Previewing 'Canes Vs Hokies Hoops with Gobbler Country

Back on December 8th, in the first ACC contest for both squads, Jarell Eddie was unstoppable down the stretch and VT pulled out the 61-60 thriller.

Nearly 3 months later and the Hokies have yet to win another conference game, and Miami has lost a handful more heart breakers.

Can the 'Canes even the season series this weekend?

That and more below with Charles Workman of Gobbler Country:

GC: Let's see.....we got Bruce Smith, Michael Vick, Kevin Jones, Corey Moore, Brandon Flowers.....oh, did you mean basketball?

My team would probably dominate a summer-league, but stand little chance against a team with a fully-formed front line.

The team: Bimbo Coles ('88 Olympian), Dell Curry (NBA 6th man of the year), Ace Custis (maybe most important player in last 20 years), Malcolm Delaney, and Zamon Gordell or Jabian Dowdon (combo of Dowdell/Gordon...can't have one without the other). Though it kills me to leave Damon Watlington off. On a team like this he might shoot 55% from three.

Honorable Mention to some old timers like Allan Bristow and Chris Smith who I never got to see and who didn't play in a fully integrated era.

GC: We are AS bad as the record and perhaps worse. In a nutshell, attrition from transfers in the coaching transition, academic non-qualifiers, and injuries have has us playing catch-up personnel-wise all season. The inexperience at the PG combined with the inability of the coach to innovate in the face of repeated failures has caused us to be a high-turnover, low-efficiency outfit. The early shooting has cooled off, and we now possess the body language of a team that expects to lose. Don't let last Saturday's effort against PItt, in which VT stretched the Panthers to two overtimes, fool you. Pittsburgh is not themselves, and the loss of their sixth man to a season-ending injury has hurt their depth immeasurably. Pitt played down to VT's level, and so long as the opponent takes care not to do that, the Hokies should lose.

GC: I will just pick the best five players, it will be small forward heavy.

1st team: Lamar Patterson (Pitt), CJ Fair (Syracuse), TJ Warren (NC St), Malcolm Brogdon (UVA), Jabari Parker (Duke)

2nd team: KJ McDaniels (if his team were better, 1st team), Rodney Hood (Duke), Dez Wells (MD), Jerami Grant (Syracuse), Codi Miller McIntyre (Wake Forest)

My Honorable Mention: Joe Harris (UVA), Marcus Paige (UNC), Rion Brown (Miami)

I don't see how anyone can be Freshman of the Year besides Tyler Ennis of Syracuse. Particularly after Wednesday night. But don't let one shot overshadow the tremendous poise he demonstrates, or take away from his superb assist-to-turnover ratio.

GC: Sure, I can see the value in most every player we have. Devin Wilson, Ben Emelogu and Trevor Thompson all got valuable minutes and will be relied on heavily in the coming years. Our sophomore Center is already putting together some very nice stretches of minutes, but like everyone else is struggling to maintain consistency. We have three nice young players coming in the next class also, including former Duke Blue Devil and NBA player Antonio Lang's son T.J.

GC: I see us scoring around 50 points. The Hokies have given a blueprint to anyone who can watch tape of them. There is no solution right now for solid halfcourt defense and patient offense, both of which Coach Larranagga stresses. I actually live 10 minutes from GMU where he used to coach, and am familiar with his deliberate style. He has the temerity to ride out bad stretches and not make panicky substitutions, and he can insist that Miami shorten the game by moving the ball around til 10 seconds remain.

In the lull during a business conversation, the loser of the deal will break the silence and speak first. It's an age-old tactic, it is supposed to determine one party's desperation to get the deal done. The more desperate team in this case is the Hokies, and they will most assuredly be the one who loses at the game of chicken that is to ensue. If Miami decides to crash the offensive boards and not cycle back in transition defense, then the Hokies might be able to get out and get some threes in transition. But Coach L is too smart to let that happen repeatedly. And if Miami decides to throw the zone at us, I can predict with a high level of certainty that the Hokies will endure a 7 minute scoring drought (sponsored by Kroger Food Stores).

I like Miami in this one 58-51.

GC: It's never not football season, bruh! I'm actually eager for baseball this season. New coach, more access, more games on TV. Now I'm running a website, so that adds a bit of a wrinkle. Football is every day, but after signing day I could use a little variety.

Good luck on Saturday. Though I must admit I am rooting for a three way tie at the bottom of the league between the three Big East defectors. After 10 years, demonstrating progress in basketball!!

More from State of The U

Follow @TheStateOfTheU Follow @SBNationCFB

• Canes Tennis at a Crossroads
• Path of the Storm: B1G vs Hatin' Spurrier, London: 30 for 30, Coaching Changes, FREE FOOD.
• Hurricanes Baseball Open Season Friday Vs Maine
• Visual Showing Where UM Football players Come From
• Under the Radar Draft Prospect: Allen Hurns
• Q & A's : National Signing Day Thoughts
• FERNANDEZ, FIORE NAMED TO COLLEGE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME