Gardner-Webb @ Virginia Tech preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 9, 2018 ) Gardner-Webb 59, Virginia Tech 87

Virginia Tech coach Mike Young was glad his team found a way to overcome a late deficit against Chattanooga on Wednesday and snap a three-game slide, but the first-year coach knows his team needs to play better with Atlantic Coast Conference games just around the corner. The Hokies look to extend their homecourt non-conference winning streak to 31 games when Gardner-Webb comes to town Sunday.

Freshman Nahiem Alleyne scored a career-high 22 points, started a 14-2 run with a 3-pointer that wiped out the four-point deficit and provided Virginia Tech a 63-58 triumph over the Mocs. "I told them in a timeout, and I was trying to trick them a little bit. I told them, 'We need this. We need to find a way to win close games.' We're going to have so many of them moving ahead," Young said. Alleyne hit 7-of-13 from the floor, including three 3-pointers for the Hokies, who shot just 39 percent. Gardner-Webb lost its second straight after winning three in a row when Kennesaw State posted an 85-61 victory on Friday - a team is ranked 336th by KenPom, 110 spots below the Runnin' Bulldogs.

TV: 1:30 p.m. No TV

ABOUT GARDNER-WEBB (3-7): Leading scorer senior Eric Jamison (14.6 points, 4.8 rebounds) scored 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting, while 6-5 sophomore Jose Perez (13.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists) chipped in 17 points and added nine rebounds for the Bulldogs, who shot just 36 percent from the floor and were outrebounded 42-34. The 6-6 Jamison has scored 22 points in each of his previous three games and 21 before that, shooting 35-of-60 from the floor. Junior guard Jaheam Cornwall (11.3 points, team-high 24 3-pointers) added 15 points and hit 4-of-6 beyond the arc to raise his season percentage to a team-high 48 percent.

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (7-3): Freshman leading scorer Landers Nolley II (18.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists) added 19 points for Virginia Tech, scoring in double figures for the ninth time in 10 games, but made just 7-of-20 from the floor. Alleyne (12.2 points, 43.5 3-point percentage), whose previous career high was 20 points - which he scored in a Nov. 20 win over Delaware State - also set or tied career highs in field goals, attempts and rebounds (five). Wabissa Bede (7.3 points, 7.0 assists) handed out seven assists and has registered at least five assists in all 10 of the Hokies' games.

TIP-INS

1. The Hokies' 39 percent shooting was their second-worst shooting performance of the season, and they made just six from long-range - their second-fewest 3-pointers in a game this season.

2. Gardner-Webb played North Carolina, Wichita State and South Carolina in consecutive games, losing to the Gamecocks by five points.

3. The Hokies are shooting 40.6 percent beyond the arc - 16th in the country - are 14th in effective field-goal percentage (56.3) and 15th in turnover percentage (15.7).

PREDICTION: Virginia Tech 76, Gardner-Webb 62