Virginia Tech already has a signature win this season at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Perhaps Hokies head coach Seth Greenberg is worried there won’t be any magic left for tonight’s visit to face No. 4 North Carolina at the Dean Smith Center just a few miles away.
“I thought the fine print when we joined this league said we never had to go to Chapel Hill. Finally in year three, they’re finally making us go there,” joked Greenberg. “We tried to get the game cancelled, but we couldn’t so I guess we gotta go down there and play.”
Praising his team for bouncing back against Virginia after consecutive losses last week, Greenberg warned the league does take its toll physically, mentally and emotionally.
“It’s not how you deal with success, but how you deal with the adversity and the length of the season,” said Greenberg.
Emotion was a catalyst in Virginia Tech’s 94-88 home victory over the Tar Heels last month. The Hokies’ consistent spark has been veteran backcourt play, where seniors Zabian Dowdell (17.6 points, 3.4 assists, 2.2 steals per game) and Jamon Gordon (11.7 ppg, 4.5 apg, 2.6 spg) have excelled.
Freshman point guard Nigel Munson (Washington, D.C./DeMatha High) has provided solid minutes in relief, scoring eight first- half points against the Cavaliers. In the win over North Carolina, Munson had 10 points, three assists and two steals, part of a ball-hawking defense that caused 17 turnovers.
“I thought it was one of the two most significant factors in the game up there, that we turned it over, not being strong enough with the ball or being careless with the ball,” said Tar Heels coach Roy Williams. “The other thing is we let them get to the offensive boards.”
North Carolina freshman Tywon Lawson (Clinton, Md.) had four turnovers in the first meeting, but is down to two per game in his last three.
“Right now it’s not instinctive play, but I think he’s getting closer and closer to getting it,” said Williams.
Virginia Tech had a 21-9 advantage on the offensive glass and a 42-28 rebounding margin overall in Blacksburg.
“We’ve got total respect for them,” said Williams. “They had us by 22 up there and so we remember that.”
Virginia Tech (17-7, 7-3 ACC) at No. 4 North Carolina (22-3, 8-2)
» When: Tonight, 8
» Where: Dean E. Smith Center, Chapel Hill, N.C.
» TV: WDCA-20
