Virginia Tech schedule/results
Game facts
No. 21 Virginia Tech (12-1, 1-0 ACC) at NC State (11-3, 0-1 ACC)
Game time: Wednesday, Jan. 4, 9 p.m. — PNC Arena in Raleigh
Television: ACC Network
Probable starters
NC State
PG — 4 Dennis Smith Jr. (6-3, 195, Fr., 19.1 ppg., 3.6 rpg., 6.2 apg., 1.9 spg.)
SG — 3 Terry Henderson (6-5, 190, 5th-Sr., 15.8 ppg., 3.5 rpg., 1.7 apg.)
SF — 2 Torin Dorn (6-5, 208, R-So., 14.4 ppg., 6.2 rpg., 1.4 apg.)
PF — 0 Abdul-Malik Abu (6-8, 240, Jr., 11.6 ppg., 7.3 rpg., 1.1 apg., 1.1 bpg.)
C — 14 Omer Yurtseven (7-0, 245, Fr., 9.8 ppg., 5.2 rpg., 1.8 apg.)
Virginia Tech
PG — 5 Justin Robinson (6-1, 185, So., 11.5 ppg., 3.7 rpg., 4.6 apg.)
SG — 13 Ahmed Hill (6-5, 205, R-So., 15.1 ppg., 3.8 rpg., 1.7 apg.)
SF — 10 Justin Bibbs (6-5, 220, Jr., 8.6 ppg., 2.4 rpg., 1.5 apg.)
PF — 15 Chris Clarke (6-6, 210, So., 11.0 ppg., 7.9 rpg., 3.7 apg., 1.3 spg.)
C — 2 Khadim Sy (6-10, 240, Fr., 5.8 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 0.3 apg., 1.0 bpg.)
Virginia Tech
Location: Blacksburg, Va.
Nickname: Hokies
2015-16 record: 20-15 overall, 10-8 ACC
2016 postseason: Lost 80-77 to BYU in second round of NIT
Coach: Buzz Williams, third year at Virginia Tech (43-38) and ninth overall (196-124)
Notes
Virginia Tech overview: The Hokies are fresh off of defeating then-No. 5 Duke 89-75 last Saturday and had a productive non-conference slate.
Virginia Tech posted wins over the likes of Nebraska, Michigan, Ole Miss and New Mexico, and its only loss was 68-65 versus Texas A&M Nov. 25.
Williams has also gone with the unusual tactic of playing two of his best players, fifth-year senior power forward Zach LeDay and fifth-year senior combo guard Seth Allen, off the bench this season.
The Hokies lead the ACC in three-point percentage (40.3) and are second in field goal percentage (49.5).
Backcourt: Virginia Tech usually plays four guards, with sophomores Robinson and Hill starting and Allen and redshirt junior wing Tyrone Outlaw Jr. of Roxboro, N.C., coming off the bench.
Hill, a former NC State recruiting target, originally signed with Williams at Marquette and followed him to Virginia Tech. He missed last year due to a partial tear to his patella tendon in his leg, but has emerged in a big way. He has nearly doubled his scoring output, going from 8.7 points per game in 2014-15 to 15.1 this season. He has also become a knock-down jump shooter, shooting 45.0 percent from three-point land.
Hill has cracked 20 points in four games, including a season-high 22 in a 113-71 win versus The Citadel Dec. 17. He has hit six three-pointers on two occasions, and made at least three in seven contests.
Robinson has also improved at point guard, going from 7.3 points and 2.8 assists per game last year to 11.5 points and 4.6 assists this season with an increase in minutes. He is shooting a solid 38.0 percent from three-point land and has cracked double figures in nine games. He poured in 22 points and dished out eight assists in the 92-72 win versus New Mexico Nov. 24.
Allen played his first two years at Maryland before transferring and picking Virginia Tech over NC State and Virginia. He has become more efficient coming off the bench this season. He averaged 14.7 points per game last year, but shot only 39.4 percent from the field and 28.0 percent on three-pointers.
Allen’s scoring might be down a few points (11.2 points per contest), but he is shooting 56.4 percent from the field and 44.4 percent on three-pointers.
The 6-6, 220-pound Outlaw started off at North Carolina-Greensboro for a year, and then transferred to junior college. Virginia Tech signed him for the class of 2015, but he missed last year due to not being cleared because of a heart condition.
Outlaw averages 3.9 points and 2.4 rebounds in 11.4 minutes per game, and is shooting 41.2 percent from three-point land.
Senior guard Devin Wilson played football for the Hokies this fall and has rejoined the hoops team. He is a former starter but is likely a limited role this season.
Frontcourt: The 6-7, 235-pound LeDay might be coming off the bench, but is putting together an All-ACC caliber season.
LeDay averaged 15.5 points and 7.9 rebounds in 30.8 minutes per game his junior year. The former South Florida transfer’s minutes are slightly down to 28.5 per game, but he’s still producing. He’s averaging 16.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest, and is shooting an impressive 50.4 percent from the field.
LeDay has scored at least 11 points in every game but one, and had a season-high 23 points and 12 boards in the 88-72 win over VMI Nov. 19.
Clarke missed time last year due to injury but has emerged as a consistent force the last five games, getting three double-doubles. Clarke even had a triple-double with 13 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against The Citadel.
The energetic Clarke is shooting a blistering 66.3 percent from the field, which is higher than his free throw percentage of 62.5.
Bibbs is a proven shooter at small forward, but his minutes are slightly down this season. He averaged 11.7 points in 32.5 minutes per game last year, and shot 45.0 percent from three-point land. Bibbs is down to 27.1 minutes per contest, but is still shooting an impressive 42.1 percent on three-pointers. He is fresh off of making 4 of 5 from downtown en route to 18 points in the win over Duke. He has scored at least 10 points in six games this season.
Bibbs had a pair of 30-point games last year, torching Wake Forest for 32 and Grambling for 31.
Sy provides size in the middle and is shooting 62.3 percent from the field in 13.1 minutes per game.
Virginia Tech is without a pair of centers. Senior Johnny Hamilton had surgery on a ruptured flexor tendon in his left thumb and will miss the remainder of the season. Sophomore center Kerry Blackshear has missed the start of the season due to shin issues. He averaged 6.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game last year.
