After getting revenge in a victory over Notre Dame on Saturday and with a big-time home matchup against archrival UNC-Chapel Hill looming, the NC State men’s basketball team cannot discount the Hokies as it travels to take on Virginia Tech Wednesday night.
The Hokies (16-7, 5-5 ACC) stand as one of the nation’s leading offensive units, ranking 18th in points per game with 84.7, 15th in assists per contest with 17.4 and boasting a .512 field goal percentage, including 40 percent on 3-pointers. Five players are averaging double-digit points an outing, led by senior guard Justin Bibbs’ 14-point average.
Defensively, however, Virginia Tech is significantly weaker. The team allows an average of 73.7 points to opponents and grabs a dismal 34 rebounds a game. Forward Kerry Blackshear Jr. picks up a lot of the defensive slack for the Hokies with 6.1 boards and a block per game to pair with his 13.1 points per game.
The most impressive win of the season for Virginia Tech came against the Tar Heels a couple of weeks ago when the Hokies dominated their way to an 80-69 victory. A 15-2 run by the Hokies at the end of the first half set the tone for the rest of the game. The defense forced Chapel Hill into 13 turnovers and the offense drilled 12 3-pointers to secure the home upset.
The Wolfpack (16-7, 6-4 ACC) is coming into Cassell Coliseum with the same overall record but a game better in conference play, good enough for fourth in the ACC. NC State does not stand tall in most statistical categories but find ways to pull out wins usually with consistent defensive pressure.
Led by graduate guard Allerik Freeman with 14.2 points per game, junior guard Torin Dorn and sophomore center Omer Yurtseven, both averaging 13.7 points per game, the Pack has a balanced offensive attack thanks in part to better ball movement led by sophomore guard Markell Johnson who is the first player in NC State history to record double-digit assists in four consecutive games.
A big weakness for NC State this season has been playing on the road. With three blowout losses at Clemson, Notre Dame and Virginia and close four-point victories at Chapel Hill and Pitt, it is clear the Pack is stronger at home. However, with a spot in the NCAA Tournament on the line, this may be the game for the Wolfpack to establish a solid win away from PNC Arena.
With both teams playing for a spot in March and seeding in the ACC, look for the Wolfpack to apply heavy defensive pressure to start the game. If NC State can get turnovers and get Virginia Tech out of sync on offense, the Pack can create an advantage for itself against a quality team.
