Virginia Tech Basketball’s Biggest Preseason Concern And How The Hokies Can Fix It

There’s no use in bloating it up here: It’s end-of-game execution. That proved to be Virginia Tech’s bane in the 2025-26 season, resulting in nine single-digit losses – including four by one possession and three by a single point.

Like the period entering last campaign, the Hokies’ roster has seen a dramatic overhaul; only five of the 15 players on this season’s squad were on last year’s team. Preceding the 2025-26 season, only four returned from the 2024-25 team that came before it. Case in point, Virginia Tech is going a similar route – the transfer portal – but attacking it in a different way.

Advertisement

The distinction, however, won’t mean much if the Hokies find themselves repeating the same mistakes that plagued them a season ago. Close games are an inevitability in ACC play, and while Virginia Tech proved capable of competing in those contests, its inability to consistently finish them ultimately became one of the defining characteristics of its season. The Hokies finished 19-13 (8-10 ACC) in 2025-26, missing the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year.

There’s a considerable difference between being competitive and actually winning. For the Hokies, bridging that gap will be one of the most important objectives entering the 2026-27 campaign. The solution isn’t necessarily complicated, but executing it is another matter entirely.

Finding a solution

For starters, Virginia Tech needs to establish a reliable offensive identity when possessions become increasingly valuable. Late-game situations tend to expose teams that struggle with shot selection, ball security and offensive organization. When the margin for error shrinks, an empty possession can become the difference between a win and a loss.

Advertisement

That responsibility extends beyond whoever happens to have the basketball in their hands. Virginia Tech needs players who understand their respective roles. More importantly, the Hokies need to avoid becoming predictable when opponents know precisely where the ball…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/virginia-tech-basketballs-biggest-preseason-000858247.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-10-30 00:08:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.