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| Sheldon McClellan bedeviled VTech all night long(Photo Credit: USA Today) |
Written By: Nathan Skinner (@Canedude08)
Canes Rising Contributor
For the first time in a long time, Miami easily defeated a lesser team. While Wednesday's 76-52 victory over Virginia Tech isn't a season highlight, it's a welcome change from previous performances, where the 'Canes struggled to defeat the dregs of the ACC. This victory gives Jim Larranaga's team sorely needed momentum, something they will need on Saturday.
Quick Shots
Tonye Jekiri--The big fella dominated the Hokies, scoring fifteen points and grabbing fifteen rebounds. Virginia Tech didn't have an answer for Tonye, who played one of his better games of the late. He played in control, he finished around the rim, and defended without fouling. Miami is going to need Tonye to finish the season strong, if the 'Canes are to be on the right side of the bubble.
Sheldon McBuckets--Once again, Sheldon found a way to score a ton of points, and do it in the most efficient way possible. McClellan shot 70% from the field and scored 21 points. He connected from everywhere, including twice from deep. To watch a player score at will and do it with little effort is beautiful, and troubling at the same time. Troubling because McClellan isn't getting nearly enough touches, he goes long stretches without scoring, or touching the ball. Sheldon can be a twenty point per game scorer, especially if he is allowed to shoot more than ten times a night.
Miami Defense--The 'Canes have struggled to stop teams that are offensively challenged. A lot of that can be attributed to poor effort on the defensive end and an inability to consistently stay in front of ballhandlers. That wasn't the case Wednesday, as the 'Canes stopped the 'Hokies and forced them into a variety of awful shots. Some of the shots did fall, but eventually the law of averages kicked in, and the 'Canes were able to keep the Hokies off of the scoreboard. Virginia Tech shot 35% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc, that's a drastic drop from previous games. If Miami can bring this kind of defensive effort on a consistent basis, this team will be formidable in the future.
Referees--This game didn't turn on the call of an official, but this crew did an awful job of managing the game. Jim Larranaga picked up a technical foul when he threw his blazer in disgust following a prolonged stoppage. Hokies coach Buzz Williams also drew a technical, his for arguing with officials. Both coaches had reason to be upset as the officials had zero idea what was going on, and seemed to be scared to take control of the game. Fortunately, this game wasn't close, because it's obvious that these zebras may have found a way to turn this game.
Angel Rodriguez--It's time to retire Struggle Watch, because minus a bad thirty second stretch, Angel played an outstanding game. He did everything a point guard was supposed to do and he was still able to score. While he continues to struggle from the perimeter, Angel has finally started pressing his speed advantage, slashing to the rack on numerous occasions. His defensive effort was outstanding, he was a bulldog on Hokie guards, harassing them into turnovers and errant passes. This season hasn't been the season Rodriguez expected, but there's still time left for him to finish the regular season with a flourish and lead this team to the postseason.
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