This matchup between the Virginia Tech Hokies and Iowa State Cyclones will take place at The Arena at NW Florida St. The game starts at 7:00 pm ET on Friday, Nov. 27 and can be seen on CCS.
The Cyclones easily got past Chattanooga 83-63 on Monday. Nazareth Mitrou-Long led all scorers on the team with 24 points on 9-for-13 shooting. The Hokies, meanwhile, are coming off a 90-60 win against North Carolina A&T on Tuesday. Zach LeDay had a good performance and claimed his third double-double of the season, accounting for 26 points and 12 rebounds.
Iowa State is a heavy 14-point favorite in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is 154 points. The Cyclones are looking to build on their records of 3-0 Straight Up (SU) and 1-1 Against The Spread (ATS). Few teams in the nation have a higher assist-to-turnover ratio than Iowa State, which ranks 43rd at 1.48. The Cyclones have really locked down opponents on the defensive end, ranking first in the country with a .350 opponent field-goal percentage.
In the other locker room, the Hokies head into the game with records of 1-1 ATS and 3-1 SU. The Virginia Tech defense has been a problem for competitors, allowing only 32 field goals from three-point range (8.0 per game).
This game will be the first meeting for Iowa State and Virginia Tech in recent seasons.
Predictions: SU Winner – VaTech, ATS Winner – VaTech, O/U – Over
Notes
The Iowa State Cyclones average 85.7 points per game, ranking 35th in the nation. The Virginia Tech Hokies rank 80th in points allowed with 64.8.
Virginia Tech won its last game by a 30-point margin. In games decided by a margin of 18 points or more, Iowa State is 2-0. Virginia Tech is also 2-0 in blowouts this season.
The Iowa State Cyclones have the nation’s top defense, with a defensive rating of 79.2. The Virginia Tech Hokies have an offensive rating of 110.6 (ranked 124th).
The Iowa State Cyclones and the Virginia Tech Hokies both rank higher in average field goal percentage when compared to their effective field goal percentages. Iowa State is 27th and 17th in the nation for eFG% and FG% respectively, while Virginia Tech ranks 160th and 93rd in these categories.
Iowa State ranks 43rd in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.48. Virginia Tech is ranked lower at 240th with an A/TO of .92.
Virginia Tech, the 14th-ranked team in rebounding, registers an average of 46.2 rebounds per game. Iowa State ranks 29th with 44.3.
The Virginia Tech Hokies rank 48th in offensive rebounds, and the Iowa State Cyclones rank fourth in the nation in defensive rebounds.
Though Iowa State is one of the best in the country in forcing turnovers with opponents averaging a TO% of 21.3% (ranked first), Virginia Tech is undefeated (2-0) when its TO% is 21.3% or greater.
