Busting Brackets
Fansided

NCAA Basketball Power Rankings: Duke rises, newcomers snag spots

By Lukas Harkins

DURHAM, NC - NOVEMBER 11: Cam Reddish #2 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts after a play against the Army Black Knights during their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on November 11, 2018 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NC - NOVEMBER 11: Cam Reddish #2 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts after a play against the Army Black Knights during their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on November 11, 2018 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
9 of 27
Next
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 07: Robinson
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 07: Robinson /

Virginia Tech did not have a tumultuous week. They played just one game, a home matchup against Gardner-Webb, and they took care of business easily in an 87-59 win. Quite simply, hard to complain or drop the Hokies following this performance. Leading the way for head coach Buzz Williams’ team in the season-opener was clearly Nickeil Alexander-Walker. An all-around stud, the 6-foot-5 guard posted 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists in the win. Isaiah Wilkins also dropped in 21.

Moving forward, Virginia Tech should be in solid shape. And while losing Chris Clarke to an indefinite suspension definitely hurts the frontcourt, they should have time to adjust to life without him. The next “challenging test” on Virginia Tech’s schedule will likely be their road matchup with Penn State just after Thanksgiving (Nov. 27).

The Hokies are bound to be one of the better offensive teams in the nation once again this season and they will be difficult to stop due to the many scoring options. Coach Williams does a great job deploying small-ball lineups to wreak havoc opponents and we should see plenty of those this season. I am lower on Virginia Tech than most, especially without Clarke, but they should still be a very good team.

Home/NCAA Basketball News