BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech men's basketball team faces its first ranked challenge of the season Wednesday night against No. 9 Memphis at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
The game, which tips off at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2, will be the first of two contests for the Hokies in the NIT Season Tip-Off.
Last time out, Tech (5-0) defeated Merrimack, 72-43, for its 1,500th win in program history. Storm Murphy led the Hokies in scoring with 14 points, shooting 6-of-8 from the field. Justyn Mutts had another well-rounded performance, contributing nine points, seven rebounds and five dimes.
Wednesday's matchup will be the 31st meeting in the Virginia Tech-Memphis series, in which the Tigers (4-0) hold an 18-12 advantage. The meetings date back to Jan. 19, 1976, and include three Metro Tournament contests. On Jan. 10, 1983, the Hokies picked up their first win against a No. 1 team in program history with a 69-56 win over the Tigers in Cassell Coliseum.
Pending the result of Wednesday's game, Tech will play Iowa St./Xavier in either the third-place or championship game of the NIT Season Tip-Off on Friday.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Wednesday, November 24 | 9:30 p.m. ET
Barclays Center (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
vs. No. 9 Memphis
Series: Tigers lead 18-12
Game Notes: Virginia Tech (PDF) | Memphis (PDF)
TV Broadcast
ESPN2
Play-by-Play: Rich Hollenberg
Analyst: Fran Fraschilla
Local Radio
Virginia Tech Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Jon Laaser
Analyst: Mike Burnop
THE SERIES
• Virginia Tech is 12-18 all-time against Memphis.
• The two sides go all the way back to their Metro Conference days; the first game in the series was Jan. 10, 1976 - a 72-71 win by the Hokies in Memphis, Tenn.
• Tech upset No. 1 Memphis, 69-56, on Jan. 10, 1983 for their first win over an AP top-ranked team in program history.
A WIN WOULD...
• Move the Hokies to 6-0 for the first time since 2019-20 when Tech also opened the season 6-0.
• Mark the third straight season where the Hokies recorded a top-10 win in November.
• Improve Tech to 2-5 all-time at the Barclays Center; the other win came in the second round of the 2017 ACC Tournament - a 99-90 win over Wake Forest.
ON A NON-CON ROLL
• The Hokies are riding an eight-game win streak in regular-season nonconference action.
• Tech was 7-1 in regular-season nonconference play last season, highlighted by wins over Villanova and USF in the Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall of Fame Tip- Off Tournament in Uncasville, Conn.
WHAT A START
• Tech has won each of its first five games by an average of 28 points per game.
• Each game has been decided by at least 20 points. The smallest margin of victory was at Navy (77-57). The largest margin of victory was vs. Maine in the season opener (82-47).
• The last time the Hokies won five games in a row, all by 20-or-more points, was in 1943-44. Between Jan. 26 and Feb. 12, 1944, Tech rattled off six-consecutive wins by 20-plus points against VMI (twice), Blackstone Army Airfield, Woodrow Wilson Hospital, William & Mary and Emory & Henry.
CONTRASTING STYLES
• Virginia Tech caused 15 turnovers vs. Merrimack, a total that it's hit three times this season.
• Memphis averages 21.5 turnovers per game, which rank 350th in Division I. On the other hand, the Hokies average 10.4 turnovers per game - good for 37th in the country.
• Despite their turnover woes, the Tigers' high-octane offense manufactures 85.8 points per game (38th in the country).
• Memphis will be aiming to make this game a high-scoring affair in the 80s/90s, whereas Tech will try to keep it in the 60s/70s.
BOOST FROM THE BENCH
• A big question mark entering the 2021-22 season was the impact Tech's bench would have.
• Through five games, the Hokies' reserves are averaging 24.2 points per game.
• Tech has twice gone over the 30-point threshold, with a season-high 36 points coming against Maine in the season opener.
