Virginia Tech Basketball: 3 keys to victory over Texas in Round of 64

Slow down Timmy Allen and don’t forget about Marcus Carr

The Texas Longhorns have some weapons, that’s for sure, otherwise, they wouldn’t have earned an at-large bid as a No. 6 seed. No player on the roster is bigger than Timmy Allen, though.

Allen has been a burden in the post this season, posting 12.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.1 apg, and 1.3 spg while shooting 50.5 percent from the field.

While he’s a bit undersized at 6-foot-6, he uses his 210-pound frame in a variety of ways to make his presence felt when he’s on the floor.

He’s been one bright spot in the Longhorns rotation since joining the team out of the transfer portal from Utah. Look for the Hokies to double team the post and keep the ball out of Allen’s hands and make someone else beat them.

While a lot has been said Allen, one player that’s taken a backseat to him is Marcus Carr. Carr’s production has dropped a bit since he averaged 19.4 ppg, 4.9 apg, 4.0 rpg, and 1.3 spg a season ago at Minnesota. This season, he’s put up 10.9 ppg, 3.2 apg, and 2.0 rpg while shooting 31.7 percent from 3-point land in the Longhorns rotation, but as we all know, everything changes in March.

In Carr’s first appearance in the NCAA Tournament with Texas, he’ll be looking to make a great first impression as all eyes will be on Timmy Allen and what he can do in the paint. He’s one of a few guard names to keep an eye on in the Longhorns backcourt. The Hokies will need to keep him contained as he’s been known to get hot in a hurry.

He went off for three 30-pt games and a career-high 41 points against the Nebraska Cornhuskers as a member of the Golden Gophers in 2020-21. With the Hokies in front of him on Friday, the senior will be looking to make his March debut with a similar type of splash.