Virginia Tech vs Penn State Preview and Prediction

Virginia Tech (3-0) takes on their first power conference opponent in a matchup against Penn State (3-0) in Baltimore in the Hall of Fame Series. The Hokies are coming off a subpar offensive performance in a 58-52 win against Winthrop, where they shot just 33% from the field and below 28% from long range. This was enough against the Eagles, but it won’t be enough against the Nittany Lions who are fifth in Division I in scoring, averaging 101 points per game.

Neither team has had a clear superstar stand out, but they have a multitude of players who can beat you. Both the Hokies and the Nittany Lions have had a different leading scorer in each of their first three games.

Overall, this will be an opportunity for both teams to learn about themselves. Is Penn State’s offense truly elite or has it been a product of subpar competition? Do the Hokies actually have a stronger defense than offense, or are they liable to get cooked by a big time opponent? We’ll find all of this and more out tonight at the 7:30 tipoff on Peacock.

Keys to the Game

Player to Watch: Brandon Rechsteiner

After leading the Hokies in scoring with 19 points against USC Upstate, Rechsteiner struggled Monday scoring just four points in 22 minutes of action. While freshman point guard Ben Hammond did a great job filling in for Rechsteiner, Virginia Tech will need Rechsteiner to step up and control the game from the lead guard position against Penn State.

Three-Point Shooting

Virginia Tech is a team known for their three point shooting prowess in the Mike Young era. However, their long range sniping has been far from its usual self this head.

The Hokies are making just 8.3 threes per game at a 32% clip, but it’s not for a lack of three point shooters on paper. Rechsteiner, Jaydon Young, and Jaden Schutt all have knockdown shooting potential, but last game specifically, Schutt was the only player who got it going. The Duke transfer knocked down five of his 10 three point attempts on his way to a team high 17 points.

The Hokies will need more than just one of their shooters to knock down shots if they want to knock off Penn State.

The Nittany Lions, on the other hand, have been very efficient from long range this season, knocking down about 40% of their attempts, and making almost 11 threes per game, good for 52nd in the country. Returning forward Zach Hicks has been their top sharpshooter, drilling three long balls per game at a 45% clip. He’s joined by 2023-24 All-Big Ten performer Ace Baldwin Jr., who’s knocking down two threes per game at a 40% rate

If the three-point shooting trends from this season continue, Penn State could run away with this game. However, the Hokies have the firepower to move to 4-0 if they can start knocking down some triples.

Matchup of the Game: Yanic Konan Neiderhauser vs Mylyjael Poteat

While both teams' offenses are predicated on the three-point line, they also both have bruising bigs who can score and defend on the interior. Neiderhauser, a transfer from Northern Iowa, has been very effective thus far averaging 15 points and eight rebounds per game on 65% shooting. Meanwhile, one of the Hokies lone returners Mylyjael Poteat has also stepped up in a big way, averaging 13 points and four rebounds per game, while displaying some smooth footwork in the post.

These two old-school bigs will be invaluable when either team looks to get an easy basket inside, rather than fire away from long range.

Prediction: Penn State 87, Virginia Tech 75

While the Hokies have the firepower to knock off big time power conference opponents, Penn State has been considerably more convincing in their early season wins, beating their opponents by an average of 40 points per game. Meanwhile, the Hokies have relied on late game surges to pick up tighter wins at an average of 16 points.

The Hokies will do a slightly better game from long range, and Tobi Lawal will once again display his NBA talent with multiple athletic plays. However, won’t be enough to to beat the Nittany Lions, who will have five players reach double figure scoring numbers on their way to a comfortable victory.