The Sports Bank’s college basketball season previews undergo a face lift this season. Rather than counting down the top 111 teams in 111 days, we will go conference-by-conference. I’ve already counted down the Pac-12, Big 12, SEC, and AAC, and now turn my attention to the already new-look ACC.
One of the more surprising coaching changes of the college basketball off-season was the Virginia Tech Hokies luring Buzz Williams away from Marquette to Blacksburg. Williams has his work cut out for him though as the Hokies are almost starting from scratch.
VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES
Last Season: 15th, 2-16 in ACC, 9-22 overall
Predicted ACC Finish: 15th
Projected Depth Chart:
C: Joey van Zegeren (Jr)/Satchel Pierce (Fr)
F: Shane Henry (Jr)/Christian Beyer (Sr)
G/F: Ahmed Hill (Fr)/Jalen Hudson (Fr)
G: Adam Smith (Jr)/Malik Muller (Fr)/Will Johnston (Sr)
PG: Devin WIlson (So)/Justin Bibbs (Fr)
Gone: SF-Jarell Eddie, C-Cadarian Raines, PF-C.J. Barksdale (transfer), C-Trevor Thompson (transfer-Ohio State), F-Marshall Wood (transfer-Richmond), C-Maurice Kirby (transfer-Coffeyville CC), SG-Ben Emelogu (transfer-SMU)
2014-2015 Outlook:
VA Tech already knew they would losing leading scorer Jarell Eddie, but when Williams was hired, five players chose to transfer out of the program. As a result, the Hokies only return four players who were a regular part of the rotation.
Devin Wilson and Adam Smith bring experience to the backcourt. Wilson started every game last year as a freshman while Smith made a nice impact after becoming eligible for the second semester. Will Johnston was a role player who never really made his presence felt while Joey van Zegren brings some needed size to a rather small line-up. Christian Beyer is another returning player but like Johnston, is more of just a body on the roster.
Williams must mix in six new faces including Ahmed Hill and Satchel Pierce who originally committed to Buzz at Marquette but chose to follow him to Blacksburg. Hill is a top 100 prospect who should step right into the starting lineup while Pierce adds needed size. Justin Bibbs and Jalen Hudson should also factor into the equation at guard along with Malik Muller who was forced to sit out last season. JUCO transfer Shane Henry is likely to start at forward and brings length and athleticism to the frontcourt.
The Hokies also picked up a pair of transfers this summer in former Maryland point guard, Seth Allen Maryland and ex-South Florida forward, Zach LeDay. Both players must sit out this season but have two years of eligibility remaining beginning in the 2015-16 season.
Key Non-Conference Games:
11/25 vs. Northern Iowa (Cancun Challenge)
11/26 vs. Northwestern/Miami (OH) (Cancun Challenge)
12/3 at Penn State (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)
12/30 at West Virginia
AAC PREVIEWS:
#1 UCONN HUSKIES
#7 UCF KNIGHTS
#8 SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS
#9 HOUSTON COUGARS
#10 TULANE GREEN WAVE
#11 EAST CAROLINA PIRATES
SEC PREVIEWS:
#1 KENTUCKY WILDCATS
BIG 12 PREVIEWS:
#1 KANSAS JAYHAWKS
#2 TEXAS LONGHORNS
PAC-12 PREVIEWS:
#1 ARIZONA WILDCATS
#4 UCLA BRUINS
David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank. He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities. David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Milwaukee to Honolulu. He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft and the most accurate 2012 NBA Mock Draft on the internet (Yup, repeat champ… #humblebrag), and finished with the second most accurate 2013 NBA Mock Draft (nearly a three-peat.) You can follow him on Twitter at David_Kmiecik.