Virginia Tech was blown out 82-52 by VCU in Richmond on Saturday evening. The Hokies dropped to 7-4 with the loss, while the Rams improved to 10-3.
VCU came into this game #1 in the country in forcing turnovers, while Tech has been very poor protecting the basketball so far this season. On paper, this was a big mismatch coming into the game, and that’s exactly how it played out. The Hokies committed 27 turnovers in the game, while the Rams had just seven.
Tech’s starting backcourt was especially bad protecting the ball. Freshman Ben Emelogu had seven turnovers, freshman Devin Wilson had six, and senior Jarell Eddie had five. Emelogu and Eddie paced the Hokies with 12 points each. Joey van Zegeren had four points, five rebounds and three blocks, and played pretty well on the defensive end. However, he got in foul trouble and played just 19 minutes, and the Rams took advantage of his absence.
The game started well for the Hokies. Three-pointers from Marshall Wood and Jarell Eddie gave Tech a 6-0 lead, and then they led 8-6 after a basket by C.J. Barksdale. However, the wheels fell off at that point, as VCU’s “Havoc” fullcourt press wrecked…ummm…havoc on the young Hokie backcourt. The Rams went on a 31-0 run to take a 37-8 lead and never looked back.
Besides the result of the game, the Hokies got more bad news. C.J. Barksdale tried to play through his knee injury, but unfortunately he sprained his ankle and never returned. Now with an ankle and a knee injury, it will likely be quite some time before he’s 100% again.
Look no further than the turnover/steals stats to get an idea of how this game played out…
Steals: VCU 22, VT 3
Turnovers: VCU 7, VT 27
It’s hard to win basketball games when the other team has 20 more possessions.
The Hokies return to action on Saturday, December 28 when they host UNC-Greensboro. Tipoff is scheduled for noon, and the game can be seen online on ESPN3.
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WEAVER SHOULD HAVE SPENT THE EXTRA BUCKS FOR SMART ITS CALLED INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
Greenberg is history. We have to figure out if JJ can make it happen or not. I say no. We weren’t prepared for VCU pressure nor can we play D. He’s not the answer.
Where has Cadarian Raines gone?
You beat full court presses with passing not dribbling, and then you attack the basket. Kids learn that in high school, VT wasn’t prepared and that falls on JJ.
The question is: can he do the job? The other problem is that if the refs are calling the game and allowing hand checking, go out and hand check until the refs decide to call the fouls and then you as a coach get in their face and make them call it both ways, maybe JJ is too nice of a guy, which is nice but not acceptable in big time basketball, by the way Beamer also has this problem. You never let the officials walk over you, there is a smart way to get their attention, and both JJ and Beamer have better show that side of coaching, i.e. teams better get a lot more physical in their play, if you going to get called for a touch foul then really foul. Weaver’s Hokie Respect has gotten the Hokies too respectful in my opinion, VT played better with an attitude in the Big East, we seem to have mellowed too much in the ACC. Chuck Noe was known to say that to be a good basketball player you had to have a little mean in your game, we need a lot more of that Mr Weaver.
You get out of it what you put into it….and last night is what the Athletic Administration in general and Weaver specifically has put into it for years….
No need to go ancient history all the way back to the coaching hires since Moir’s departure….and discussing Stokes only makes me ill. let’s just look at recent history to see that we have met the enemy and it is us.
You can make a case for firing SG….you can make a case for keeping SG….what you CAN’T make is a case for is firing him in April in the middle of recruiting season. It cost the program and we are paying that price now.
Weaver’s actions in the firing of SG were petty and personal and not in the best interest of VT and would have set the program back regardless of who the next coach would be.
And while I wish JJ the best…Weaver’s efforts in hiring the next BB coach can best be described as LAZY, but more accurately described as a dereliction of duty.
The teams on the floor last night were close in talent and experienced but the programs are worlds apart.
Maybe the next AD will consider our ACC membership worth the effort…. and we’ll get out of it what we put in it.
How does one give up a 31-0 (or 32-0?) run. Doesn’t seem possible. I feel for JJ and the team.
Question: Why is it that a double team situation appears to be called differently than a one on one defensive situation? There is a picture in today’s RT admiringly showing a “strip” with one VCU defender with his hands in Ben’s groin and another with his hands on an arm- why is that not a foul? VCU may experience more of an up and down season depending on the officiating (not excusing last night’s VT debacle and some very good defensive plays on their part). Another example was last night’s ND- OSU game end (I was hoping both could lose so unbiased) where touch fouls were being called in the paint early but there followed several OSU 2 on 1 maulings that won the game for them.
My word folks. We are playing freshman at point or not a point guard at other times. This team had not faced such pressure. They were shell shocked in first half. JJ got them settled in the second half and VT set the pace for the most part. Could not buy a shot!!!!!
VCU is the example of run because IMHO running must begin with defense not offense. When you cannot match talent you win with toughness and toughness begins with defense. We turn the ball over and do not play good defense. IMO that is the flaw in JJ’s philosophy.
Where is the class in the name calling???????
VT couldn’t shoot the broad side of a barn tonight. I sat and watched courtside through this miserable performance. I give the hokie players some credit, they did NOT quit, but were outmuscled under the basket all night, and couldn’t hit a free throw to save their lives, it was very frustrating!! My six yr old son and I were jumping up and cheering when we made a freakin free throw!! Even J. Eddie was clanking free throws all night, and that guy is usually MONEY at the free throw line. This VT team has some talent, but those two weeks off left them rusty, lacking energy, and without a shot to boot!
That said, I really enjoyed the atmosphere for the game, and when VT gets a band like the one VCU put out there tonight, we might have some atmosphere! Not sure the VCU team was as much havoc as the home team atmosphere created around VCU tonight. That place was ELECTRIC!!! If it wasn’t VT playing tonight, I would have been a HUGE VCU fan. What Shaka has built there is what VT fans ALL wish we had for a game atmosphere!!
Had both Governors in my grill all night long courtside, and got lots of photos of both!!
Officiating wasn’t horrible, but there were plenty of no calls on VCU defense that could have been made. There were some real muggings out there, and most of the time the zebras swallowed their whistles!!
J. Van Zegeran was trying really hard, but he just doesn’t have the muscle at this point to post up like he needs to. Him and Trevor are going to be very very good, but need to gains some mass. Both were man handled under the basket except for a few dunks on clear defense miscues by VCU.
We have a ways to go before we can win in the paint against guys that look like Joey Van Zegeran back to front times two.
Had a great time, and my son told me he really enjoyed spending time with his dad, so that made it ALL worth while.
I would pay to go to that event again next yr., awesome experience for me and my son.
Greenberg beat duke and UNC multiple times. He had us winning big 10-ACC challenge games and competing in the ACC. The basketball community recognizes him and his family as experts. We fired him and we will lose until we hire someone who brings credibility and demonstrated excellence like a Gregg Marshall from Wichita State or similar.
Don’t disagree but not Marshall. Not interested in VT.
picard facepalm @ http://i.imgur.com/iWKad22.jpg
You’re inflating Greenberg’s resume. And despite those successes here and there over several years, the wheels were falling off our basketball program by the time he was fired. Being an asshole to everyone is not a sustainable business model.
right
you got it
Sure I would like Gregg Marshall, but he isn’t giving up his gig at Wichita State. Way too many perks for him to leave that situation.
I remember sitting in the Dean Dome in 2008 and watching a 92-53 beatdown administered by UNC in which a more experienced and talented VT team gave up. The jury is definitely still out on JJ’s coaching and recruiting abilities but at this point the talent is just not there to compete with even a good team.
And Greenberg also LOST too many games the team had no business losing, and that was the reason he couldn’t get his talented teams in the tournament.
Keydet is right on. Tech basketball is a joke. they couldn’t win a D2 conference championship. It aint gitn any better hokie hi! I wish it was. In the late 70s and 80s the Hokies could hang with anybody.
It might be a joke but please, they would win a D2 conference championship with ease.
Chris pointed before this game to our turnover tendency….
That was embarrassing to watch.
Total lack of class by VCU pressing full court with 2 minutes left and up 37 points or so, and some of their starters in then too. Wish to hell we’d play them in football. Hope Johnson remembers this when he gets his team in and a little more age on them.
You don’t like it, then bring a decent team who wants to win to play. You are lucky they didn’t hang a hundred on you. Tech basketball is a joke. Weaver guaranteed its mediocrity for the next ten years by firing Greenberg, because Greenberg didn’t bow down to his royal highness…
All of greenberg’s assistants left and half the team had transfer papers ready moron.
If we’re a joke what does that make your half A$$ed team?? VMI?? DIVISION III !! I repeat,Smart showed NO class. As a matter of fact, we DID kick your A$$es. WHAT does that make YOUR program??
Moron..
Thanks for the assessment. Stunning.