Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 99
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Steamboat Springs, CO

    Talking MBB: Duke @ Virginia Tech Pre-Game Thread

    Game Day on ESPN travels to Blacksburg and Cassell Coliseum for the Duke-VT match-up Saturday at 9PM. Here's some material for the game and some questions:

    Fact #1: VT plays its five starters a minimum of 31 minutes in ACC games. Top subs Manny Atkins and Jarell Eddie average only 10-12 MPG.

    Fact #2: Malcolm Delaney is a brilliant offensive player (19.4 pts. in ACC games) and the second-best player in the conference.

    Fact #3: Jeff Allen (6-7, 220 and 15.5 pts./ 10.8 RBs) is playing extremely well.

    Fact #4: VT is a solid 4th in the ACC at 8-5. Best wins: two over UMd. Worst losses: two vs. UVa.

    Here are the questions. Please add yours:

    1. Who guards Nolan? Is it Erick Green (6-4) or does Malcom Delaney get to try and stop his high-scoring counterpart?

    2. More importantly, who guards Kyle? Terrell Bell at 6-7, 205 seems a likely candidate, but Kyle can out-muscle him.

    3. It seems likely that Delaney is guarded by a committee, including Seth, Tyler and Nolan. Who guards Jeff Allen, who has an outside game as well as an inside one?

    4. Do the Devils run at Malcolm Delaney to try and get him into foul trouble or tire him out? In which case Seth and Tyler better bring their A games.

    5. Can Mason continue his mastery of the boards against the shorter but stockier Hokies? Can Ryan open up the middle by returning to form as an outside shooter?

    6. It seems likely that Seth Greenberg's biggest problem is not the talent differential but the fact that he only has five players he depends on. What does Coach Greenberg do to prevent his team from being worn down at the end of the 1st half and in the 2nd half? Substitute a lot early? Slow the tempo? something else?

    7. Is Game Day, which lasts about 12 hours, a blessing or a curse for the Hokie fans?

    sagegrouse

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Winston Salem, NC

    Good report

    Sage good observations on the VT game. One thing I would add is that the refs aren't affected by the wild crowd made wilder by Game Day from ESPN. I've seen refs swallow their whistles in this kind of game. Let's hope the game is called properly. This one was going to be tough before Game Day showed up. Go Duke!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    ninety minutes west of Cameron

    Jarrell Eddie

    Has he been playing lately? I haven't seen any VT games since he was suspended for a marijuana charge pending in Montgomery County, VA, set for April 21.

    I would link to the Virginia Courts website, but the Virginia Courts website causes me to use language that would get me placed on holiday here.

    Never mind. I just checked the VT-Wake Forest box score from Tuesday.
    Last edited by Merlindevildog91; 02-24-2011 at 03:12 PM. Reason: Research!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Northern VA
    Another critical element, I think, is that VPI is, yet again, on the bubble in late-Feb. After bitter disappointments the last couple of years it is safe to say they will be desperate for a signature win down the stretch. No shortage of motivation for the Hokies and their fans. Game Day doesn't help in that regard either.

    This would be a really good one to jump out early and take some steam out of their crowd, and team...

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Washington, D.C.

    VPI's defense

    Most years, my primary worry when playing VPI is injuries. This year, however, the Hokies have so few players that I don't think they can play rough. I also think that they've played a lot of 2-3 zone this ACC season, because of the lack of depth. It will be interesting to see if they do that against Duke. We've certainly got the players to attack a zone, if we are patient and don't settle for the first outside shot.

    Allen still has a bit of a tendency to get in foul trouble, which really hurts the Hokies.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Quote Originally Posted by sagegrouse View Post
    Game Day on ESPN travels to Blacksburg and Cassell Coliseum for the Duke-VT match-up Saturday at 9PM. Here's some material for the game and some questions:

    Fact #1: VT plays its five starters a minimum of 31 minutes in ACC games. Top subs Manny Atkins and Jarell Eddie average only 10-12 MPG.

    Fact #2: Malcolm Delaney is a brilliant offensive player (19.4 pts. in ACC games) and the second-best player in the conference.


    (other great discussion points)


    sagegrouse
    Can I question a fact? Malcolm Delaney is no doubt the second best scorer in the ACC due to his ability to get to the line and convert (most FTs per game in ACC). But is it a fact that he is the second best player? I would think that Kyle and/or Jordan Williams (and Singleton when healthy?) could all be considered in that discussion. I don't know what kind of a defensive player Delaney is, so maybe it is a fact, but I do know that Kyle is pretty darned good on the defensive end, rebounds a bit better than Delaney and shoots a similar percentage. Kyle doesn't set up his teammates nearly as well as Delaney, but otherwise I would think he compares reasonably well. I am, of course, a bit biased.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Charlotte, North Carolina
    Quote Originally Posted by NSDukeFan View Post
    Can I question a fact? Malcolm Delaney is no doubt the second best scorer in the ACC due to his ability to get to the line and convert (most FTs per game in ACC). But is it a fact that he is the second best player?
    The Black Falcon, who is, of course, a pre-season All-American, must be, by warrant of the expertise of the pundits, the best player in the ACC. Nolan is clearly better than Delaney, so therefore Delaney can be no better than third best.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Arlington, VA
    Quote Originally Posted by sagegrouse View Post
    "Fact #1: VT plays its five starters a minimum of 31 minutes in ACC games. Top subs Manny Atkins and Jarell Eddie average only 10-12 MPG."

    "It seems likely that Seth Greenberg's biggest problem is not the talent differential but the fact that he only has five players he depends on. What does Coach Greenberg do to prevent his team from being worn down at the end of the 1st half and in the 2nd half? Substitute a lot early? Slow the tempo? something else?"sagegrouse

    Granted, we have enough talented players to potentially wear VT down, but recently the Duke minutes have been going to fewer players--in the UVA and Georgia Tech games, 6 players got just about all the time (with Andre as sixth man for UVA and Tyler for Georgia Tech), and last night we looked every bit as much like a 5-man squad as VaTech, with the starters all playing over 30 minutes and only one other player (Tyler) getting into double digits (and that just 11). It will be interesting to see if Coach K decides to spread the time around to make sure Duke has fresher legs on the floor than VT or if he continues to go in the direction he appears to be going in of (seemingly) getting all the starters used to playing lots of minutes in case they need to in the postseason.
    Last edited by Newton_14; 02-24-2011 at 10:20 PM. Reason: fixed quote tag

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Steamboat Springs, CO

    Talking You Are Right

    Quote Originally Posted by NSDukeFan View Post
    Can I question a fact? Malcolm Delaney is no doubt the second best scorer in the ACC due to his ability to get to the line and convert (most FTs per game in ACC). But is it a fact that he is the second best player? I would think that Kyle and/or Jordan Williams (and Singleton when healthy?) could all be considered in that discussion. I don't know what kind of a defensive player Delaney is, so maybe it is a fact, but I do know that Kyle is pretty darned good on the defensive end, rebounds a bit better than Delaney and shoots a similar percentage. Kyle doesn't set up his teammates nearly as well as Delaney, but otherwise I would think he compares reasonably well. I am, of course, a bit biased.
    Well, it isn't a fact. I should have said "assertion" or "assumption." I would offer the opinion that, at times, Delaney is a brilliant player and one of the very best in the conference.

    sagegrouse

  10. #10
    Va. Tech plays a lot of zone due to the personnel shortage. Two keys for us will be:

    1. Knocking down open shots, especially early. The crowd will be amped, and some early dagger 3s may help take them out of it.

    2. Offensive rebounding. The opportunities will be there against the zone. Look for Mason to get involved early - he needs to be able to finish putbacks after o'rebounds.

  11. #11
    Va Tech is going to come out with allot of energy. They know they are on the bubble and they know this is their ONLY shot at a signature win.

    We have had a tendency to come out a little flat/lax recently. I don't think we will be able to do that and survive this one.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Norfolk, VA
    Quote Originally Posted by sagegrouse View Post
    Fact #3: Jeff Allen (6-7, 220 and 15.5 pts./ 10.8 RBs) is playing extremely well.
    Jeff Allen concerns me as he is the type player who can attack inside and out. If he has a great game, it will increase the odds for a VT upset. We need to make Allen work on the defensive end with an objective of getting him to pick up some early fouls.

    Quote Originally Posted by sagegrouse View Post
    3. It seems likely that Delaney is guarded by a committee, including Seth, Tyler and Nolan. Who guards Jeff Allen, who has an outside game as well as an inside one?
    We will need to have Ryan Kelly guard Allen outside with Mason or Miles (whoever is in the game) providing lots of help when Allen moves inside. Perhaps Josh Hairston sees some action in order to muscle up Allen for a couple of minutes. Whoever guards Allen will need lots of help.

    Quote Originally Posted by sagegrouse View Post
    4. Do the Devils run at Malcolm Delaney to try and get him into foul trouble or tire him out? In which case Seth and Tyler better bring their A games.
    Delaney doesn't appear to tire out so we need to be ready to guard him for all 35 seconds on every Virginia Tech possession. Delaney can get his shot at any time so we must play defense for the full possession every possession.

    I do not believe Malcolm Delaney can beat us by himself no matter how good he plays as an individual. The same goes for Allen. What worries me is Delaney and Allen simultaneously having good games with a third Hokie such as Erick Green or Jarell Eddie stepping up and playing strong. I'm confident Coach K and staff will devise a game plan to eliminate one of Seth Greenburg's main horses.

    On offense, we need to hit open shots and attack mismatches. Stating we need to hit open shots seems like I'm being Captain Obvious, but Virginia Tech has no depth and has been playing a lot of 2-3 zone so we will need to force them out of the zone by hitting perimeter jumpers, 3-pointers from the corners and wings, and midrange shots from the free throw line area. Ryan Kelly could be key to breaking their zone as he was against Miami. Once they are in M2M, Singler and Smith can work on taking their man to the rim and dishing the ball when Virginia Tech attempts to provide help.
    Bob Green

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Washington, DC

    What I would like to see

    ...a good start to the game. Knowing the frenzy that this game will be (VPI is always hyped for Duke, GameDay, and the bubble), the Hokies will come out ridiculously hyped. And we, to put it mildly, haven't started games well, almost all year.

    Specifically, we tend to lack a precision and crispness at the beginning of games. We miss easy shots, commit sloppy turnovers, allow too many easy shots because of soft defense, etc. I don't ascribe it to flatness, but rather to not getting into the flow of the game fast enough.

    Should that happen on Sat, VPI is both talented enough and desperate enough to make sure we can't overcome it.

  14. #14
    Duke needs to stop one of VT's 3 top scorers or get them in foul trouble. Unfortunately all three are tough matchups for Duke. Delaney and Green are taller than Smith and Curry and are both very active and athletics. Allen is just the type of player that gives Duke's bigs fits and he is getting into that "I am a senior and have only a few games left" mode. All three could have big games against Duke- so the D will be key in this game. Lately, Duke has made adjustments at half time but the adjustments may need to be made more quickly. VT has a lot of pressure on them- so that could help- but if they get going early- Duke will have their hands full. This game will be the toughest of the year- no question. Duke needs to keep mistakes at a minimum.

  15. #15
    Duke 83, Tech 67

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Durham at heart
    I think that it would be interesting to give Delany different looks during VPI's offensive trips down the floor. For example, throw Nolan or Seth on him to start the game, but change it up every once in a while and have Singler guard him depending on what personnel is on the floor for each team. The NCAA tourney last season showed that Kyle can guard multiple positions and I would think that his length would really bother Delany.

    Echo the above comment that we can not come out with a slow start. It is critical to NOT fall behind by 8-10 points. That will get the energy level high and buttress the VPI kids in the second half.

  17. #17
    Games at VT made me think of the dust-up with JJs dad there. Got me curious about JJ's younger sister. She left the VT team in December and landed at Drexel:
    http://www.drexeldragons.com/news/20...px?path=wbball

  18. #18
    Delaney is very similar player to Smith. Both look for their shot first and pass when they don’t have a play. Neither is a top notch playmaker. The key differences are the players around them. Aside from Delaney, only Green and Allen can be counted on for offense so Delaney has seen many more double teams and junk defenses than Smith. As a result, he sometimes gets frustrated and takes poor shots. Smith, on the other hand, plays with a number of excellent offensive players and opposing teams typically don’t concentrate on him (first Maryland game aside). This also tends to help his assists totals as Singler, Curry, Dawkins and Kelly are very good shooters.

    I think a good case can be made for Delaney having the second best year among ACC players whether you look at all the games or limit yourself to ACC games. As much as I like Singler’s all around play, he has not played better than Delaney this year, particularly in ACC games.

    For Saturday’s game, I would concentrate on stopping Green and Allen and letting Delaney try to keep up with the entire Duke team.

    gw67

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Winterville, NC
    Seth Davis has picked Virginia Tech to win 75-73. Thanks for the support.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Wherever the wind blows and the leaves dance.

    Techsideline article on gameday

    Here is an article from Techsideline about College Gameday being in Blacksburg on Saturday.

    Is VT the only ACC team to host ESPN gamedays in both football and basketball?

Similar Threads

  1. MBB: Duke 67, Virginia Tech 55 Post-Game Thread
    By Jumbo in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 221
    Last Post: 02-23-2010, 05:25 PM
  2. MBB: Duke 72, Virginia Tech 65 Post-game Thread
    By Troublemaker in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 185
    Last Post: 03-02-2009, 04:13 PM
  3. Duke-Virginia Tech Post Game Thread
    By Hancock 4 Duke in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 111
    Last Post: 01-06-2009, 08:45 PM
  4. Duke MBB vs Virginia Tech Post-Game Thread
    By Bob Green in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 197
    Last Post: 01-26-2008, 11:40 PM
  5. Duke MBB vs Virginia Tech Pre-Game & In-Game Thread
    By Bob Green in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 59
    Last Post: 01-24-2008, 09:03 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •