Dayton @ Virginia Tech preview

Virginia Tech will try to win its seventh straight game to start the season when it faces Dayton in the Maui Invitational semifinals on Tuesday. The Hokies upset No. 3 Michigan State in the tournament's first round Monday, while the Flyers improved to 4-0 with a first-round victory over Georgia.

Sophomore forward Obi Toppin was dominant for Dayton in the tournament's first game, scoring a game-high 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the floor, his fourth 20-point game this season. The Flyers have a number of scorers that can heat up, including Jalen Crutcher (13.3 points, 5.6 assists), Rodney Chatman (12, 4.5) and Ryan Mikesell (11.3). Virginia Tech is all about getting as many 3-pointers up as it can, and it will need to do that again in this one since it has a height disadvantage against the Flyers. Guard Landers Nolley II is the Hokies' top scorer at 20.5 points per game, burying 48.8 percent of his 3-point attempts, but he's not the only dangerous shooter, as the Hokies have five players who have hit at least 10 3-pointers this season.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT DAYTON (4-0): The Flyers have been decent at guarding the 3-pointer this season, allowing opponents to make just 6.3 per game on 38.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc. But they'll have that defense tested Tuesday by the Hokies, who average 30.3 attempts from 3-point range per game, connecting on 42.9 percent of those attempts. Much like Michigan State tried -- and failed -- to do, every player defensively must stay with their man because everyone on Virginia Tech is ready and willing to let it go from long range.

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (6-0): As shown in its first-round win over Michigan State when the Spartans won the rebound battle, 43-27, the Hokies can be dominated on the boards, which isn't a good sign against a Dayton team that boasts the 6-9 Toppin active inside. The Flyers took Georgia out of the game early on Monday by going inside to Toppin, and the Hokies could have that same trouble on Tuesday, considering Nolley at 6-7 is the team's tallest starter. Tech coach Mike Young may try to get 6-10 freshman John Ojiako into the game early if Toppin is dominating in the paint after he played 10 minutes against the bigger Spartans.

TIP-INS

1. Dayton junior C Jordy Tshimanga, a transfer from Nebraska, made his debut as a Flyer against Georgia, playing seven minutes and scoring three points.

2. Virginia Tech has now beaten the last two ranked Big Ten teams it has faced, having defeated then-No. 22 Purdue last season in the Charleston Classic.

3. The Flyers forced a season-high 23 turnovers in the win over Georgia.

PREDICTION: Dayton 79, Virginia Tech 75