On Saturday afternoon, Virginia Tech will look for its third straight win when the Hokies take on the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets, 9-10, at Cassell Coliseum. VT has won back-to-back games against ACC opponents, while Georgia Tech has lost seven of its last eight ACC games. Here are the keys to the game for the Hokies to win.
1. Sean Pedula and MJ Collins must produce offensively.
Virginia Tech's guard play this season has been shot-heavy to say the least. In games where the Hokies make 15 or more errors, Sean Pedula appears to be leading the charge on Tech's turnover bug. Collins, on the other hand, hasn't been consistent in scoring in his second season. However, he had a fair share of breakout games, serving as a secondary scoring option for the Hokies offense.
Take last week's game as an example: Collins scored a total of 11 points, nine of which came in the first half, helping the Hokies defeat Boston College. Pedula didn't get going until the final five minutes and was sent off for a foul in the final minute. However, the junior point guard drained several late shots to maintain the Hokies' advantage and helped Tech to its fourth ACC win.
Collins and Pedulla are extremely talented, but will need to find a consistent balance to support Hunter Kattore, who everyone will produce at a high level. If Virginia Tech can play consistent guard play, they have a good chance of winning. It's been a give-and-take all season, as Tech's guard play either wins the game or hurts the game.
2. The Hokies need to bury the Yellow Jackets as soon as possible.
Above all, Virginia Tech must not let Georgia Tech feel safe in order to avoid an upset at Cassell Coliseum. The Yellow Jackets are just 2-6 in ACC play, but those two wins came against Duke and Clemson in close overtime games. Georgia Tech is not the pushover university that some people imagine it to be. The Hokies can't find it until it's too late and will have to get off to a fast start to secure the win.
Massive scoring bursts are paramount to success for Virginia Tech, which makes them an explosive offensive team on any given night.
Offensively, Tech has to start the game hot with three-point shooting. That's the swing factor for this team. The Hokies used the ball well to get open three-point shots to their best shooter in Hunter Kattore and especially in Tyler Nickel, who had been quiet outside of the Clemson State and NC State games. You have to move it and make an extra pass. Getting off to a good shooting start is important for Virginia Tech in a game where you don't want to underestimate your opponent.
3. Look at Lynn Kidd's big outing in ACC play.
Lynn Kidd provided a truly incredible growth story for Mike Young and Virginia Tech. In his sophomore year, Kidd saw little playing time, but in his junior year, Kidd was Grant Basile's backup big man. In his senior season, Kidd has nearly tripled his scoring output from a year ago and is the team's leading rebounder. His play contributed to Tech's offensive success, as his play in the post and lob finishing ability at the basket brings a lot of value. However, Kidd's productivity slowed down a bit when playing against ACC opponents.
Since scoring a career-high 31 points against the United States, Kidd has had a high of 16 points and a low of 2 points (twice). He had four games in which he scored in double figures, three of which were under 10 points. Part of this is due to ACC teams scouting Kidd's play from a non-conference level, and in many ways, it's not directly Kidd's fault.
But if technology could find a way to intentionally activate the Kid, it would help a lot. Kidd believes he can perform at his best against ACC opponents, and that will help him a lot in the Hokies' game against the Yellow Jackets.
Prediction: Virginia Tech 78, Georgia Tech 62
I think the Hokies will get the job done thanks to a hot shooting start and beat the Yellow Jackets by 16 points. This is Tech's fifth win in conference play and moves the Hokies over the .500 mark in ACC play for the first time since the ACC opener win over Louisville.
