeland. 5'10 guard. Leads the team in ppg (15.6), assists (113), steals (49), turnovers (85), shots (320). She essentially makes the offense go, and will use her quickness to penetrate the lane and score. Not a great foul shooter. She has to be pressured when she has the ball. Chances are Newman is guarding her.
Nare Diawara. 6'4 center. Second on the team in points (12.2), first in rebounding (8.9), first in blocks (41). Lanky player whose game has gotten better since last year. Will camp out in the paint on both ends of the court to clean up missed shots. Can be taken off the dribble and tries to avoid foul trouble.
Britney Anderson. 6' forward. averaging 10.1 ppg and 4.1 rpg. Mostly stays in the paint, but has taken 35 shots from outside the arc. Has only committed 37 fouls all year.
Brittany Cook. 6' guard. Another shooter who stays primarily inside the arc, but won't attack the rim.
Lindsay Briggs. guard who likes to shoot the 3. Has taken 102 shots, 76 of which have been outside the arc. Comes off the bench.
Keys to the Game
Bring the emotion again. We have to continue to play with high energy no matter the opponent.
Stop penetration. VT doesn't like to shoot the 3, so chances are they are going to attack the basket, especially Copeland. Cut off the path to the lane and we should be fine.
Box out Diawara. She is their main rebounding threat. If she can't get the ball, she can't score easy baskets.
Attack the paint. I still want to see more dribble penetration from the guards, everyone else does it why can't we?
Langhorne and Harper must establish themselves.
Articles
Diamondback
Roanoke Times
Examiner
Baltimore Sun
0 comments:
Post a Comment