Know the Opponent: Virginia Tech

Know the Opponent: Virginia Tech (7-1)Â

KenPom ranking: 36Â

Ole Miss faces one of the most well-rounded teams in the nation Sunday in Blacksburg, Virginia. Virginia Tech. Va Tech's offensive efficiency ranks 24th nationally, while their defensive efficiency also strong at 67th. Road wins against quality opponents are always gold stars on resumes in March if the Rebels could find a way to knock off the very talented Hokies.Â

Virginia Tech on Offense: The Hokies can definitely score from anywhere. Virginia Tech ranks in the top-50 nationally in both 3-point shots and 2-point shots. Adding to that, the Hokies are in the top-25 nationally in not turning the ball over. It's not hard to see how making shots not making mistakes would make for an efficient offensive team. The 3-point shooting is especially worrisome for Ole Miss, as the Rebels have been one of the worst teams in the nation in defending the arc this season. The Hokies haven't been a team to crash the offensive boards this season, so when Ole Miss has to make sure each miss from Virginia Tech ends the possession.Â

Individually, the Hokies are led by center Zach LeDay. When he's on the court, he accounts for more than 25 percent of all shots Va Tech takes. He's drawn fouls at a high rate this season, and Sebastian Saiz getting into foul trouble would spell trouble for Ole Miss.Â

Virginia Tech on Defense: While offense is the strength of the team, it's not like the Hokies take the other side of the court off. While teams are able to shoot a respectable percentage from the field, most teams only get one shot each time down the floor. Teams have not been grabbed many offensive rebounds against the Hokies. On top of that, teams don't normally make a living getting to the free throw line. Only 15 percent of points against the Hokies come from the charity stripe, the 22nd lowest percentage nationally. Virginia Tech doesn't make it easy for opponents on offense.Â

A plus for Ole Miss is that Virginia Tech hasn't been a defense that has forced many turnovers this season, ranking 318th out of 351 teams in steal percentage. Obviously, taking care of the ball on the road against a team as efficient as Virginia Tech is necessary to have a chance late in the game. Despite the turnover problems, Ole Miss is still the fifth-best offense in the SEC in terms of efficiency. If the turnover numbers go down, Ole Miss is tough for anyone to slow down.Â

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Players Mentioned

Sebastian Saiz

The University of Mississippi Athletics