Going into tonight’s Commonwealth Clash matchup between Virginia and Virginia Tech, one could certainly argue that it’ll be the biggest game ever between the longtime rivals. With Syracuse’s Big-Monday upset of No. 1 Duke, it just became even bigger.
The fourth-ranked Cavaliers (15-0, 3-0 ACC) and ninth-ranked Hokies (14-1, 3-0) enter tonight’s contest at John Paul Jones Arena — at 8 p.m. on Raycom — as the last two unbeaten teams in the conference, and the winner will claim sole possession of first place. The Wahoos have never squared off against Tech with both schools residing in the top 10.
The last time the teams played with both being ranked was Dec. 28, 1995, when the No. 21 Hokies edged the 22nd-ranked ‘Hoos, 72-64, at the Roanoke Civic Center. Since the Hokies joined the ACC in the 2004-05 season, UVA has claimed 18 of the 29 meetings against VT.
UVA, ranked No. 1 in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll for the second straight week, claimed the top overall spot in the KenPom ratings (2nd AdjD, 6th AdjO) thanks to the Blue Devils’ loss to the Orange last night. The ‘Hoos are also now 1st nationally in the NET rankings. The Hokies are not far behind. Buzz Williams has his squad ranked ninth in the AP poll, 7th in the Coaches’ poll, 7th overall (8th AdjO, 19th AdjD) according to KenPom, and 8th in the NET rankings.
In the national rankings, the Cavaliers are in the top 10 in the following categories: 6th in fewest fouls (230), 1st in fewest turnovers (133), 3rd in field-goal percentage defense (36.6), 7th in free-throw percentage (77.2), 1st in scoring defense (51.2), 3rd in scoring margin (22.6), 1st in 3-point FG defense (24.5), 10th in 3-point FG percentage (39.8), and 1st in turnovers per game (8.9). Tech is also in the top 10 nationally in fewest fouls (3rd, 220), fewest turnovers (9th, 170), scoring defense (4th, 57.3), scoring margin (4th, 21.9) and 3-point percentage (3rd, 42.3).
For the Hokies, sophomore guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker leads the team in scoring with 17.8 points per game, good for 7th in the ACC. Alexander-Walker, considered by many to be an NBA lottery pick in the summer, also ranks 2nd in the conference in steals (2.21 per game) and 3rd in field-goal percentage (54.6). Junior forward Kerry Blackshear Jr. (14.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg) is 4th in the ACC in FG percentage at 54.2.
Senior point guard Justin Robinson leads the conference (and is 29th in the country) in assists per game with 5.8, to go with his 13.1 points per contest. Another senior guard, Ahmed Hill, is 2nd in the ACC with a 3-point percentage of 44.8, good for 24th in all of Division I. Hill puts up 12.7 points a night.
Ty Outlaw, Isaiah Wilkins (not that Isaiah Wilkins), P.J. Horne and Wabissa Bede provide depth for the Hokies, whose only loss came during the ACC/Big Ten Challenge at Penn State. They have won nine straight since. VT defeated its only ranked opponent thus far, then-23rd ranked Purdue, on Nov. 18 in the championship game of the Charleston Classic.
The Hokies defeated Washington a month ago, but don’t really have too many other impressive non-conference victories other than knocking off Liberty in the season opener. Other wins include Ball State, Northeastern, Gardner-Webb, Saint Francis (PA), Central Connecticut State, VMI, South Carolina State, North Carolina A&T and Maryland-Eastern Shore. KenPom puts the Tech strength of schedule at 256th in the country (Virginia’s is 128th). Non-conference only, VT is ranked 323rd (UVA is 261st). In ACC competition, the Hokies have defeated Notre Dame and Boston College at home, and survived a scare last time out, 52-49, at Georgia Tech. There’s no doubt that the Cavaliers will by far be the stiffest test yet for Williams and his Hokies.
Going back to the 2010-11 campaign, Virginia has won 10 of the last 13 meetings, but the teams have split the season series in each of the last three years. The Hokies’ three wins during that stretch came by a combined five points, and required a total of three overtime sessions.
UVA leads the all-time series, 91-56, and has won five of the last six at JPJ. Devon Hall uncharacteristically misfired on a pair of free throws in overtime last February and Blackshear Jr. put home the game-winning basket in the closing seconds to give Virginia its only conference loss of the 2017-18 season, 61-60.
Up next, the ‘Hoos travel to Durham Saturday at 6 p.m. in the hopes of handing the Blue Devils their second straight loss.
