Lynn Kidd has been the breakout star of non-conference play for Virginia Tech averaging 15.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 25.0 minutes per game while shooting 67% from the field and 86% from the free-throw line through VT's first 11 games (which includes an ACC game against Louisville). With non-conference play wrapping up, the Hokies' breakout star delivered the finest performance of his career right before Christmas.
Virginia Tech beat American 77-55 to improve to 9-3 on the season as Lynn Kidd dominated with 31 points on an insane 14-15 from the field and 3-3 from the free-throw line plus 11 rebounds and two blocks. In the process, Kidd became the third player to have at least 31 points and 11 rebounds since the Hokies have been in the ACC as noted by Tech Sideline's David Cunningham, joining A.D. Vassallo and Zach LeDay.
Kidd made it look easy throughout this game and if his one miss would have gone down, he would have tied the school record for the most shots in a game without having a miss, a record still held by Russell Davis who went 15-15 against Vermont on December 31st, 1974.
Tech dominated the paint overall in this guy as they outscored the Eagles down there 48-24.
This was a very smooth offensive performance for the Hokies overall as they went 32-50 (64.0%) from the field while having 23 assists on their 32 made shots to only seven turnovers on the game. Tech was also effective off American turnovers with 15 points off the Eagles' nine turnovers while AU only had two points off the seven VT turnovers.
The only weak spot in this game on the offensive end was their three-point shooting as they only went 5-17 from behind the arc. Tech's defense wasn't great in the first half, but tightened up in the closing 20 minutes holding the Eagles to 9-30 from the field.
With Sean Pedulla out for precautionary reasons, Brandon Rechsteiner picked up his second start of the season and was quite effective running the show. The freshman had only 11 assists to only two turnovers, finishing only two assists from tying the single-game school record held by Justin Robinson. Rechsteiner didn't have the sharpest shooting day going 1-4 from the field, but Tech certainly is pleased with how well he ran the offense in his 30 minutes on the floor.
MJ Collins had one of his best offensive games of the season with 12 points on 5-8 shooting plus three rebounds and two assists while Robbie Beran had seven points on a perfect 3-3 from the field plus four rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block. Both players have responded with great maturity since dropping out of the starting lineup and are proving to be very good contributors in their 20+ minute roles off the bench.
Virginia Tech has held up well against one of the toughest non-conference schedules that they've faced in recent memory picking up some quality wins against Iowa State, Boise State, and Vermont while only suffering losses to quality opposition in Florida Atlantic, Auburn, and South Carolina. There's still a lot of work ahead for the Hokies but as Mike Young stated well after this game, the Hokies have put themselves "in position to be in position."
