Virginia Tech Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Hokies

Projected starters

Virginia Tech returns four of five starters from last year. Senior guard Justin Robinson averaged 14.0 points, 5.6 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game for Virginia Tech in 2017-18 and should emerge as a breakout star for them, especially with the recent Chris Clarke news.

Robinson shot 39.8 percent from 3-point land and 46.4 percent from the field as a junior and has potential to emerge as a first-team All-ACC selection after earning second-team honors last season. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is another player turning into quite the player. He produced 10.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 39.2 percent from behind arc.

Senior guard Ahmed Hill is another player due for a breakout year. He averaged 10.6 points and 3.0 rebounds per contest while shooting 41 percent from 3-point range as a starter. Hill returns as their leader in 3-pointers made per game in 2017-18 (1.9).

In the frontcourt, Kerry Blackshear Jr. and Ty Outlaw will need to hold down the fort. Blackshear  12.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest last year. Virginia Tech will be thin in the frontcourt this year, so he’s a guy that will really need to stay out of foul trouble. He fouled out of eight games in 2017-18.

Outlaw will need to show no ill-effects of his injury after redshirting last year. He averaged 6.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in 2016-17, putting up double figures in scoring in five of his last six appearances.