It's Frenetic! Woogie, Woogie, Woogie!

The pace of last night's basketball game, that is. Virginia Tech beat VMI at Cassell Coliseum in a blowout 98-73 win. Jeff Allen and Dorenzo Hudson both had monster games for the Hokies. Yes, that's right, the same Dorenzo Hudson I've been forced to bash in most other games this season... this match up seemed to suit him very well when he realized he could stop jacking up 3-pointers that weren't going to fall and just take the ball to the cup. And take it to the cup, he did. 24 points for Dorenzo, which easily bests his previous game-high of 15. He has VMI to thank, as their ridiculously fast-paced style calls for them to throw up a shot as quickly as possible on offense, then play a full-court press on defense that never works and led to easy baskets as Hudson, Allen, Davila and company leaked out. It was a hard game to watch both because of the blistering pace and because it bred dumb mistakes for both teams. Too many times, I saw a Hokie player hold the basketball like it was a football and try to throw the touchdown to another Hokie 70 feet up the court while they tried to dot their toes in bounds on the catch. This isn't football, Jeff Allen. A made catch will not result in 6 points... a made catch will save you a turnover, and that didn't happen very often. When the Hokies made smart passes (and I do have to credit Allen for some smart looks), they tore apart VMI's press. In the end, the VT athleticism was too much, as we killed the Keydets on the offensive glass.

Thoughts:

• If you are seeing this game as an improvement to the Hokies' recent play, you are right, but it's not necessarily an improvement in scoring from the field. Tech shot an average 45.2% from the floor and hit only 1 of 8 3-pointers. Offensively, we seem to be capable of hitting the same kinds of shots and we still are getting most of our points in the paint. The 3-point line continues to be our team's nemesis. The biggest improvement I have seen in the last two games is free throw shooting. We hit a respectable 75% against VMI and did well in our previous game against Georgia as well. Dorenzo Hudson in particular is shooting much better from the foul line, which is good to see considering he is at his best when he attacks the basket.
• This game against VMI also doesn't give us any kind of preview to our matchup against Penn State on Saturday. Penn State plays a very different kind of basketball than VMI, so expect a lot fewer possessions and a lot fewer points being scored. Also, PSU has much better players than VMI. This should be a very good barometer to know how good the Hokies really are right now. The slight advantage should go to Penn State since this is a home game for them, but I would think our two teams are about even if playing on a neutral floor. We'll see how right I am, as I expect us to lose a close game.
• Malcolm Delaney hurt his thumb against VMI, and it drastically altered his shot. He had some very easy looks, but only went 3-14 from the field. Luckily, there is no break in the bone and it's just bruised. I don't know how quickly he will recover though... I expect him to play against PSU, but I don't expect him to shoot the lights out.
• The freshmeat continue to play very well and I am encouraged especially by Ben Boggs and Erick Green. They will be valuable assets as the season progresses. Cadarian Raines got his first point of the season on a free throw. His first name is a soft "C", which I didn't expect. He has a body that's already ACC-ready, so that's fantastic. He just needs more playing time and practice time with his teammates now that he's come back from his foot injury.
• I still like Terrell Bell. A lot. Possibly more than friends... I don't know, it's a complicated feeling. I love the guy's athleticism and penchant for making key plays. He had 4 packs against VMI (i.e. blocks). That's neat. And fun.