Virginia Tech vs. Richmond - a preview of the hokies' season opener

Topher Wagner and Jay Winters

November 25, 2020

Blacksburg, Va. - The season is finally among us and head coach Kenny Brooks and the Hokies are set to take on the Richmond Spiders on Wednesday at 4 p.m. in Cassell Coliseum.

Fresh off of a contract extension through the next four years, Brooks and company look to pick up right where they left off last season. After a stellar 21-9 record and an all but certain NCAA Tournament bid if not for COVID-19, the Hokies are hungry to make their mark this year and contend for a top spot in the ACC.

Richmond is coming off of a 15-17 season that wasn’t very impressive. However, that number was the highest win mark in a season since the 2014-2015 season for the Spiders, and was done with a new head coach at the helm in Aaron Roussell. The Spiders return two leading scorers from last season in junior guards Claire Holt and Kate Klimkiewicz, who both averaged around 10 points, and return two additional starters from last season, making for an experienced team.

The last time these two met was in the 2018-2019 season at the UCF Thanksgiving Tournament that saw the Hokies trample the Spiders 85-57, led by now-transferred Trinity Baptiste, who posted 24 and 11. Aisha Sheppard was the only player on this year’s squad that saw action against the Spiders, as she played 24 minutes and scored four points.

The last time these two met in Cassell was a different story, however, as the Spiders got the best of the Hokies, winning 64-56 in 2013. The all-time series is tied at six wins apiece, with Richmond having won two out of the three most recent games.

Virginia Tech Key to the Game: Dominate the perimeter with consistent three point shooting

Last year, the Hokies averaged nearly 22 three-point attempts per game and tended to prevail more often than not when their perimeter shooters were connecting consistently. Led by Aisha Sheppard and her school record 84 threes last season, the Hokies also brought back three-point specialist Cayla King and added additional perimeter depth in Shamarla King and Shelby Calhoun. If the Hokies are able to control the three point line throughout the game, they may have too much firepower for Richmond to overcome.

Richmond Key to the Game: Minimize Turnovers

Last year, the Spiders averaged nearly 21 turnovers per game, a rate simply unsustainable for long term success. Facing a team that is able to get pressure on the ball, the Spiders will have to limit these mistakes to not fall behind a scrappy Hokies team.

Virginia Tech Player to Watch: Guard Da’Ja Green

In order for the Hokies to succeed in the opener, they are going to need a solid debut from Wofford graduate transfer, point guard Da’Ja Green. Last year, Taja Cole was one of Virginia Tech’s top players as the excellent guard led the ACC in both total assists and assists per game. After Cole’s offseason departure, Virginia Tech looks to Green to fill the shoes that Cole left and believe she is up to the task. A three time All-Southern Conference selection and coming off a senior year where she averaged almost 5 assists per game, a good debut from Green will solidify her as one of the top Hokies to watch for this season.

Richmond Player to Watch: Claire Holt

Claire Holt will be a player to watch out for on the Spiders - not just versus Virginia Tech but for the whole 2020-2021 campaign. A rising junior, Holt had a stellar season last year, finishing second on the Spiders in scoring with 10.9 points per game, twice as high as her point output from her freshman year. If the Spiders look to contend against Virginia Tech and beyond this season, Holt’s continued development will be a large factor of why.

Score Prediction:

While Richmond showed that they could hang around with some solid teams last year, they had a hard time closing out games. Against a Virginia Tech team that is already receiving top 25 attention in the preseason, this is a tough opener for a team that lost their top scorer in Jaide Hinds-Clarke in the offseason. While the Spiders have some bright offensive pieces in Holt as well as Kate Klimkiewicz, the offensive firepower that the Hokies bring with All-ACC player Sheppard will inevitably be too much for this inexperienced Richmond team.

Virginia Tech 75, Richmond 55