Virginia vs. Virginia Tech Game Preview, Score Prediction

Looking to end a two-game losing skid, the Cavaliers return home to host the Hokies in the Commonwealth Clash

In the midst of a two-game losing skid, the Virginia Cavaliers return home to the friendly confines of John Paul Jones Arena, where they are currently undefeated this season, to host the Virginia Tech Hokies in the Commonwealth Clash on Wednesday night. 

Read on for a full preview of Virginia vs. Virginia Tech, including game details and notes, an opponent scouting report, what to watch for, and a prediction for Wednesday night's matchup. 

Follow along with score updates and live analysis for the game here: Virginia vs. Virginia Tech Live Updates | NCAA Men's Basketball

Game Details

Who: Virginia Cavaliers (11-5, 2-3 ACC) vs. Virginia Tech Hokies (10-6, 2-3 ACC)

When: Wednesday, January 17th at 7pm ET

Where: John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Virginia

How to watch: ESPNU

How to stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)

How to listen: SiriusXM 386, SXM App 976 | Virginia Sports Radio Network - click here for affiliates

All-time series: Virginia leads 97-59

Last meeting: Virginia Tech defeated Virginia 74-68 on February 4th, 2023 in Blacksburg.

Game Notes

• Virginia holds a 97-59 advantage over Virginia Tech in the all-time series, which dates back to 1915.
• Virginia owns a 42-13 record against Virginia Tech in Charlottesville and leads 11-4 in games played at John Paul Jones Arena.
• The Cavaliers have won each of the last four games against the Hokies in Charlottesville. 
• Virginia is 18-9 all-time against Virginia Tech under Tony Bennett. 
• Virginia currently leads Virginia Tech 5-1 in the 2023-2024 Commonwealth Clash. A half-point will be up for grabs on Wednesday night, with the other half-point being determined when these two teams meet again on February 19th in Blacksburg. 

Opponent Scouting Report: Virginia Tech

2022-2023: 19-15, 8-12 ACC
2023-2024: 10-6, 2-3 ACC

After a borderline miraculous run to the ACC Tournament title as a 7 seed in 2022, Virginia Tech took a step back last season, going 19-15 overall, falling in the second round of the ACC Tournament, and losing to Cincinnati in the first round of the NIT. 

So far, the 2023-2024 season has been an up and down journey for the Hokies, who suffered an early close loss to South Carolina in Charlotte just a couple of hours after Virginia eked out a win against Florida on the same floor. Virginia Tech rattled off four-straight wins after that, but then endured back-to-back lopsided defeats to a pair of ranked opponents in Florida Atlantic and Auburn. The Hokies followed that up with four more wins, but it's been a rough stretch in ACC play, as they lost by 23 at Wake Forest, by three at Florida State, bounced back with a great 15-point win over a good Clemson team, but then dropped a hard-fought battle with Miami last Saturday in Blacksburg. Now, the Hokies find themselves in a similar spot as the Cavaliers, needing a win to keep their season from going off the rails and to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes from dissipating. 

With that said, Virginia Tech has an experienced and talented roster, headlined by a core group of returners - Sean Pedulla, Hunter Cattoor, and Lynn Kidd - names that ought to be very familiar to UVA fans from previous matchups with the Hokies. 

Sean Pedulla is the engine of the Virginia Tech offense and has established himself as one of the top point guards in the ACC in his junior season. The 6'1" guard is averaging 16.1 points and 4.1 assists per game and shooting 38.9% from beyond the arc. Pedulla has been on a tear recently, scoring 26 points, 32 points, and 33 points in his last three games, a stretch in which he has also made 14 three-pointers. Cooling Pedulla off will be priority No. 1 for Virginia's defense. 

Joining Pedulla in Virginia Tech's veteran backcourt is 6'3" senior guard Hunter Cattoor, who is averaging 13.5 points per game and is the team's best three-point shooter at 41.1% on six attempts per game. Cattoor will likely draw Isaac McKneely on defense and both players will look to chase each other off the three-point line. 6'4" sophomore guard MJ Collins is also back, averaging 5.3 points and 2.1 assists per game. He gave the Hokies decent contributions in the two meetings with the Cavaliers as a freshman last season. 

In the front court, Virginia Tech is powered by 6'10" senior center Lynn Kidd, who is averaging 14.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game and shooting an efficient 67.2% from the floor. The Hokies are great at getting Kidd high-percentage looks around the rim and Kidd is even better at converting those opportunities. Virginia's work-in-progress front court will have its hands full. 

Virginia Tech added a pair of transfer forwards who have had significant impacts so far this season. 6'7" sophomore Tyler Nickel, a transfer from North Carolina and native of Harrisonburg, Virginia, is averaging 9.1 points per game and is a decent three-point shooter at 38.2%. Nickel has been in and out of the starting lineup this season, as has 6'9" senior forward Robbie Beran, a transfer from Northwestern who is averaging 4.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game and is also willing to take a three if it's open. 

Virginia Tech has a few other notable contributors off the bench in 6'9" senior forward Mylyjael Poteat, a former Rice transfer and returner from last season's roster, as well as 6'7" forward and Old Dominion transfer Mekhi Long and 6'1" freshman guard Brandon Rechsteiner, who provides depth at guard behind Pedulla and Cattoor. 

What to Watch For

Slow tempo, defensive slugfest

Under Mike Young, Virginia Tech has grown accustomed to playing at a slow pace and that is particularly the case when the Hokies face the Cavaliers. Virginia Tech has no problem playing the game at Virginia's tempo and is also an above-average defensive team like UVA, so expect a low-possession, low-scoring game with the final score likely to be in the 50s, unless one team gets hot from beyond the arc. 

Beekman vs. Pedulla

Sean Pedulla has been on fire lately, averaging better than 30 points per game and shooting 48.3% from beyond the arc over the last three games. Reece Beekman has obviously made a career out of containing talented guards, so this will be the most entertaining and important individual matchup of the game. Both players are savvy ball-handlers and facilitators on the offensive end and extremely valuable to their respective teams. Whoever wins that matchup will likely win the game. 

Must-win game for both teams

At this point in the season, neither Virginia nor Virginia Tech has an NCAA Tournament-worthy resume. A loss for either team would be just the latest in a series of disappointing performances, while a win could mean that team is beginning to turn the corner. It's only mid-January, but it feels like March, as this has every marking of a must-win game for both teams. 

Prediction

There's little reason to be confident in Virginia's offense right now, with the only hope being that the Cavaliers suddenly regain their shooting stroke when they shoot on their home rims at JPJ. But it's more likely that the path to victory will require a stellar and complete performance from UVA's defense. Returning to John Paul Jones Arena, where they have yet to lose a game this season, I give the Cavaliers the edge in a close, low-scoring battle. 

Score prediction: Virginia 57, Virginia Tech 53

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