Virginia Tech Basketball: Instant Takeaways From The Hokies loss to Pittsburgh
1. Jaden Schutt
Schutt scored a team-high 11 points, two rebounds and two assists in the first half to help the Hokies finish with their most efficient half of the season. He finished the second half scoring three more points and didn't get much involved in the team's offense to end the game which was concerning.
2. Good Team Shooting
Virginia Tech shot a season best in the first half. Shooting 51% from the field and 40% from three, which is a big deal as for the season they shoot 40% from the field and 31% from the three point arch.
3. Ball Movement
The Hokies are at their best when they are moving around and getting each other involved. In the first half, the Hokies were able to do just that as they finished the half with eight assists. The Hokies then finished the game with 13 assists and were able to get off shots.
4. Defense
The Hokies played well to start the game on defense forcing nine turnovers on Pittsburgh and holding them to 25% shooting from three. The Hokies also did well against Pittsburgh scorers, holding them to below-average shooting and under-season averages.
5. Second Half Struggles
In the second half, the Hokies reverted to their season struggles, finishing shooting 43% from the field and 32% from three. Virginia Tech has struggled with closing in the second half of games, causing them to go on a six-game losing streak and part of this is a lack of defense, missed shots, and turnovers. This was likely to happen as the Hokies have a new team in place this season with many transfers and freshmen on the team.
Additional Links:
Virginia Tech Football: Offensive Lineman Lance Williams To Enter the Transfer Portal
Virginia Tech Football: Quarterback Jackson Sigler To Enter the Transfer Portal
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Kahlil McCuller joined the Sports Illustrated team in summer 2024 and is a Sports Media major at Virginia Tech. Covering College Baseball, College Basketball, and College Football for the Virginia Tech Hokies. Prior to this Kahlil worked pregame radio shows for Virginia Tech Basketball teams on 105.3 The Bear and started his own basketball podcast on Spotify called "Fleeky Hoops Podcast" and covered March Madness for the Hokies Women's Basketball team back in March 2024. My favorite sports teams are: Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Chargers, Virginia Tech Hokies and PSG for Soccer