http://blog.techsideline.com/?p=5040Virginia Tech=65, Kansas State=64
#39 R.P.I. Virgina Tech @ #50 R.P.I. Kansas State:
TV Coverage: ESPN 4pm (afternoon tip!)
Vegas Line: VT+7
Big game folks. Very big indeed.
National rankings wise this is #21 Virginia Tech visiting #3 Kansas State (K.State) — as the national rankings from the fine folks over at the R.P.I. index do not have enough actually games played to critically peg things nationally just yet.
So do not let the above R.P.I rankings rattle you to much either way.
Do however let what could very well be the best Inside-Out combo we will see all season give you “reason to pause and reflect” as Samuel Langhorne Clemens once put it.
The offensive firepower that these Wildcats from K.State filed is indeed pretty wild.
Well, that is if star Power-Forward Curtis Kelly puts forth something better than what sources close to K.State are calling a: “lackluster effort in practice.”
“Whenever he decides to do things the way he’s supposed to do them, he can start playing again,” Martin said.
Gotta score that one as at least a +1 for K.State Coach Frank Martin for having the cahones to set a big-time baller down for the good of the team and the good of the baller himself.
Helps ‘splain beating little ole J.M.U. at home by only fourteen points (75-61) in the end and if Kelly should sit game#2; we have a real live shot at upsetting #3 on the road.
For some perspective, last years 29 win Kansas State was…
* 11th best in Scoring
* 31st best in shots Blocked
* 43rd in Rebounding Margin
* 328th fewest personal fouls accessed
If Kelly plays however I do expect our injury riddled frontline could be in some trouble as nearly everyone has these Wildcats tabbed to win the Big-12 conference and more than a few have them picked to advance all the way to the 2011 Final-4 down in Houston Texas during the opening weekend of April next spring. That’s not bad and if K.State is at full strength vs. our depleted frontline their chances to win at home in front of a made for TV national ESPN audience are much better as this is a very balanced or difficult looking match-up for us on Big-12 paper.
Leading the way for K.State is one #0, senior Jacoby Pullen, a 5`12“ brickhouse 200 lb. former 2-guard who is now attempting to play the Point. Pullen is pre-season Big-12 Player of the Year and very possibly the best perimeter defender in the entire conference as well. Pullen has 40% range from downtown, and conversely penetrated well and often enough to get to the charity-stripe seven times on average per game last year where he netted 82% of his FTA’s. Pretty easy to see why this senior G averaged just south of 20 points per game last season; as he is a versatile scorer, mutually capable of doing a lot of damage inside and out. (READERS note: K.State went with a 3-G set in lieu of Kelly vs. J.M.U., I do expect a more balanced 2-3 set this game, and will continue this preview accordingly)
Helping Pullen out in the Wildcat backcourt would be 6`4“ 198 lb. sophomore Nick Russell who is really more of a true ball-handler at the Point despite having the size to morph into something of a collegiate sized 2-G down the road. Nick is said to have improved the range on his J (jumper) and now fields legit 3-point distance; at least at the amateur level. Pitching in in the K.State backcourt would be 6`4“ 204 lb. sophomore Rodney McGruder who is more of a scoring 2-G, and who is also one known for his defense second approach or defensive lapses if you will. McGruder is one that Malcolm or Hud’ need to try to exploit if he gets another 30 minutes of P.T. (playing time) vs. us. Rounding out the KU exterior contributors would be the Florida sophomore sensation Martavious “killer” Irving 6`1“ K.State backcourter who is said to have an N.F.L. body despite having a U.S.F.L. debut last year. Irving however did look good in game#1 and if he can get to the rack off the K.State bench this season he will give Coach Martin a very useful alternative to having to play Pullen 35+ minutes in big-games this year.
The Wildcat frontcourt is lead by big-time Connecticut transfer and game#1 velour jump-suit sporting senior #24 Curtis Kelly. Curtis is a 6`8“ 244 lb. street hardened baller from the Bronx (NY) who brings a bit of a banging mentality to his game. Range is not his thing, though he will go hard in the paint for boards, blocks and points alike. Curtis came on at the end of January last season and is edging closer and closer to becoming a reliable double-double kind of performer at this stage of his career. Helping him out on the inside is 6`9“ 247 lb. sophomore power-forward Wally Judge. Judge also likes to bang though his penchant for such has caused foul difficulties in the past. 6`10“ 286 lb. Fred Asprilla rounds out the beefy Wildcat frontline after logging a stellar Sun-Belt rookie of the year season at Florida International in 2009. Freddy has huge hands and a big-time post game seldom seen these days anywhere other than on 1980’s highlight reels. True-Center and legit 7` 255 lb. sophomore Jordan Henrique-Roberts gives these Wildcats a sizable bench all by himself; even if his floor skills are still developing.
Right now K.State looks to be able to go a legit ten deep to me and that brings fatigue into this equation. That said, I do have to say that K.State does not look as epic as I feared the #3 team in America to be. As you can see above these Wildcats will be very tough to tame in the season otherwise known as 2012-2013 with so many quality sophomores out there this year. That credit rightfully bestowed; Virginia Tech does enjoy a bona fide major experience advantage in this contest. K.State is a good basketball team, they may even be great basketball team before March of 2011 ends. Nevertheless, I am just not seeing as strong of a hoops squad as I had been lead to believe sans 17 point scorer Dennis Clement from last years team. To reiterate, K.State is good, they are very balanced inside and out, they are big and physical upfront though their frontline is not on the NC2A top-tier of say a Florida, Duke or UNC frontcourt. Their backcourt does have Pullen, though there is a noticeable drop-off after him. He is the truth and he (Pullen) is very likely an Association player in 12 more months. Yes, K.State is the rightful favorite at home on paper in this one, though with a big nite from Delaney and Hud’ alike, and with Allen staying out of foul-trouble, K.State is very much within reach.
The key to upsetting #3 K.State in Manhattan is really..........???
* Keeping Allen out of foul trouble. (47%, 115 Votes)
* Delaney and Hudson b-o-t-h having good games. (42%, 104 Votes)
* Curtis Kelly being benched and throttling down the Tempo. (11%, 28 Votes)
Total Voters: 247
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So, we do have some measure of a shot at stealing this one out on the road; all the more so if Coach Martin deigns it necessary to sit-on Curtis Kelly for at least one game longer. Once I run down some pre-game update(s) on Curtis Martin’s status I will be back with my OPT digits. Right now I am tempted by the upsetting pick and I will be very tempted if Mr. Martin is still said to be looking good in his lackluster K.State velour.
Curtis Kelly is apparently is still bunk mates with Snoopy in the proverbial doghouse out in Manhattan — according to FOXSports. That gives us our chance to steal this one out on the road where K.State has won 26 of their last 30 at home.
That gives us our chance to steal this one out on the road where K.State has won 26 of their last 30 at home. K.State is the better team. K.State will likely finish higher in the final rankings than we/VT will – almost certainly in fact. K.State shoots lights out from range and home and the Bramlage Coliseum (52% vs. J.M.U.) and said Bramlage Coliseum is a tough nut to crack. A very loud place to visit; possibly the most audible home-court advantage in the entire Big-12; so I’ma gonna pick favored K.State to punk VT, right?
‘rong!
VT’s experience edge buys time, hangs around, maintains contact, and steals this one late – though this one could do right down to the wire as he who scores last laughs last. VT is all smiles at 6:30pm Tuesday night.
Virginia Tech=65, Kansas State=64
