Virginia Tech vs Virginia: 2020-21 college basketball game preview, TV schedule
By William Cash
TV Schedule: Saturday, January 30th, 6:00 pm ET. ACCN
Arena: Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Virginia
For the No. 6 Virginia Cavaliers 11-2 (7-0) they have been on a roll as of late. In the early season, it looked like the Cavaliers were very overhyped coming in the preseason. Virginia started 4-2 with an upset loss to San Francisco and a loss to Gonzaga. After that loss to the Bulldogs, the Cavaliers have pulled off seven straight wins.
The combination of the two big men in senior Jay Huff and Marquette transfer Sam Hauser has been the driving force behind this winning streak for the Cavaliers. Hauser has been a force on offense averaging 15 points, seven rebounds, and one assist on 54% shooting and 43% from three. While Huff has come into his own this season averaging 13 points, six rebounds, one assist, and two blocks on 63% shooting.
Virginia only allows 59.6 points a game good for 8th in the country. We know they have a good defense that will limit the Hokies. But will UVA be able to score the ball well enough to beat Virginia Tech on the road? The Cavaliers only score 73.4 points a game which ranks 162nd in the country.
Virginia Tech 12-3 (6-2) got off to a very hot start upsetting No. 3 Villanova to start the season. Since then, they have been very streaky. Two out of the three losses Tech has suffered were blowout losses. The latest one coming from the hands of Syracuse. The Hokies did bounce back with a 62-51 win over Notre Dame on Wednesday.
How well the Hokies perform in this game is a big question. Arguably the Hokie’s best player Tyrece Radford was suspended for a DUI and a weapons charge. The good news for Mike Young is that the Hokies win games from sharing the wealth. Keve Aluma, Nahiem Alleyne, Jalen Cone, and Hunter Cattoor all play a big factor in the Hokie’s offense.
Wofford transfer Keve Aluma has been a huge surprise for the Hokies averaging 13 points, seven rebounds, and one assist on 47% shooting. Alleyne and Cone both add on 10 points a game, while Cattoor averages eight points a game on 47% shooting from three.
Mike Young is going to need major production out of Aluma and Cone if they want to win this game. Aluma had a bounce-back game against Wake Forest while Jalen Cone has been on a cold stretch offensively. Tech will also need to be proficient on offense as Virginia’s pack-line defense does not give many open looks.
If UVA wants to win this game, all they need to keep up their stout defense and get production from Huff and Hauser. Virginia Tech has the ability to get hot from behind the arc quickly. The Cavaliers need to limit this if they want to go into Blacksburg and get a victory.
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Virginia Tech has come to play in big games this year and is 3-0 against AP Top 25 teams this year. And this Hokies team is a lot tougher than any team that UVA has beaten over their seven-game win streak. I think the Hokies get a big day from Aluma and Alleyne. In a close low scoring game, I think Tech takes a close one.