Delaware State @ Virginia Tech preview

Landers Nolley II has been the story so far for Virginia Tech, however the defense has been a big reason the Hokies have started 4-0 in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1981-82. Virginia Tech looks to start 5-0 for the second straight year when struggling Delaware State comes to Blacksburg on Wednesday.

Nolley did his thing with 27 points and a career-high seven 3-pointers, and the Hokies held Lehigh under 40 percent shooting while forcing 19 turnovers and allowing only six offensive rebounds in the 79-53 win. "Disciplined – where we needed to be," coach Mike Young said afterward. "Guys immersing themselves in the scouting report. [Associate head coach] Chester Frazier did an exceptional job in preparing our team for Lehigh's actions." Virginia Tech ranks eighth in the nation in field-goal defense (32 percent) and seventh in 3-point defense (20 percent) and is forcing a healthy 14 turnovers per game. Delaware State, which has won 10 games combined the last two years, is 0-4 this season after Monday's 92-84 loss to Long Island University despite 32 points by John Crosby.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, No TV

ABOUT DELAWARE STATE (0-4): Crosby shot 10-of-16 from the field and 10-of-13 from the line while John Stansbury added 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Crosby leads the Hornets in scoring at 20 points per game on 46 percent shooting from the field and is adding 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals. Ameer Bennett (12.3 points, 7.3 rebounds) and Stansbury (12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals) are the other double-digit scorers.

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (4-0): Nolley shot 10-of-19 from the floor, including 7-of-12 from the arc, and added five rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block against Lehigh. P.J. Horne added a season-high 14 points and a pair of 3-pointers and freshman Hunter Cattoor scored a personal-best 11 points and added a trio of shots from the arc as the Hokies finished 14-of-37 - a season high in makes from long range. Nolley is second in the ACC in scoring (22.8 points) and second in 3-pointers made (15) while Wabissa Bede (5.3 points, 5.5 rebounds) is second in the conference with 7.5 assists per game.

TIP-INS

1. Prior to Nolley, the highest-scoring freshman for the Hokies over the past 25 years was Rolan Roberts in 1997-98 at 13.6 points per game. Nolley ranks second nationally among freshmen in points per game (22.8) behind North Carolina's Cole Anthony (27.3).

2. Virginia Tech ranks sixth in Division I with 51.5 percent of its shots coming from deep and fourth with 47 percent of its points coming from 3-pointers.

3. Delaware State ranks 351st out of 353 teams in both offensive (83.3 points/100 possessions) and defensive (110.6) efficiency according to KenPom.

PREDICTION: Virginia Tech 85, Delaware State 57