Virginia
Pittsburgh Basketball: 3 keys to bubble battle home matchup with Virginia Tech Hokies
After five straight wins and finding its way onto the bubble, Pittsburgh Basketball suffered a setback this week, losing by 33 points on the road at Wake Forest. But all isn’t lost, as they have a Quad 2 opportunity at home this Saturday against Virginia Tech. The Hokies are 15-11 on the season but are coming off a blowout win of its own, beating Virginia by 34 points at home.
This feels like a bubble elimination game of sorts, with the loser of this game likely needing the ACC Tournament auto bid to make the Big Dance. The Panthers simply can’t lose this one. Here are the keys to them getting the victory.
The Hokies have one of the best backcourts in the country in Sean Pedulla (15.2 ppg and 4.3 apg) and Hunter Cattoor (14.0 ppg), who combine to shoot around 40% from deep on over 11 attempts a game. If they go off it’s going to be extremely difficult to beat them. That’s the challenge that freshmen guards Jaland Lowe and Carlton Carrington will have to face and against some of the other top guards, they’ve been okay.
But defending well and avoiding foul trouble as well will be a tough task, assuming that Ish Leggett deals with Tyler Nickel on the wing for Virginia Tech. If Lowe/Carrington finds a way to match their production, the Panthers would be in great shape. Just not getting outscored by a ton will be ideal.
The third key contributor for Virginia Tech this season has been a surprise, with 6’10 center Kidd breaking out. He went from 5.0 ppg off the bench a year ago to 13.0 ppg and 6.6 rpg on 65% shooting from the field. He’s had some big games this season, including a 31-point and 11-rebound game against American.
It’ll be up to the center duo of Federiko Federiko and Guillermo Diaz-Graham to slow him down. They had some recent good games collectively but got thoroughly outplayed by Efton Reid and Matthew Marsh in the last game inside against Wake Forest. It might not be as important as the guards but preventing a big game from Kidd will be another key.
On paper, these are two fairly similar teams when it comes to playstyle. One big difference is the rebounding, as the Hokies are fairly weak. They’re one of the worst in the country at rebounding, especially at creating second-chance opportunities. That’s one of the Panthers’ strengths, ranking 12th nationally in offensive rebounds allowed at 7.9 a game.
For a team that can be as potential as Virginia Tech, making sure they don’t get second chances is a big key. A Blake Hinson masterclass scoring game could make this all obsolete but if not, winning the rebounding battle also is going to go a long way to winning on Saturday.
Virginia
Suspect steals property from store, assaults employee in Virginia
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. – A man has been arrested after entering a store in McLean, stealing merchandise and assaulting an employee.
The suspect has been identified as Calvin Hughes Jr, of Washington D.C.
Leesburg Pike robbery suspect
Police responded to the 8300 block of Leesburg Pike in McLean for a commercial robbery on November 21 around 11:00 a.m. According to police, the suspect entered the store, stole merchandise, and assaulted an employee.
Hughes Jr. was identified and arrested nearby for robbery and is being held without bond.
Virginia
Sunshine State Bound Wolverines Ready for Virginia Tech at Fort Myers Tipoff – University of Michigan Athletics
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The University of Michigan men’s basketball team (4-1) hits the road to take on Virginia Tech (3-2) at the Fort Myers Myers Tip-Off on Monday (Nov. 25) at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. Opening tip is scheduled for 6 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on FS1.
Notes
• There will be eight teams in two divisions competing in the Fort Myers Tipoff. Michigan is among four teams in the Beach Division along with South Carolina, Virginia Tech and Xavier. The Palms Division features Miami (Ohio), Jacksonville, Mercer and Siena.
• The Maize and Blue faces Virginia Tech in its Beach Division opener on Monday. After a prep day, Michigan plays either South Carolina or Xavier in the consolation (6 p.m.) or championship (8:30 p.m.) on Wednesday (Nov. 27).
• After Thanksgiving, the Michigan women’s team plays at the Fort Myers Tipoff, in Shell Division play. Kim Barnes Arico’s Wolverines open with Belmont (Nov. 29; 2 p.m.) and play either Virginia Tech or Davidson on Saturday (Nov. 30) in the consolation (2 p.m.) or championship (5 p.m.).
• Michigan is 4-2 all-time against Virginia Tech. After winning the first four games in the series, the Wolverines have dropped the last two. U-M faces Virginia Tech for the first time in eight years, last playing in 2016 ACC/Big Ten Challenge at Crisler Center. All six games in this series have been part of a tournament or specialty event.
• Michigan is 3-3 all-time against South Carolina. The Wolverines could face the Gamecocks for the first time in six years, with the teams having faced off in the second game of a home-and-home series played in 2018. There have been three games in Ann Arbor, and two in Columbia. The lone neutral-site game was the championship of the 2006 NIT in Madison Square Garden (U-M lost 76-64).
• Michigan is 3-1 all-time against Xavier. Two of the four games have been played in the postseason. The first came in the 1984 NIT quarterfinals — a 63-62 U-M win — as the Wolverines went on to claim their first NIT title. The second was in the 1989 NCAA first round — a 92-87 U-M win — which was the launching point for the Maize and Blue on its way its first national championship. The last meeting between the Wolverines and Musketeers was in the 2015 Gavitt Games (Big Ten vs. Big East) at Crisler Center — nine years ago (U-M lost 86-70).
• ?Michigan wrapped up a three-game homestand (3-0) and improved to 4-1 overall. Now, U-M plays five of its next six games on the road. The Wolverines will be away from Ann Arbor for seven of its next 10 games.
• U-M is shooting 52.8 percent from the field, which ranks 15th nationally. Seven Wolverines are shooting above 50 percent as Tre Donaldson leads U-M shooting 62.2 percent (23-for-37).
Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers: Commitment 101: Jahmir Davis
West Virginia Mountaineers: Commitment 101: Jahmir Davis
Cincinnati (Oh.) La Salle 2025 offensive tackle Jahmir Davis has committed to West Virginia.
The 6-foot-6, 305-pounder, picked the Mountaineers after a weekend official visit to campus where he earned a scholarship offer from the Big 12 Conference program.
The Buckeye State product also held offer from Marshall and Kent State but had been on the West Virginia radar since the summer.
That interest picked up over the past several weeks after a strong senior season where he earned Division II Southwest District All Star first-team selection honors.
Davis was recruited by recruiting coordinators Trey Neyer and Ken Signoretti and then developed into a connection with offensive line coach Matt Moore.
The offensive tackle fills a need for West Virginia in the 2025 class and becomes the third offensive lineman to commit to the program this cycle behind Olney (Md.) Good Counsel 2025 offensive lineman Gavin Crawford and Olney (Md.) Good Counsel offensive lineman Eidan Buchanan.
Overall, Davis is the 23rd prospect to commit to West Virginia in the 2025 class.
WVSports.com breaks down the commitment of Davis and what it means to the West Virginia Mountaineers football program both now and in the future.
Skill set:
Davis possesses excellent size and good athleticism for an offensive tackle. He also has an impressive wingspan which is going to help him in his role at the position. An under-the-radar type, West Virginia has had a lot of success over the years with identifying these athletic body types and molding them for their roles along the offensive front and Davis has the potential to do the same.
The Mountaineers needed to find another tackle type body in this class and Davis checks that box physically, while also impressing with his play on the field as a senior.
Fitting the program:
West Virginia needed more offensive tackle body types in the program with the Mountaineers set to lose both of their starters from the 2024 season to graduation. Buchanan is a major piece to that puzzle, but Davis is also is exactly what the doctor ordered. An intriguing frame, with plus athleticism, Davis is going to need to develop his body at the college level and fill out but has the physical qualities that you’re looking for at tackle.
The offensive lineman has already visited Morgantown so there is a comfort level there and he should be able to step and in start that process in an offensive line room that will lose four players at the end of the year.
West Virginia has continued to make Ohio a key state when it comes to targeting players and Davis is just the latest to join the program in the past couple seasons.
Recruiting the position:
In terms of offensive tackles Davis fills the need there but the Mountaineers are still recruiting one key target on the offensive line in Ohio commitment Parma (Oh.) Padua Franciscan 2025 offensive lineman Brandon Homady. Like Davis, Homady took an official visit over the weekend to Morgantown and the Mountaineers have made him a priority down the stretch as an interior option on the offensive front.
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