This Week in The Cassell - Basketball is here!

Basketball

     It’s game week Hokies!! College basketball tips off tonight at 7 pm with Rhode Island versus #4 Pittsburgh on ESPNU and the Hokies get things underway this Friday.  The Lady Hokies get things underway at 5:30 pm versus Presbyterian and the men tip off at 7:30 versus the Campbell Camels.

     Let's start with the women’s game versus the Presbyterian College Blue Hose.  If you’re like me, you're wondering what in the world the Blue Hose(s) is/are. This is the answer according to their media guide:

“A Blue Hose is a fierce Scotch-Irish warrior. If you have ever seen the movie Braveheart, you have seen a true Blue Hose.”

     Presbyterian College (Clinton, SC) returns 4 starters from last year’s team which finished 5-25.  The Blue Hose are led by sophomore center Mariah Pietrowski, who led the team in scoring with 10.7 ppg last season.  This is the second meeting all-time between the two schools, with the Hokies winning the first game 64-31 in January 2009.  The Blue Hose have lost their last 46 games away from home.

     At 7:30, fans will get their first real look at the 21st ranked 2010-2011 men’s basketball team as they host the Campbell Camels.  The Hokies defeated Campbell in Buies Creek, N.C. last season 71-60 in front of a record crowd, thanks in large part to 17 points from JT Thompson.  The Camels return 3 starters from that team, including Atlantic Sun Defensive Player of the Year Junard Hartley.

Predictions:

• Hokies 66 Blue Hose 40
• Hokies 74 Campbell 58

Volleyball

Last Week:

     The Hokies finished off a 4 match home stand with two consecutive sweeps over Boston College and Maryland in Cassell to move to 17-8 (8-7 ACC).  On Friday, the Hokies cruised to a 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-14) win over BC behind 13 kills from redshirt sophomore Jennifer Wiker and 38 assists from setter Erin Leaser.  The Hokies hit .354 as a team and held the Eagles to a .086 percentage.  Against Maryland on Saturday, the Hokies relied on junior outside hitter Justine Record, who led Tech with 12 kills, 9 digs, and 4 service aces.  As a team, the Hokies had 7 aces to only 4 errors, while Maryland committed 15.  The 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-23) win over Maryland lifted Tech above .500 in the ACC for the first time this season.

Check out the match highlights here on hokiesports.com.

Up Next:

     After jumping from 8th place to a 4th place tie in the ACC standings, the Hokies have a chance to move as high as 3rd with another strong weekend.  The focus turns to 3rd place Georgia Tech on Friday as the Hokies will try to avenge a 3-2 loss to the Yellow Jackets earlier this season in Cassell.  After a rough preseason, Gah Tech stands at 9-6 in the conference, one game ahead of the Hokies.  The Jackets have been a roller coaster of up and down play, defeating Florida State, UNC, and Miami (twice), but have also lost to Wake Forest, Clemson, and Maryland.  The Jackets are currently 50th in the RPI, so a win on the road would be another resume booster for the Hokies.

     Clemson has had a disappointing season so far, currently sitting at 10th in the standings at 6-9.  The Tigers are 9th in the country with 2.84 blocks per set, but don’t do a lot of other things particularly well.  The Tigers did beat the Hokies, however, 3-2 in Blacksburg.  Tech lost senior libero Amy Wengrenovich (who is back now) early in the first set, but the Hokies were also outblocked 12-3.  The Hokies will be trying for their first win in Clemson, SC since October 2005.

The Hokies’ match versus Georgia Tech should be available to watch online HERE on Friday at 7 pm.