Virginia Tech Hokies @ UNLV Rebels Basketball Recap

UNLV 71, Virginia Tech 59

What often gets overlooked in the game of basketball is that when all else is said and done, you still have to put the ball through the hoop. The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels did so with more consistency than the Virginia Tech Hokies, and that’s why the boys from Vegas ran off with the championship of the 76 Classic preseason tournament on Sunday night in Anaheim, California.

It’s really rather staggering, even though the season is still quite young. UNLV is only six games into its 2010-’11 campaign, but coach Lon Kruger’s crew is third in the United States – that’s third out of 348 Division I-A men’s basketball teams – in its ability to shoot the ball. Vegas is hitting 55 percent from the field on the season thanks to a 53-percent effort against coach Seth Greenberg’s Virginia Tech club. What unfolded at the Anaheim Convention Center showed that a steady hand is better than occasional bursts of brilliance. UNLV played a complete game, while Tech emerged only in fits and starts. That’s why the Mountain West outclassed the ACC in this intersectional encounter.

UNLV was more balanced and reliable in this game. Nine men played for both teams, but all nine Rebels hit at least one field goal while only five Hokies knocked down at least one shot. Moreover, six of Vegas’s nine players shot at least 50 percent from the floor, whereas Tech had only four such performers. UNLV’s bench outscored Virginia Tech’s reserves by a 24-3 margin, and that was one of the five-star blue-plate special stats that determined the outcome of Sunday’s championship showdown. The other huge stat from this contest was that while Virginia Tech went 10-of-16 from 3-point range, the Hokies hit just 9 of 21 shots from the foul line, a pathetic display in a game they lost by 12 points. Virginia Tech teams under Greenberg have historically displayed a lot of athleticism but play nervous basketball under pressure and crack in tense situations. The difference between the team’s 3-point percentage and its free throw numbers affirms such a contention; the Hokies can make spectacular plays, but they haven’t made enough of the routine shots in basketball to dig out hard-fought battles against formidable opponents. UNLV, a regular NCAA Tournament team under the highly-credentialed Kruger, would certainly fit the definition of a formidable foe.

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Virginia Tech never really hit its stride over the Thanksgiving weekend in Southern California. The Hokies did advance to this final-stage game thanks to wins over Cal State Northridge in Thursday’s opening round and against Oklahoma State in Friday’s semifinals, but the boys from the East Coast never looked particularly good. Forward Jeff Allen has to become more visible and active near the rim; against UNLV, he totaled just nine points in a performance that wasn’t good enough for Greenberg or anyone else on the Hokies’ coaching staff. This team has a lot of work to do as December arrives.

For UNLV, the Rebels were somewhat inconsistent as well, but they certainly found their footing on defense as this tournament progressed. The Rebels allowed 71 points to Tulsa in Thursday’s first round, but they locked down Murray State in Friday’s semis by a 69-55 count before holding Virginia Tech under 60 as well. If UNLV continues to shoot the ball so proficiently, the Rebels will have a very good season in front of them.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer