Seedy K’s GameCap: Virginia Tech

Señor, señor, do you know where we’re headin’?/ A Road to Hope or Armageddon?/ Seems we’ve never been down this way before/ Is there any truth in that, señor? — After Bob Dylan

A Senior Night quite unlike any other.

Oh for the nights we would have stood and clapped forever.

For Wes.

For Grif.

For Russ.

But distant memories now, from long ago, far away.

But a home game too much like most all the others this campaign.

Cards fall behind.

Lulls in the game when the gap could be closed but isn’t.

As in the 1st, right after the Hokies took the lead at 10-8. Tech didn’t score on four straight trips. But neither could the Cards. The scoreboard didn’t move for 2:44. Then U of L turned it over, resulting in a couple VT FTs.

Cardinals were down 27-35 at the half.

When they were -9 on points off turnovers.

* * * * *

Louisville fell behind by as many as 12 after intermission.

Before yet another 2d half surge.

U of L missed their first nine threeballs.

Then El Ellis and JJ Traynor netted triples on consecutive possessions.

Tech was forced to call for a break at 9:07, their lead cut to three at 50-47.

Then another 2d half meltdown. As had been the case all evening, Tech answered every Cardinal thrust. This time they came with heavy artillery.

The Hokies tallied 14 straight.

The final 71-54.

* * * * *

The last time these two long time foes met, March 1 ‘22 in Blacksburg, VT thrashed the Cards by 32, 75-43.

Before that U of L had conquered Tech 17 consecutive times, and 28 of 30 going back to ‘85.

* * * * *

There’s a recent a case study of how success breeds success.

Over the weekend, the slightly better than average Iowa Hawkeyes came back from 13 down with a minute and a half to play to beat Michigan State in OT.

Their confidence overflowing, Iowa ravaged Indiana in Bloomington Tuesday evening from the get go.

The same goes for the vice versa. Lack of success breeds lack of success.

Louisville lost those close ones early in November. Louisville never learned how to win. How to not only get over the hump, but to get stops, to close the deal.

The team improved. Mostly on the offensive end.

But it’s been too little, too late.

If it’s not one thing, it’s another.

Last night the culprit, statistically speaking was 2d chance points. VT scored 24 on 18 offensive retrievals. While the Cards scored just 13 on 14 offensive boards. -11.

Of course, there was this, the difference in points off turnovers favored the victors by 13.

* * * * *

U of L has a regular season finale left, Saturday afternoon in Charlottesville.

Then a game on Tuesday in the ACC tourney, probably against Boston College, though that could change.

Then the rebuild begins.

— c d kaplan