After taking round one in Charlottesville just two weeks ago, Virginia Tech is going for the season sweep of the Commonwealth Clash today while UVA looks to bounce back and bring it to a draw.
The Hokies enter this game with a full week of rest amidst their best basketball stretch of the season, winning three of their past four games all of which came on the road. Tobi Lawal has become a star for the Hokies while Jaden Schutt has scored double figures in five of his past eight games for the Hokies, with Tech winning three of those five games.
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers are also starting to find their form winning back-to-back games since the loss to the Hokies, including a victory over Pitt that significantly hurt the Panthers' chances of making the NCAA Tournament. Since a strong second half against VT, Dai Dai Ames has been playing fantastic basketball to pair with Isaac McKneely while forward Elijah Saunders is once again healthy, giving UVA some much-needed frontcourt depth.
So with all that in mind, here are my keys to the game for the Hokies against UVA.
Limit Mistakes
One of the biggest reasons for Virginia Tech's turnaround is the fact that they are making significantly less mistakes, especially with turnovers.
While the Hokies still average 13.0 turnovers per game overall this season, they are only averaging 11.4 turnovers per game in conference play. That's a massive improvement and is one of the main reasons why Tech has had this recent surge.
Ben Hammond has been a big reason for that as the freshman point guard is only 1.3 turnovers in 20.3 minutes per game during conference play. Brandon Rechsteiner hasn't been as good with the ball but this combination has still done a pretty good job protecting the basketball and limiting the number of wasted opportunities.
UVA also isn't a team that's been able to force a lot of turnovers, with opponents only turning the ball over 9.2 times per game in conference play. They do ensure turnovers are at a premium though as they are only averaging 8.8 turnovers per game in conference play. That should absolutely increase the emphasis on protecting the basketball, even with UVA not being great at forcing turnovers.
If Virginia Tech can continue to do a better job of protecting the basketball and limit mistakes as they've done in recent weeks, they should have a great chance at taking down UVA.
Feed the Paint
Tech was able to gain control at UVA through their frontcourt, and should absolutely prioritize doing that again this game.
Tobi Lawal has become a star for the Hokies averaging 15.2 points and 7.6 rebounds in 27.5 minutes per game in conference play while shooting 57.3% from the field including 40% from three-point range. Not only is Lawal a spectacular athlete, but he's developed plenty of power and finesse to his game that has made him a nightmare in the post.
Meanwhile, you also have the veteran Mylyjael Poteat who has faced UVA plenty of times before and knows exactly what to expect in these games. With that commonality in mind, it makes plenty of sense to lean both on Poteat and Lawal to get the offense going and then open things up on the outside for guys like Jaden Schutt, Ben Burnham, and Tyler Johnson.
UVA has been vulnerable inside the arc too, with teams shooting 52.6% on two-point field goals during conference play. That's a recipe for looking to feed Lawal and Poteat early and often as the foundation of the offense to open things up on the perimeter. Now, having Elijah Saunders back to pair with Blake Buchanan and Jacob Cofie will help UVA, but this is still a matchup where the Hokies have the edge given how well Lawal is playing.
X-Factor to Watch: Ben Burnham
The transfer from Charleston has not been as good as some maybe hoped, but he's become a critical glue guy for the Hokies in recent weeks.
Over the past five games, Burnham has been a very good sixth man averaging 8.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in 23 minutes per game while shooting 43.2% from the field. While those aren't the most spectacular numbers, that production has been important for the Hokies in elevating their game, with some of those being a spectacular dunk or a block that ignites more energy for VT.
He's also been very solid on the defensive end and given the Hokies quality versatility to either work at the three or slide over to the four with Lawal or Poteat at the five, giving VT more shooters on the floor and allowing for more space for either big man to go to work or someone like Ben Hammond or Burnham himself to drive to the rim. That combination of defense and versatility has been one of the little things that has elevated the Hokies further recently.
Burnham will not be the focus at all for UVA, but he's absolutely someone who could quietly put up 10 and 5, and make the difference in what is certain to be a tight game between the Hokies and Cavaliers.
Prediction: Virginia Tech 70, Virginia 62
Once again, this should be a fantastic battle between two teams that have really found their rhythm over the past couple weeks. However, the Hokies will be boosted this time by playing at home just as UVA nearly pulled off a miraculous comeback in part because of the crowd inside JPJ. Add in the strong all-around offensive attack that the Hokies have led by Tobi Lawal, Mylyjael Poteat, and Jaden Schutt; and it's a recipe for the Hokies picking up their fourth win in the past five games to reach .500 in ACC play.
