Once again Virginia Tech played a subpar defensive game, this time falling to Clemson 77-70 in Littlejohn Coliseum. The Hokies are now 11-8 overall, and 2-4 in the ACC. Clemson improved to 11-8, with a 3-4 mark in league play.
Clemson entered this game averaging just 57.3 points per game in ACC play, and they were shooting just 30% from three-point range against conference opponents. Against the Hokies, they scored 77 points and were 10-of-21 (47.6%) from the outside.
Tech fell behind 12-0 to start the game, but rallied to tie it at 33 at halftime. The Hokies led 59-58 with 4:43 remaining on a layup by Robert Brown, but couldn’t close the game out. Milton Jennings had 28 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks for the Tigers. He came into the game averaging just under 10 points per game.
Erick Green scored 25 points, and he had to earn all of them. Clemson did a very good job of bottling him up for the most part. He was 7-of-16 from the field, and he also dished out five assists and grabbed four rebounds. Jarell Eddie added 19 points for Tech, while Robert Brown had nine.
Virginia Tech’s post players were thoroughly beaten in this game. Not only was there major foul trouble, but the Hokies couldn’t score in the paint, and they were beaten on the boards 42-33. Here’s a quick look at the numbers posted by Tech’s bigs…
Cadarian Raines: 1 point, 4 rebounds, 5 fouls, 16 minutes
Joey van Zegeren: 0 points, 1 rebound, 5 fouls, 9 minutes
C.J. Barksdale: 5 points, 6 rebounds, 5 fouls, 25 minutes
Marshall Wood: 0 points, 3 rebounds, 3 fouls, 15 minutes
Christian Beyer: 4 points, 4 rebounds, 1 foul, 16 minutes
From a points/rebounds per minute perspective, 6-6, 200lbs walkon Christian Beyer was the most productive frontcourt player for the Hokies, and three of his four points came from three-point range.
The challenge will be greater on Wednesday night when Miami visits Cassell Coliseum. The Hurricanes currently sit atop the ACC standings following their blowout win over Duke this past week. Tipoff is scheduled for 9pm, and the game will be shown on RSN and online on ESPN3.
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I agree with some of what VAHokie89 has to say. They came back from 12 points down by going into the lane and getting fouled. They stopped doing it in the second half.
But the defense is not exactly the problem. My bank called me the other day to tell me my account was over drafted, i told the gentleman on the phone that i was not over drafted, i was under deposited. They made 35% of their FG and 31% of the 3-pt shots.
Also, it seemed that VT won less than 20% of the loose balls in this game. And, most of those loose balls were under the VT basket and Clemson had an easy time of putting the ball through the hoop once they got control of the ball.
Also with all the fouls called on Clemson would you believe that for the game, the refs blew the whistle 25 time on VT and only 22 times on Clemson? By getting the technical foul, i wonder if the Clemson coach’s strategy worked?
Judging from just the Clemson game, i would say accurate shooting and winning loose balls is more important than advancing the defense. from where i sit the difference between 7-0 and 4-8 is the ball was dropping through the hoop when they were undefeated.
For the golfers on this site … have you ever gotten in a grove and driving your ball 250 yards or more right down the center of the fairway. Then all of a sudden you are looking for your ball in the weeds and only 150 yards or less from the tee-box? Well, i have, and i decided that golf is like women, just when you think you got it figured out something comes along to teach you that you don’t. The same goes for shooting hoops.
The irony is IF VT had made just 3 more FG’s and 2 more 3 pt shots, THEN would the campers on this web site be happy with a 82-77 VT win … somehow i don’t think so.
The teams that have a relatively easy time with us have big men that can shoot. We don’t have any of those We pick and roll, but not very effectively. Being a great player, Green can make something out of very little. However, I noticed that when UVA and Clemson, ran the pick and roll, the guards actually rubbed off the defender. Not even Green does this anymore. The defenders know that there is about a 10% chance that the guard is actually going to pass off to the rolling screener or to a cutting forward. I’ve said this before, but I still don’t know if Raines or Barksdale have a jump shot. I agree that Wood’s three point attempt was ill-timed, but at least he shot facing the basket. We have become so predictable with our guard play that teams just sluff off from guarding our frontcourt. And, it works.
IF Beyer started, he isn’t going to do any more than other people given our guards mindset.
I actually don’t want to hear anymore that the posts are not productive from a point-scoring perspective. I have been coaching for a long time and it very apparently how little the posts actually get an intentional touch on this team. If you look at the stretch from the start of the second half to the 10-minute mark, the only time the posts got a scoring opportunity was Marshall Wood driving from the 3-point line, Marshall Wood shooting a bad 3-pointer and Barksdale running the floor on a fast break pass from Eddie. Robert Brown drove three-four times and caused 2-3 fouls. Eddie shot and drove. Green dribbled around and looked for thing.
I knew as soon as several posts fouled out, a story line was going to be “posts fouled out with 0 points.” I watched play after play in which the posts only job was to rebound a missed shot and since they didn’t know when the guards would shot, it is hard to know when and where to get position. Green drove one time and Barksdale slide down toward the basket with his hands up looking for a pass. Green drew the defender. He did not pass. Green may have scored but I am just saying that Barksdale did what he was supposed to do to make himself available for a pass.
Sure the posts could score off more offensive rebounds but there is virtually no effort to get the ball to the posts in scoring situations. And Marshall Wood shooting a 3? Why? I don’t care if he makes them in practice. It was not the best shot or the person who should take them. We would not want Barksdale or Raines driving from the 3point line. During that 10 minute stretch in the second half, it was about the guards driving, dribbling around, shooting and such.
The storyline is not about the posts not being productive. I saw play after play in which the posts challenged for offensive rebounds. Some of their fouls were over the back. But in terms of expecting them to score? Do the math. The more shot attempts or touches that the guards have, the fewer opportunities the posts have. And Beyer. One his attempts was when he was wide open on an inbounds play and missed it trying to go to the reverse.
I’ve been suggesting stating Beyer on other boards- not because Beyer has ACC physicality but because he has fundamental basketball skills- passing, screening, blocking out, and staying (limited by his physical gifts) with his man on defense. Overall he delivers a consistent performance at both ends of the court.
If I were coach Johnston I would be sorely tempted to start Beyer next time out. It’s hard to send a message when you have so few options.