Three Keys To Victory for Virginia Tech vs. NC State
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Virginia Tech men's basketball is back in action tomorrow for the first time since Jan. 31, playing against NC State in Raleigh, North Carolina at the Lenovo Center. Ahead of the Saturday showdown, here are my three keys to a potential Hokies victory.
on the road to Raleigh 🫡
— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) February 6, 2026
🤝 @CarilionClinic pic.twitter.com/GL1K6KoZdL
No. 1: To win, the Hokies need a more consistent output from guard Neoklis Avdalas.
While Avdalas has only crossed the 20-point threshold once in ACC play, him executing at a solid level keeps the team from becoming overly reliant on forward Amani Hansberry and guard Ben Hammond, while maintaining offensive balance. If his production continues to remain dormant — like during this recent three-game stretch against Louisville, Georgia Tech and Duke, where he’s averaged just 5.5 points — it shrinks Virginia Tech’s scoring depth, makes the offense easier to key in on and puts more pressure on the backcourt to create late in possessions.
Even a modest output from him forces defenses to respect another option, which opens driving lanes. In this recent three-game stretch, Avdalas has shot 16.2% from the field, including a 13.3% mark from deep.
No. 2: Stifle NC State's three-ball.
The Wolfpack have been lethal from beyond the arc this season, sporting a 40.1% mark from deep. That total ranks No. 7 in the country. In league play, NC State has been averaging 41.6% from deep, the best total in the entirety of the ACC.
Meanwhile, Virginia Tech has limited its opponents to a 29.7% clip from beyond the arc, the 17th-best total in Division I. In league play, that mark dips further to 29.2%, the third-best total in the ACC, only behind California (29%) and Notre Dame (29.2%).
No. 3: Have another big game from Hammond.
In league play, the guard has been incandescent, averaging a team high 16.4 points on 48.5/50/88.7% shooting splits. Moreover, Hammond has also averaged three assists per game and only committed 1.3 turnovers a contest.
He's also been active in disrupting the passing lanes, averaging 2.1 steals per game in ACC play. If Hammond can produce another stellar performance tomorrow against the Wolfpack, Virginia Tech could be in position to snag an upset win if things swing its way.
Honorable mention: Even without a win, keep it close.
Even if Virginia Tech doesn't win, a performance at about the level of the SMU game would still end up being a net-positive for the Hokies' resume. The Hokies have won three straight inside the Lenovo Center, including the infamous 47-24 showdown on Feb. 2, 2019.
Moreover, NC State ranks No. 25 on the NET rankings at the time of writing and also sits at No. 19 on Ken Pomeroy's adjusted offensive efficiency metric. Though Tech isn't favored, it can still produce enough of a solid performance in a loss to produce a net-positive game.
Virginia Tech's showdown with N.C. State tips off tomorrow at 12 p.m. in the Lenovo Center; you can follow along on The CW Network.
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Thomas is a sophomore at Virginia Tech majoring in multimedia journalism with a minor in creative writing. He currently works with Collegiate Times, Virginia Tech's student-run newspaper, as a staff writer for its sports section. In addition, he also writes for 3304 Sports as a staff writer and on-air talent, as well as Aspiring Journalists at Virginia Tech as a curator. You can find him on X: @thomashughes_05.
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