No. 16 Virginia Tech to take on No. 23 Purdue in Charleston Classic Finals Game

After both teams went on to win out their respective parts of the bracket, they both will now face off in a final game tonight. Virginia Tech is coming off a 88-60 win against the Northeastern Huskies on Friday and now advance to 3-0 on the year. And for Purdue, they wrapped up their game against Davidson 79-59 and moved up to 4-0. It looks to be a great one in Charleston for Sunday night.

How Virginia Tech Can Win:

For the Hokies I think it comes down to their large runs where they amount a hefty amount of points and causing lots of pressure. If you had watched either the Northeastern game or the Ball State one, as well, you could see that Tech would have these runs where they seemed untouchable. And quite frankly, they are. The Hokies seem to turn something on in them that helps them attain a large sum of points quickly. Another thing that comes about in Tech’s playing style is their on-ball defense. We saw a lot of forced shots in the Northeastern due to this. So if Virginia Tech can get a run where they get a lot of points and pressure Purdue all night, they should be good.

How Purdue Can Win:

It is simple for the Boilermakers on Sunday: grab those rebounds and slow the pacing of the game. Purdue, last game, had racked up 45 rebounds on a Davidson team that shot the ball pretty well for the score. This team will need to stay strong and maintain a heavy presence in the paint to shut out the second chance points by Virginia Tech. Also, Purdue needs to slow the pacing of the game when they have possession of the ball. We see Virginia Tech go on runs where they thrive off of that fast paced setting. I think if Purdue can slow down that aspect of Virginia Tech’s offense that they can bring the pressure down a little. Look to this Boilermaker team to execute these aspects and control the game.

Players to Watch:

Virginia Tech: Justin Robinson was a player that affected the spirit of the Hokie offense last game. Robinson seemed to make plays and shots when needed and provided a boost for the team. From the field, Robinson had shot 80% of his shot and went 75% from the arch. Look for Purdue to try to pressure Robinson into forcing unwanted shots.

Purdue: Carsen Edwards was truly the motivation behind this Purdue team when they played Davidson. Edwards shot 54% from the arch and gathered 29 points total. Purdue has somewhat chosen Edwards to run the court for their offense and will most likely do the same Sunday. Watch for Virginia Tech to keep a man on Edwards at all times, even when in zone.

Score Prediction:

I liked the even matchup of this game going in, but now I have a different mindset. Purdue seems to rely too much on Carsen Edwards for their production and when Virginia Tech pressures him, who will step up? We still haven’t seen anyone who can. Also, Virginia Tech’s runs they go on will show up against a Purdue team who appears sluggish at times. Look for Virginia Tech to get up high at some points, but Purdue will keep it close with their rebounding power.

Virginia Tech 79, Purdue 73

Photo Credits: https://247sports.com/college/virginia-tech/Article/LIVE-CHAT-16-Virginia-Tech-against-Northeastern-124800474/