It was a successful opening night at Cassell Coliseum for both Virginia Tech basketball teams as the women opened the Megan Duffy era with a dominant 99-57 victory over UNC Wilmington followed by the men beating Delaware State 83-60 in what was an uneven performance. So with that said, let's dive into my takeaways from the Hokies' Opening Night.
MBB Takeaways
Tobi Lawal is More Polished Than We Thought
Everyone who has done any research on this Virginia Tech team knows of Lawal’s unparalleled athleticism. At many points, that athleticism was on full display, as he skied for a team high eight rebounds, flew in for three dunks including a tomahawk to effectively seal the game, and chased his opponents down on fast breaks for blocks resembling that of LeBron James or Giannis Antetokounmpo.
However, what really impressed me was the leaps and bounds he clearly made in his offensive skillset. While Lawal was a bit careless with the ball at times (five turnovers), he showed a proficiency to score at all three levels. There was some uncertainty of his fit next to Mylyjael Poteat due to a lack of shooting in the frontcourt, but Lawal eased those concerns by connecting on two of his four three-point attempts.
He likely won’t shoot 50% from long range on the year, but for a guy who only made three treys a year ago at VCU, just having the threat of a jumpshot is a huge advancement to his game. Lawal also used his athleticism to get to the free throw line, where he knocked down 9 of his 11 tries.
If Lawal can continue to perfect his offensive game, he will be a true NBA talent and will take this team to a higher level than expected.
Hokies Will Still Rely Heavily on the Three-Pointer...
WBB Takeaways
Kayl Petersen is Ready to Contribute in a Big Way
Kayl Petersen is one of Megan Duffy’s Marquette recruits who followed her coach to Blacksburg, and that decision is already paying dividends. The freshman forward followed up her impressive exhibition performance with a 12-point, three-rebound game against UNCW.
Once again, she put her three-level scoring ability on full display, knocking down two of her three three-point attempts, hitting a mid-range jumper, and scoring around the basket on her way to double figures in the scoring column.
Petersen has the chance to develop into a star in her time in Blacksburg, but the Hokie faithful won’t have to wait around to see her play, as she will get real rotation minutes all season long.
