ACC Basketball: Key narratives for Duke vs. Virginia Tech in Sweet 16
By Neil Adler
2. The Zion element
It’s difficult to accurately depict just how imposing of a force Williamson is, as he not only generates a plethora of points himself, but he also diminishes the load on Barrett, Reddish and others on the Duke roster to score in droves. Peruse Williamson’s stats against UCF, and it’s easy to comprehend his value in this tilt with Virginia Tech.
In that one-point escape versus the Knights, Williamson never left the floor, playing the entire 40 minutes while tallying 32 points, 11 boards, four assists, and one steal. A tremendous effort, and obviously every single point proved vital. With Williamson in tow, the Blue Devils become a much more balanced offensive attack, not relying so heavily on attempts from long range. They also have a bruiser down low to clog the lane and control the glass, which is imperative, because the Hokies hoist up a lot of shots from deep, which can result in funky rebounds to corral.
In fairness, though, Duke is not the only unit healthier at this juncture. When Virginia Tech initially defeated the Blue Devils, the Hokies did not have senior guard Justin Robinson, who missed about a dozen games due to a foot injury. The all-time champion in dimes at Virginia Tech, Robinson averages more than 13 points and five assists per affair, and he’s a vocal leader on the court. Undoubtedly, Robinson will bring an additional boost to the Hokies, and I’m excited that both groups have returned to relatively full strength.