NC State, Virginia Teams That Play At Different Paces Are Opposing Each Other Tonight In ACC Tournament Semifinals With Berth In Championship Game On The Line
NC State likes to play at a fast pace defensively, offensively!
Virginia likes to play at a deliberate pace, defensively, offensively!
NC State, Virginia met twice during the 2023-2024 regular season splitting the regular matchups with NC State winning the first meeting.
Their first meeting came on Saturday January 6, 2024 when NC State beat Virginia 76-60 when Dennis Parker Jr., Jayden Taylor who are NC State guards scored 15 points each as NC State defeated Virginia 76-60 Saturday in North Carolina’s state capital.
Though,
Dennis Parker Jr., Jayden Taylor weren’t the only ones to score as NC State defeated Virginia 76-60 Saturday in North Carolina’s state capital as DJ Burns Jr. was 3-6 on field goals to go along with 4 assists, 1 steal , 6 points as DJ Horne was 5-11 on field goals, 2-7 on 3 pointers 6 rebounds, 3 assists , 2 steals , 14 points. Casey Morsell was 2-9 on field goals, 1-7 on 3 pointers to go along with 2 rebounds, 2 assists , 1 steal , 5 points. Ben Middlebrooks was 4-4 on field goals to go along with 7 rebounds , 8 points. MJ Rice was 3-4 on field goals, 1-2 on 3 pointers to go along with 4 rebounds , 7 points. Michael O’Connell was 2-5 on field goals, 1-2 on 3 pointers to go along 3, 5 assists, 6 points.
Following NC State guards Dennis Parker, Jayden Taylor scoring 15 points each as NC State defeated Virginia 76-60 Saturday in North Carolina’s state capital NC State Head Coach Kevin Keatts had this to say!
“I thought we completely won the game on the defensive end. Our guys were locked in,”
“Bur when you score 76 points against a really good Virginia defense, you’ve done a good job. We had 14 assists. We made the extra pass and it helped us.”
Following NC State guards Dennis Parker, Jayden Taylor scoring 15 points each as NC State defeated Virginia 76-60 Saturday in North Carolina’s state capital NC State Jayden Taylor had this to say about how he plays defensively
“I take defense very personal, so for me it was very, very important,” Taylor said. “I take pride in taking and stopping the other team’s best player. I felt today for us to get the edge, I had to take him away, and I felt I did that.”
According to Chip Alexander News Observer article https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/nc-state/article283738353.html
Virginia winning the second meeting in overtime 59-53 on Wednesday January 24, 2024 where five players scored in double figures.
Those players included Jordan Minor was 5-9 on field goals to go along with 9 rebounds, 10 points . Ryan Dunn was 6-10 on field goals, 0-1 on 3 pointers to go along with 12 rebounds, 1 assists, 13 points , Isaac McKneely was 4-16 on field goals, 2-9 on 3 pointers to go along with 2 rebounds, 2 assists , 10 points. Reece Beekman was 4-12 on field goals, 0-1 on 3 pointers to go along 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal , 11 points.
Following Virginia’s 59-53 win in overtime Charlottesville Virginia Head Coach Tony Bennett had this to say!
It’s a game of runs. They made some tough shots . We had a couple of turnovers and break downs. Part of it was the defensive playmaking of NC State.
According to Noah Teague article on technicianonline.com
https://www.technicianonline.com/sports/heartbreak-in-charlottesville-nc-state-men-s-basketball-falls-short-in-overtime-thriller-against-virginia/article_e774df3a-bb92-11ee-b3c4-5b9de895e38d.html
NC State, Virginia teams that play at different paces defensively, offensively are opposing each other tonight in ACC Tournament semifinals with berth in championship game on the line.
Where?
Capital One Arena in Washington DC that is home to Washington Wizards Of NBA Washington Capitals of NHL!
NC State who is a 10th in the ACC Tournament advanced to with 74-69 win over Duke Thursday in the quarterfinals where five players scored in double figures. Those players included Mohamed Diarra who was 5-9 on field goals, 1-4 on 3 pointers to go along with 16 rebounds , 2 assists, 14 points . DJ Burns Jr. who was 4-11 on field goals to go along with 3 rebounds, 1 assists , 10 points. Michael O’Connell who was 2-2 on 3 pointers to go along with 2 rebounds, 4 assists , 12 points. Jayden Taylor who was 2-7 on field goals, 2-3 on 3 pointers to go along with 3 rebounds, 2 assists , 6 points. Casey Morsell who is a former Virginia guard who was 5-11 on field goals to go along with 1 rebound, 11 points. Ben Middlebrooks who was 0-3 on field goals to go along with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 points . DJ Horne who was 7-13 on field goals, 2-6 on 3 pointers to go along with 4 rebounds, 18 points.
According to espn app
Following NC State advancing to semifinal round with 74-69 win over Duke Mohamed Diarra had this to say!
We’re the only ones who chose us,”Nobody chose us when we got in on Tuesday. Nobody trusted we were going to beat (Louisville). Nobody thought we were going to beat Syracuse. Nobody thought we were going to beat Duke. We’re a great team, and we’re going to be back tomorrow.”
Following NC State advancing to semifinal round with 74-69 win over Duke DJ Horne who was who was 7-13 on field goals, 2-6 on 3 pointers to go along with 4 rebounds, 18 points had this to say!
Virginia who is a three seed in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament advanced to the semifinals with a 66-60 win over Boston College where three players scored in double figures. Those players included Jacob Groves who was 5-13 on field goals, 3-7 on 3 pointers to go along with 11 rebounds , 15 points. Reece Beekman was 4-17 on field goals, 1-5 on 3 pointers to go along 11 assists, 11 points. Taine Murray was 5-6 on field goals, 1-1 on 3 pointers to go along with 11 points.
Following Virginia’s 66-60 win over Boston College in quarterfinals of ACC Tournament Thursday Virginia Head Coach Tony Bennett had this to say!
We’ve got 20 minutes to warm up, it felt a little off for us, “They got some transition buckets and some offensive rebounds, and I just thought they hit us in the mouth first, but we stayed the course, got some stops, and then got to it.
“But we were a little just not quite ready to start. We tried to be, but didn’t play out that way,”
According to Chris Graham article https://augustafreepress.com/news/five-observations-who-ya-got-for-player-of-the-game-for-virginia-in-the-ot-thriller/
Tip off is set for 9:30pm from Capital One Arena!
The game is going to be televised on ESPN with Jay Bilas, Dan Shulman commentating!
Jay Bilas is a former Duke center who played for former Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski from 1982 -1986 playing 127 games averaging 8.4 points 5.4 rebounds, 0.4 assists before drafted 5th round of 1986 15th pick 108th pick overall in the 1986 NBA Draft. Though, Jay Bilas would never set foot on the hardwood for Dallas because he instead he would play professionally in Italy where he was among the leagues top scores in 1987-1988 seasons before playing professionally in Spain for part of the 1989 season before returning to Duke in 1990 to serve as an assistant coach on Krzyzewski’s staff, while also earning his law degree from Duke Law School. While Bilas was an assistant coach under Krzyzewski, the Blue Devils advanced to the NCAA Championship Gem three times, winning back-to-back National Championships in 1991 and 1992.
According to https://espnpressroom.com/us/bios/bilas_jay/