NIT ROUND 2 Preview: Baylor @ Virginia Tech

Following an exciting 116-108 double overtime win against Duquesne Wednesday, Virginia Tech hopes there’s still gas in the tank as they host another talented group in the Baylor Bears Saturday at 11 AM.

No. 3 Baylor (21-14, 5-11 Big 12)












Baylor is coming off an historic 74-72 win over Georgetown in the first round of the NIT. The win marks the Bears first postseason victory in 59 years.

The crew from Waco, TX has five players of averaged double figure scoring this season. The Bears like to play at a face pace and really push the ball up court quickly, similar in some ways to the style of play employed by North Carolina.

The group of Baylor scorers is led by guard Curtis Jerrells who is the trigger-man for the Bears attack. The senior averaged 16.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 4.7 APG and nearly two steals per contest. Jerrells has scored in double figures in all but 4 games this season and will look to do it again on Saturday.

The next two top scoring guards for Baylor are both equally suited to shoot the basketball, and make up two fifths of an all-name team.

Guards LaceDarius Dunn (15.5 PPG, 4.5 REB) and Tweety Carter (10.6 PPG, 3.1 APG) are both capable of stepping aside to let Jerrells carry the load, or exploding for a big night themselves.

Dunn scored 33 earlier this season at Kansas State and Carter had 30 points in a mach up with Oklahoma State.

Down low, the Bears are led by senior forward Kevin Rogers (12.4 PPG, 7.5 REB). At 6-9, Rogers will likely see a combination of Cheick Diakate and J.T. Thompson. Diakite didn’t play against Duquesne as the Hokies were forced to go with a smaller lineup against the Dukes guards.


No. 2 Virginia Tech (19-14, 7-9 ACC)






The Hokies got career nights from sophomore cousins J.T. Thompson and Dorenzo Hudson last time out. Both scored career highs in points with 21 and 15 respectively.

All five Tech starters scored in double figures and were once again led by senior A.D. Vassallo.

Vassallo scored 33 points, pulled down 12 rebounds and added 5 assists and 3 blocks. He now sits in fifth place on Virginia Tech’s all-time scoring list.
Sophomore Jeff Allen was also dominant against the smaller Dukes posting a double-double of his own with 23 points and 10 rebounds.

Sophomore guard Malcolm Delaney just missed a similar feat with 20 points and 9 assists. In his last two games, Delaney has 19 assists. He’s playing within the offense and letting things come to him. He’s playing at a very high level right now.

The Hokies will be able to go with their more conventional lineup in this one, but after his impressive play of late, J.T. Thompson may well start his second consecutive game in place of Cheick Diakite.

Tech will look for similar scoring balance in this one to ease the burden on the “big three” of Vassallo, Delaney, and Allen.


PREDICTION

When the Hokies play an opponent that likes to push the ball up court quickly, they like to try and dictate the pace of the game and keep things to their liking.

Look for Tech to be deliberate on offense. They’ll certainly score quickly in transition when the opportunity presents itself, but they’ll slow things down as much as possible.

Duquesne was a very good team, but Baylor is at a higher level. Don’t let their bad conference record fool you, of the Bears five Big 12 wins, three were over Texas, Kansas and Texas A& M, all teams that made the NCAA Tournament.

This game should be yet another close one which will come as no surprise to Hokie basketball fans.

Tech always has an advantage playing at home and that advantage may be even bigger in this one. The 11 AM start will feel like a 9 AM tip-off for the Bears who travel to Blacksburg from the central time zone.


Baylor 78
Virginia Tech 80

NCAA Tournament Greatest Plays

In case you hadn't heard, the real post-season basketball tournament starts tomorrow on CBS. Here's a preview of why workforce productivity will decline roughly 72% over the next few weeks.

We here at Stars and Slights hope your brackets don't fall apart on day 1. We know ours won't...

NIT ROUND 1 Preview: Duquesne @ Virginia Tech

Former Atlantic 10 foes Virginia Tech and Duquesne meet Wednesday night in Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, VA. Like most NIT games, this one has some interesting story lines.

No. 7 Duquesne (21-11, 9-7 Atlantic 10)










Duquesne head coach Ron Everhart has done a tremendous job turning around the Dukes program just a few years removed from tragedy.

Everhart returns to Cassell Coliseum where he was once a player for the Hokies. There’s no doubt this game means a little extra to him.

The Atlantic 10 is quickly dismissed as just a mediocre conference by most, but in reality it’s a strong league and potentially the best of the “mid-majors”.

The Dukes are one of five A-10 squads with at least 20 wins this season. Among the others are No. 22 Xavier and Dayton, two teams that made the NCAA Tournament and were both defeated this season by Duquesne.

The Dukes predominantly run a four-guard lineup that can distribute, shoot and play pesky defense. Several key players are guards/forwards with good length who can rebound, pass and score quite effectively.

Senior guard Aaron Jackson sets the pace for the Dukes. This season Jackson averaged 18.5 PPG and 5.8 APG to go along with nearly 2 steals per contest.

Another versatile player is sophomore guard/forward Bill Clark (13.2 PPG, 5.1 REB, 2.8 SPG). Clark is 6-5, Jackson is 6-4 and guard/forward Melquan Bolding (9.6 PPG, 4.4 REB, 1.1 APG) is also 6-4.

Sophomore forward Damian Saunders compliments that group at 6-7. Saunders averaged 13.3 PPG this season to go along with a team high 7.7 rebounds per contest.

Clearly, Duquesne’s “small” lineup isn’t that small. The smallest player who gets significant time is freshman guard Eric Evans (9.5 PPG, 2.2 APG) who is 5’11”.


No. 2 Virginia Tech (18-14, 7-9 ACC)








Clearly, the Hokies will have their hands full against the Dukes.

Their lineup presents Tech with some match up issues and it will be interesting to see who they go with in this one.

Duquesne likes to shoot from outside to the tune of 24 three-point attempts per game, making 35 percent.

Seth Greenberg will have to decide what personnel best suit the situation. If he uses a “big” lineup including likely starters senior Cheick Diakite (6-9) and sophomore Jeff Allen (6-7), it makes the Dukes tougher to defend on the perimeter.

Of course since Duquesne lacks a true big man, Tech could try and pound the ball low and take advantage in the post, hoping the Dukes won’t hurt them too much from outside. This chess match should be interesting.

Sophomore guard Malcolm Delaney is coming off what Greenberg called the best game of his career, a gut-wrenching 79-76 loss to No. 1 North Carolina in the ACC Tournament Friday.

Delaney had a double-double with 17 points and a career high 10 assists. He saw things develop before they happened on offense and played tough, aggressive defense. The Hokies will rely on Delaney as usual to be a catalyst for things.

Finally there’s A.D. Vassallo. The senior currently resides in eighth place on Tech’s all-time career scoring list. He needs just 9 points to move into sixth place and pass Bob Ayersman (1957-61) and Zabian Dowdell (2004-07).

Vassallo from his freshman to his senior year has improved as much as any player in the country. His game is well-rounded and though he defense can still be suspect at times, look for A.D. to give his best effort in this one.


PREDICTION

This game will be very close. The Hokies are virtually incapable of blowing out opponents and the Dukes are a very talented basketball team who will be ready to pull the upset.

The Hokies have history on their side however. Tech is at home where they are 10-5 this season. Tech is also 5-0 all-time against Duquesne at home and they lead the series 7-5.

The NIT has also been very kind to the Hokies over the years.

In the friendly confines of Cassell Coliseum Tech is 10-1 all-time in the NIT. Overall, the Hokies boast a 20-7 record in the tournament, winning it in 1973 and 1995.

Again, this will be a good game and should be close throughout. Ultimately, the Hokies have just a bit too much firepower.


Duquesne 72
Virginia Tech 75

NIT ROUND 1 Preview: UAB @ Notre Dame

UAB 21-11 (11-5 Conference USA)









Under former Indiana head coach Mike Davis, now in his second season at UAB, the Blazers have become one of only 2 or 3 teams to legitimately pose a threat to Memphis’ dominance of Conference USA.

The Blazers are coming off a tough loss in the Conference USA tournament semifinal where they fell to Tulsa 70-67.

Despite the loss, UAB has won 12 of its last 16 games and comes to South Bend with a great deal of confidence.

The Blazers are led by senior Robert Vaden who averaged 17.5 ppg and 5 rebounds. The athletic 6-5 guard/forward is effective off the ball but can also handle and distribute the rock.

Vaden is part of a trio of Blazers named All-Conference USA, who have over 1,000 career points. Guard Paul Delaney III averaged 16 ppg and 3.5 assists while forward Lawrence Kinnard added 14.2 ppg to go along with 9 rebounds.

Together, they form a potent “Big Three” that poses problems for the Irish both inside and out.

Notre Dame 18-14 (8-10 Big East)










Notre Dame is a team trending very much in the opposite direction. While UAB has won 12 of 16, the Irish lost 11 of the final 17 games, albeit against much stronger competition.

Obviously, for the Irish it all starts with junior forward Luke Harangody. The Irish big man averaged 23.3 ppg and 12 rebounds. He scored in double figures in all but two games this season.

In the post, Lawrence Kinnard will give up some 45 pounds to Harangody and an immeasurable amount of heart and toughness. Not to say he lacks those qualities, but Harangody is a truly special player and has them in abundance.

Even when their big man delivers, which he clearly does virtually every game, the Irish go as their shooting goes.

When Notre Dame’s trio of outside shooters in Kyle McAlarney, Ryan Ayers and Tory Jackson are hitting their shots, things go well.

All three averaged double figures in scoring this season and the team shot an impressive 40 percent from behind the 3-point arc. Most of that however, is thanks to McAlarney’s impressive 113 made three-pointers.


PREDICTION

Notre Dame has a perceived depth problem this season. Whether that problem is real or imagined, coach Mike Brey certainly believes it. The aforementioned Irish players each logged over 1,000 minutes this season. The top man after that minutes-wise is senior Zach Hillesland with 750. No one else on the team has more than 500 though freshman guard/forward Tyrone Nash has come off the bench down the stretch to help some.

The Irish horses were ridden hard and put away wet this season, and that will catch up with them in this one.

If anyone gets worn down or in foul trouble, there isn’t anyone to turn to on Mike Brey’s bench. Even if there is, he probably wouldn’t put them in.

UAB is a talented and well-coached team fully capable of pulling the “upset” in this one. I put that in parentheses because I think the Blazers are the better team.

A fired up home crowd at the Joyce Center could give the Irish a lift. ND was 13-3 at home this season, but as Brian pointed out when we discussed it briefly yesterday, it’s Notre Dame on St. Patrick’s Day…there are other things to do.

UAB 80
Notre Dame 74

Touche

All I have to say in response to my colleague's remarks earlier tonight is: you're right. I've got nothing.

I honestly thought about posting something several times this weekend. Yet every time I started to think about doing it a conference tournament game would return from commercial break and I would get hooked again.

Sadly, as Justin mentioned, neither of our beloved teams mustered enough fight to move off "the bubble" and into the NCAA tournament.

A little known fact - the NIT used to be THE top post-season college basketball tournament (because after all it is an invitational). If only that were still the case, Va Tech and ND would be feeling pretty good about their #2 seeds...

Come On Brian?!?!?!

I have returned from my trip to San Diego, CA only to find that in my time away Brian has been unable to post anything. Nothing. I know he's got a job and all, but I shall be on him as if I were the above horse and he the scampering dog.

Loads of stuff coming this week. Trip thoughts, crucial video game review and all the March Madness you can shake a stick at.



To start that discussion, neither Notre Dame or Virginia Tech were able to gain enough traction down the stretch to sneak into the Big Dance. Both teams will take their skills to the NIT.

No. 2 seed Virginia Tech will host No. 7 Duquesne Wednesday at 7 pm on ESPNU.

No. 2 seed Notre Dame hosts No. 7 UAB Tuesday at 9 pm on ESPN2.

We'll have full previews and recaps in due time.