Virginia Tech-Louisville Men's Basketball Preview

Jackson Didlake

January 6, 2021

BLACKSBURG, Va. – In its first matchup of the new year, No. 19 Virginia Tech faces Louisville on the road on Wednesday night.

The Hokies (8-1, 2-0 ACC) are coming off of a close 80-78 victory over Miami to stay perfect in ACC play. Virginia Tech was scheduled to play No. 22 Virginia on Saturday, but COVID-19 issues postponed the contest.

On Monday, the Hokies moved up to No. 19 in the AP Poll and became the highest-ranked team. The Cardinals (7-1, 2-0) are just outside looking in after receiving 103 votes, good for No. 27 unofficially.

Louisville is on a three-game win streak since its only loss of the season, an 85-48 thumping at the hands of No. 8 Wisconsin. The Cardinals defeated Pitt 64-54 on Dec. 22 and beat Boston College 76-64 on Saturday to start conference play 2-0.

Louisville’s Key to the Game: Stay Sharp on Defense

The Cardinals have been dominant on defense to start the season, currently leading the ACC in field goal percentage at 38.6%, good for 33rd in the country. Additionally, Louisville is coming off of holding Boston College to a season-low 33.3% from the field. The Cardinals are 29th in the nation in scoring defense, giving up 61.8 points per game.

The Hokies have had some issues in games when they have come out flat, specifically from three. If the Cardinals can hold the Hokies defensively, it will be an uphill battle for Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech’s Key to the Game: Stop Louisville on the Boards

One of the biggest parts of the Cardinals’ game this season has been their rebounding. They have an average rebounding margin of +7.3 this season, fourth in the ACC. Louisville has dominated on the boards in its last two victories, out rebounding Boston College 43-30 and Pitt 45-26.

The Hokies will need to rely on their bigs to bring down rebounds to give them a shot to take down the Cardinals on Wednesday.

Louisville Player to Watch: David Johnson

David Johnson was named ACC Player of the Week for his performance in the last week of December. In the Cardinals’ victory over Boston College, Johnson scored a career-high 20 points and hit a career-best three three pointers.

Johnson is 14 of 31 from three this season and could be a problem for the Hokies if they can’t contain him from behind the arc.

Virginia Tech Player to Watch: Justyn Mutts

While Keve Aluma has been the player to watch this season for the Hokies, Justyn Mutts has quietly improved in the shadows. The Delaware transfer recorded a season-high 15 points in the win over Miami, his third double-digit performance of the year. Additionally, he added nine rebounds.

With the Cardinals likely game planning to stop Aluma, who is coming off of a career-high 26 points against the Hurricanes, Mutts should be the player to watch. With the focus on Aluma, the big has the potential for another impactful game.

Predictions:

Jackson: Louisville 71, Virginia Tech 66

Chris Hirons: Louisville 71, Virginia Tech 68

Game Details:

No. 19 Virginia Tech (8-1, 2-0 ACC) at Louisville (7-1, 2-0)

Tipoff: 6:30 p.m.

Location: KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

Television: ACC Network