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What To Watch For: USF vs. Virginia Tech

USF (1-1) closes play in the Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament today against Virginia Tech (2-0).

Bulls senior David Collins scored a game-high 16 points to go along with four assists and three steals, while freshman Caleb Murphy had a career-best 15 points and five rebounds in yesterday’s loss to Rhode Island.

Virginia Tech is coming off a Saturday OT win against No. 3 Villanova.

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USF head coach Brian Gregory watches from the sideline during the first half against Rhode Island at Mohegan Sun Arena. (Photo: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports)

BullsInsider.com has your quick facts and what to watch for against Virginia Tech:

Quick Facts

Matchup: USF (1-1) vs. Virginia Tech (2-0)

Date: Sunday, Nov. 29

Time: 8 p.m. ET

Location: Uncasville CT | Mohegan Sun Arena

Watch: ESPN2

Radio: Bulls Unlimited

History: This is the ninth meeting between USF and Virginia Tech. The series is tied at 4-4. The most recent meeting was on Feb. 25, 1995.

The Opponent: Hokies head coach Mike Young and his staff spent the off-season retooling the Virginia Tech roster to add size and experience. The Hokies are longer and more athletic than a season ago.

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Of the six returning players five are perimeter players who played extensively last season, including three – Wabissa Bede, Tyrece Radford, and Nahiem Alleyne – who started.

Bede is a tough point guard who gets into guys on defense. He led the ACC in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.3) a year ago, and his 5.5 assists per game ranked third in the league. The 200-pounder likes to dribble left to set up his jump shot.

The 6-foot-2 Radford shot 60 percent from the floor last season and was one of just three players in the ACC to average 10 points, 6 rebounds, and shoot 60 percent. Virginia Tech uses him at the four in its small ball lineup. USF must keep Radford off the glass.

Alleyne can make open perimeter shots and was arguably the team’s second best perimeter defender last season.

The Hokies get the services of three transfers: Keve Aluma (Wofford) Cordell Pemsl (Iowa) and Justyn Mutts (Delaware). Pemsl is playing limited minutes and doesn’t look 100 percent. Mutts is most effective scoring around the basket and grabbing rebounds. Aluma has added to his offensive repertoire and is the bigger threat of the trio.

At 6-foot-9, 235-pounds Aluma is now a threat to knock down open three-pointers. He only attempted one two three-pointers in two seasons at Wofford but is 4-of-6 this season. He gives Virginia Tech a player who can stretch defenses and make threes as a five. He also likes to post on the right block and either get into the lane for a left handed jump hook or a drop step to the baseline.

Sophomore Hunter Cattoor, a 6-foot-3 wing from Orlando, Fla., came off the bench last season and made 40 percent of his 3FGA. Now a starter, Cattoor has made 5-of-8 threes in two games this season. Have to run him off the arc.

I’m not sure what to make of Cartier Diarra. When he was at Kansas State he was very good in dribble hand off (DHO) action and coming off of screens. Haven’t seen that yet this season. He has only made one jump shot.

Injuries: Sophomores John Ojiako and Jalen Cone have been rehabbing injuries. Ojiako hurt his knee last week and is day-to-day. He saw limited time as a freshman last season. Cone a 5-foot-10 guard came off the bench last season to make 45.7 percent of his 3FGA. He missed the season opener.

Defensively Virginia Tech is almost exclusively a man-to-man team that uses a pack line defense.

Offensively Virginia Tech is mostly four out motion/

Prediction

USF 63 Virginia Tech 72

To win USF MUST play better transition defense than they did Friday – the Bulls cannot give up easy points – play fast, make shots and rebound.

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