Dayton vs. Virginia Tech: 2019-20 Maui Invitational game preview, TV schedule

Dayton and Virginia Tech are both coming off of impressive victories in which they showed off their offensive firepower, which should make for a great matchup in Maui.

TV Schedule: Tuesday, November 26, 2019, at 8:00 PM ET, ESPN

Location: Lahaina Civic Center, Maui, Hawaii

Dayton vs. Virginia Tech is the intriguing, early-season matchup no one expected to see in the Maui Invitational. Both teams are flying high coming off of impressive wins, Dayton’s for its thoroughness and Va. Tech for its season-defining ability.

The Dayton Flyers took care of a business in a big way on Monday. There were slightly favored in most sportsbooks coming into a matchup against a feisty Georgia team full of NBA-level athleticism. Not only did Dayton beat Georgia, but they beat them handily. They ran out to a massive 43-25 halftime lead and never looked back.

What was most impressive about the Flyers’ first-half (and total game) dominance was their commitment to the gameplan, which involved getting Brooklyn-native Obi Toppin the ball early and often. Toppin himself stated that playing inside-out was a part of the Flyers’ gameplan, and it showed as he racked up 25 points on only 11 shots, a ridiculously efficient night for the redshirt sophomore.

The Flyers forced the Bulldogs into 23 turnovers and played tough defense all night on a Georgia team that is woefully short on perimeter shooting. The lack of floor spacing for the Bulldogs played right into Dayton’s hand but they won’t be able to apply that same strategy to the hot-shooting Virginia Tech Hokies.

Virginia Tech pulled off the biggest upset on Monday, knocking off the Michigan State Spartans 71-66 behind a great 22-point effort from Landers Nolley II.

Under new head coach Mike Young, Virginia Tech ran plenty of actions to get their shooters looks, often running full speed off of screens. Virginia Tech shot 47.6% from 3-point range, including 4-for-6 from the 3-point line from Nolley, including the shot that sealed the game.

Despite their offense being very reliant on their ability to light it up from deep, Young’s Virginia Tech team made it a priority to show that they could play with grit and tenacity, putting Cassius Wiston in foul trouble and winning the turnover margin by seven. The Hokies were outrebounded 43-27 by Michigan State and still won the game behind their red-hot shooting.

Virginia Tech won’t shoot over 47% from 3-point range every game and thus, they will need to put up a stronger effort on the glass against Dayton and standout power forward Obi Toppin. Though I believe in Virginia Tech to force Toppin into a more uncomfortable game than Georgia did, I don’t believe in the Hokies to slow down a balanced Dayton attack.

Prediction: Dayton 86, Virginia Tech 76