Just finished watching on TiVo after attending to family matters.
#sizematters
defense
rebounding
points in the paint
Yes PH, magic does happen the Williams sees > 20 min! Particularly teamed with Davis.
In the first half, my wife heard me screaming at the TV and asked "Who died?
I replied, "The game of basketball! At the least it has been set back at least 50 years."
Nightmares of BK's first 3 years were reality again in the 1st half and the first 5 min of the second half. Poor offensive flow. Too many bad perimeter shots. Hampton was virtually worthless. Then fever dreams hit a pitch when Collins and Hampton are in TOGETHER. An abomination. Collins looked and played like an IM guy who had won a contest.
We're playing 3 on 5 on offense and defense was even worse. Collins, Hampton are playing a semi-packed in, yet overplay 2-3 zone, then horrendous man to man leaving open looks for 3. They cost us easily 15 points. Adrian Branch was OPENLY LAUGHING AT OUR OFFENSE IN THE FIRST HALF.
We did get the ball inside some in the first Half.. Missed a few chippies, to be fair, VPI was having all over our bigs like Lilliputians where Davis was Gulliver, but hardly a foul called.
Then needed help arrived...in the name of Robert Williams. His athleticism, rim protection, fierce rebounds, tip outs athleticism began slowly to take over. By miracle or mistake, Coach Clouseau (aka Billy Kennedy) place Williams and Davis in together...and the revelation of Big to Big passing! Beautiful pass from Davis to Williams for a bucket.
We dodged a bullet when Williams hurt his knee in the first half.
In the second half, Hogg, gilder, Williams, Davis take charge. Hogg and Gilder with 11 assists. Hampton minutes were limited. Hogg with a double double 17 pos, 10 assists...playing like a seasoned veteran and TOUGH...nailing that 3 to put us ahead for good.
The best offense starts with Great Defense...and we showed that in the second half. Hogg, Gilder, Williams, Davis PUT THE CLAMP DOWN. the 3s stopped falling. Va Tech just got abused inside. 34-24 rebounding edge. Davis had 3 blocks, Williams 1, Hogg 1. Williams altered a ton of shots.
Great win for the Ags against a tough and well-cached Buzz Williams team! and momentum going into the game tomorrow against presumably UCLA.