By Jimmy Robertson
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The first six questions following Virginia Tech's 71-56 victory over Miami on Wednesday at the ACC Tournament revolved around the Hokies' shooting display, and their offense, in general.
In fact, a couple of minutes of the news conference featured some banter between Buzz Williams and Ty Outlaw, with Williams joking that Outlaw dunked off a steal for the first time in his career. Outlaw said he also dunked against Florida State his first year at Tech.
"Two," Williams said. "Sorry, I didn't remember."
For sure, all of that deserved worthy praise. Basketball purists could watch Outlaw shoot jumpers for hours, and both Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kerry Blackshear Jr. possess uncanny vision, passing the ball in a way that probably won the admiration of former NBA great Magic Johnson – who was sitting in the stands and taking in this one.
But lost amidst Tech's firepower was its unnoticed, and perhaps unappreciated, work on the other end of the court.
For sure, the Hokies quickly grabbed and then maintained their lead against Miami on Wednesday afternoon because of their symmetry on offense. They won it, though, because, yet again, they displayed their toughness, embracing the grind on defense.
Tech made the Spectrum Center a veritable Shawshank for the 'Canes, putting them on lockdown. Miami shot just 33.9 percent for the game. Only one of its eight players shot better than 50 percent from the floor.
The 'Canes rely on the long ball, but they were worse from that area of the court. They made just 8 of 29 – 27.6 percent.
"We just wanted to force long, contested 3's," Tech guard Ahmed Hill said. "I think today we did a good job of not letting them penetrate and get to the basket for layups. We made them shoot long, contested 3's – something they probably didn't want to do. Something a lot of teams don't want to do. A lot of teams want to get to the basket, so I think that's a good game plan for us [forcing teams to shoot contested 3's]."
Many in the media circles who focus on the Hokies have missed this season-long story. The Hokies' smooth ball movement and ability to can shots receives all the attention. Their ability to defend them doesn't.
Consider this – only four opponents this season have shot better than 50 percent against Tech. Virginia, North Carolina and Duke reside in the top five of the latest Associated Press top-25 poll. The other, Purdue, comes in at No. 13.
Opponents are shooting just 40.6 percent against Tech this season. A team can win a lot of games like that – and Tech needs just one more victory to tie the school record for wins (25).
"I think this year, more than any other year I've been here, we've carried out a specific defensive identity," Blackshear said. "And, I think we've gotten better at that each and every game. What we do defensively is pretty much the same every game … how we want to guard teams is the same. So, I think that helps each person grow each and every game."
Tech's actual defensive metamorphosis took place last season – perhaps not so coincidentally following their 84-75 loss to the 'Canes in Blacksburg. Miami dominated, shooting better than 50 percent in that game, hitting 10 3-pointers and grabbing 12 offensive rebounds. The 'Canes led the entire second half.
Anthony Lawrence II was a monster in that one, scoring 25 points and grabbing 13 rebounds – and continuing a string of great performances against the Hokies.
Yet Wednesday, with Hill stitched to him for much of the afternoon, the senior made just one shot from the floor in his final game.
"Thanks to my teammates for being in the gaps and things like that, so he couldn't drive," Hill said, deflecting the credit. "I wasn't the only one. A lot of guys switched out on him, but we just tried to clog the paint up and make them shoot long, contested shots. I think we did a good job. He's a great player, so we just tried to shut him down."
Perhaps no one symbolizes the season-long defensive resurgence more Hill, the fifth-year senior. He cut his teeth as a freshman in 2014-15 by working as a sort of stopper before a knee injury his sophomore season robbed him of some of his athleticism. Last season, Devin Wilson morphed into the stopper, playing an unheralded, but critical, role in the Hokies' season-ending run to the NCAA Tournament last March, while arguably stealing – pun intended – some of Hill's minutes.
This season, though, has been a different story. Instead of one or two stoppers, the Hokies collectively accept and embrace their roles on defense game in and game out. Their 24 victories provide the evidence.
"We take more pride in defense than offense now," Hill said. "We know that our defense helps our offense. We know we've got to continue that throughout this tournament and through the next tournament [the NCAA Tournament]."
Tech takes on a more formidable foe Thursday afternoon in lengthy, bouncy Florida State – maybe the biggest team in the nation. The Seminoles like to play up-tempo and like to get to the rim. They come in armed with much more personnel than Miami.
But Tech knows the formula for winning, and the Hokies want to avenge last week's overtime loss to the Seminoles in Tallahassee.
If they do, rest assured, their defense will be the primary reason why.