Virginia Tech @ Florida State preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 20, 2018 ) Florida State 91, Virginia Tech 82

No. 13 Florida State has come a long way from starting the ACC season with four losses in five games, and looks to take sole possession of fourth place Tuesday night when it hosts 16th-ranked Virginia Tech. The Seminoles have won 10 of their last 11 contests and two straight after outlasting North Carolina State 78-73 on Saturday to tie Virginia Tech for fourth, which provides a double-bye in the ACC Tournament.

“I think it’s just the maturity,” Florida State sophomore guard M.J. Walker told reporters. “We obviously understand what we need to be doing on and off the court. We know what’s at stake for us. We know how good we can be, the potential we have on this team.” The Seminoles, who finish the regular season at struggling Wake Forest on Saturday, won the last three meetings overall and have not lost at home against the Hokies since 1990 with 11 straight victories. This may be the toughest test to continue that run as Virginia Tech comes in with a week of rest after knocking off Duke 77-72 on Feb. 26 without third-leading scorer and senior point guard Justin Robinson (foot) for the eighth straight game. “It shows you what we’re made of, shows us what we’re made of,” Hokies senior guard Ty Outlaw told reporters after hitting the go-ahead 3-pointer versus the Blue Devils. “That’s what we wanted to prove tonight. … We don’t want to let injuries define us.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (22-6, 11-5 ACC): Robinson (14.4 points, team-high 5.4 assists) could be close to a return, but the Hokies are 5-3 since he went down after winning four of the last five. Junior forward Kerry Blackshear Jr. (14.9 points, team-best 7.3 rebounds) has stepped up, especially in the last four outings where he scored 24.3 and hauled in 11.5 rebounds per game with double-doubles in the past three. Sophomore guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (16.4 points, team-high 2.1 steals) has cooled off a bit the last three games (9-of-32 from the field), but is averaging 4.4 assists the past five contests while handling the ball more with Robinson out.

ABOUT FLORIDA STATE (23-6, 11-5): Sophomore forward Mfiondu Kabengele finished with 16 points, five rebounds and four blocks against N.C. State last time out and tops the balanced Seminoles, scoring 13.2 per game. Senior guard Terance Mann is the only other player averaging in double figures for scoring (11.5) and leads the way in rebounds (6.3) while Walker (8.0 points) recorded 15 points on Saturday. Junior guard Trent Forrest (9.1 points, team-high 3.8 assists) has been a major factor despite a nagging toe injury and coach Leonard Hamilton told reporters, “He’s not 100 percent, but he gives you what he has every time he walks on the court.”

TIP-INS

1. Virginia Tech senior G Ahmed Hill scored 17 versus Duke, his best output since Robinson was injured, and averages 13 overall.

2. Florida State’s 7-4 senior C Christ Koumadje is averaging 10.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks over the last six contests.

3. Blackshear shoots 53.8 percent from the field overall after connecting on 32-of-46 in the past four games.

PREDICTION: Florida State 72, Virginia Tech 71