Sponsored by Fisher Law Firm: Virginia’s Virginia’s DUI and Traffic Defense Firm! We serve the Christiansburg, Fairfax, Richmond areas as well as the rest of Virginia. For a free consultation call us any time, day or evening at 800.680.7031 or email us at [email protected].
Virginia Tech’s basketball season came to an end with a 57-53 loss to Miami in the opening round of the ACC Tournament. The Hokies finished the year with a 9-22 record. Miami improved to 17-15 and will meet NC State in the second round.
Tech led 32-31 at halftime, and the game was back-and-forth. However, as usual, the Hokies couldn’t close. They led 52-51 with three minutes remaining, but could only manage one point over the final three minutes, and that was on a Devin Wilson free throw when Miami intentially fouled to put Tech on the line.
With 10 seconds left and trailing by one, the Hokies inbounded to a cutting Joey van Zegeren, who missed the shot, but he was fouled. Unfortunately the play was drawn up for a 37% free throw shooter, and van Zegeren missed both shots. With two free throws of their own, Miami increased their lead to 55-52.
The Hokies got the ball back with six seconds left, and Miami immediately fouled to put Tech on the line. Devin Wilson made the first free throw to cut the lead to 55-53, and then missed the second intentionally to give his teammates a shot at the offensive rebound. Jarell Eddie came down with the offensive rebound, but he rushed his decision and got pinned under the basket, and his shot never had a chance. It was blocked by Erik Swoope. Miami then made two final free throws to win 57-53.
The Hokies were led by Jarell Eddie, who had 16 points. He was 5-of-11 from the field and 5-of-10 from three-point range. Freshman point guard Devin Wilson added nine points and five assists, and did not commit a turnover in 38 minutes. Turnovers are normally a big issue for the Hokies, but they had just three in 40 minutes of basketball against the Hurricanes. Despite that encouraging stat, they couldn’t pull out the win.
According to Mike Barber of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Whit Babcock and James Johnson will have a meeting next week to discuss the future of the program.
Print
Hopefully we don’t lose this Bibbs kid who apparently looks to be legit and a good replacement for Eddie. Well, not to infer we will really miss Eddie’s inconsistency, but Bibbs would be an immediate contributor to a pretty solid nucleus.
I think if the Miami player doesn’t foul, then Joey scores that bucket relatively easy, we almost had a point bank layup off of the play. Anyways, another L is another L.
I agree with everyone else. JJ can’t coach the end of a game from a strategy or play calling standpoint. I don’t think we had 9-22 talent – more like 14-17 or a little better. A lot of fundamental and coverage gaps on defense. For this, JJ has got to go.
I guess this means we don’t go to the NIT either huh?
Not even close.
There was a sequence with around a minute left when Devin Wilson dominated the dribble… and ended up taking a shot at the end of the 35-second clock. NO one else touched the ball. THAT is the problem with VT’s offense, not whether JVZ should have been in. JVZ should have been in for potential rebounding. Our problem is HOW we run the offense. Slowing things down does not have to shooting at the end of the shot clock…shooting an outside shot after the PG dribbles for 30 seconds. That killed the game.
When I saw this I thought the same thing.
No JVZ should NOT have been in the game. Not only is he a 37% FT shooter, but he was 1-7 on non-dunk attempts including airballing a 2 foot left handed hook. He has ZERO offensive skills other than to jump higher than everyone else and dunk. Miami wouldn’t have allowed a dunk….they would and DID foul…and you see what happened. We run the same play with Trevor Thompson and he gets fouled, he hits at least 1…he was 4-4 on the game.
The fact that JJ would draw up a play that would have a 37% FT shooter taking a shot when you knew that UM was going to try and foul prior to the shot attempt made no sense. If that is the best JJ can come up with in a critical situation he shouldn’t be our coach. And if our new AD doesn’t make the decision to replace JJ then maybe we need a new AD.
Please clarify. We were down one. Why would Miami try to foul?
The play was designed well and Miami likely planned to foul before the shot because the had fouls to give. The Miami player fouled too late and JVZ was in the act of shooting. The Miami kid just screwed up.
Because they had a foul to give and by fouling it would reduce the amount of time we would have to run a final play.
We were down by one, the ball in the paint and the guy going up for a shot. There is no foul to give at that point.
JVZ needs to spend the entire summer practicing foul shots.
Agree – looked like they were playing D to close out the game, not fouling – wasn’t the play designed for a quick basket? Ah – I guess it doesn’t matter, the season has come to a close and no one on our side is feeling good. Hope we can be respectful to JJ as his term as coach looks to be at an end.
Hi JJ…how are you doing? You DO realize that teams that have fouls to give before the bonus are going to try to foul you before you get a shot off. Miami messed up by letting JVZ get the ball where he did, and IF we had a FT shooter who could make just 1 there, we’d at least have had a shot at OT.
So, tell me why Joey was even in the game at that point. A coach’s decision but a flawed one.
The kids played hard, my heart goes out to them. Once again, it appeared in the last 2 minutes, even with timeouts called to draw up plays, the plays were not up to ACC level, thus we fell short. Tough season, but it seems that we have a good core of players returning along with some recruits and the return of injured players, which could produce maybe 6 or 7 conference wins…is that what we are looking for?
The answer is NO, that is not what we are looking for! People that know me would say that I absolutely love anything VT …. It’s athletic programs and more importantly it’s Athletes. This is the first time that I can recall that I am happy that a season is over ….. We must strive to take big steps forward!!
Go Hokies!! Thanks to the guys for hanging in there through a tough season. We see you!!
Your last question is the largest to be answered…and the one which I won’t try to answer. But otherwise, I think the players have put forth a fantastic level of energy. It may not be the level of talent we expect in the ACC but is for damn sure the level we expect of VT recruits. This is neither an endorsement for JJ nor an indictment, but something needs to change next year. The level of hunger for wins next year needs to be astronomical.
We only have a average core of young players coming back next year. Will they be better next year? Hopefully they will and hopefully with a new very talented coach and coaching staff.