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

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KANSAS CITY, MO – DECEMBER 06: Nahziah Carter #11 and Noah Dickerson #15 of the Washington Huskies celebrate after the Huskies defeated the Kansas Jayhawks 74-65 to win the game at the Sprint Center on December 6, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Non-conference schedule for 2018-19

Nov. 9 (H) – Gardner-Webb

Nov. 15 (N) – Ball State (Charleston Classic)

Nov. 16 (N) – TBA (Charleston Classic)

Nov. 18 (N) – TBA (Charleston Classic)

Nov. 24 (H) – Saint Francis (PA)

Nov. 27 (A) – Penn State (ACC/Big Ten Challenge)

Dec. 1 (H) – Central Connecticut State

Dec. 5 (H) – VMI

Dec. 9 (H) – South Carolina State

Dec. 15 (N) – Washington (Boardwalk Classic)

Dec. 19 (H) – North Carolina A&T

Dec. 28 (H) – UMES

The Virginia Tech Hokies non-conference slate should be a cakewalk for them. They went 11-2 in their out-of-conference games in the 2017-18 campaign and have an opportunity to repeat similar results. It may take some adjusting, but head coach Buzz Williams is really going to have to stretch what he’s got this year.

The Hokies open the season against the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs at home on Nov. 9. After that they travel to the Charleston Southern Classic, opening the tournament against the Ball State Cardinals on Nov. 15. If they win, they have a chance to face the Alabama Crimson Tide, a team they fell to in the 2018 NCAA Tournament. Other than Alabama, the Wichita State Shockers, Purdue Boilermakers and Davidson Wildcats are other team’s participating in this year’s classic.

Virginia Tech returns home on Nov. 24 to host the St. Francis (PA) Red Flash. In this year’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge, they’ll face the Penn State Nittany Lions, a team that beat them back in the 2014 challenge, 61-58, in Happy Valley. As their last official road game, the Nittany Lions will probably be the Hokies’ toughest Power 5 opponent on the schedule.

The month of December opens with three home games against the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils (Dec. 1), the VMI Cadets (Dec. 5) and the South Carolina State Bulldogs (Dec. 8). On Dec. 15, the Hokies travel to Atlantic City, New Jersey to face the Washington Huskies in the Boardwalk Classic.

Two MEAC opponents in the North Carolina A&T Aggies and the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks will be their final non-conference games on Dec. 19 and Dec. 28, respectively. With three MEAC foes on the slate, the Hokies will need to have a strong performance in conference play to make up for things.

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