Virginia Tech @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 6, 2018 ) Pittsburgh 67, Virginia Tech 81

Seeking a school-record third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, Virginia Tech coach Buzz Williams understood the importance of a seemingly mundane victory over a struggling Georgia Tech team on Wednesday. The win snapped the 16th-ranked Hokies first losing streak of the season as they prepare for a road contest against Pittsburgh on Saturday followed by a rematch against No. 4 Virginia on Monday.

"Ginormous," the fifth-year coach responded after being asked about the significance of beating Georgia Tech 76-68. "I thought today was as big a game as we've played since we've lived here. I guess as a coach you hope that, at Valentine's Day, you're saying those sorts of things. I think this is the fastest we've gotten to 19 wins, and I think this is the fastest we've gotten to eight wins in the ACC." Ty Outlaw scored a season-high 20 points and connected on six 3-pointers, while Kerry Blackshear Jr. and Nickeil Alexander-Walker each scored 16 points as the Hokies rallied from a three-point halftime deficit to snap a two-game losing streak and move within two games of their most ACC wins since joining the conference in 2004-05. A promising start to Pittsburgh's season continued to trend downward with an eighth straight loss on Tuesday, 66-57 at Boston College, despite the Eagles playing without two starters and losing a third during the game. Pitt led 53-51 at the 8:22 mark in the second half but made just one of its final 16 shots and finished at a season-low 29 percent.

TV: 4:30 p.m. ET, RSN

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (19-5, 8-4 ACC): The 6-10 Blackshear, who averages 13.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists, had eight assists against no turnovers against Georgia Tech and added four steals. Alexander-Walker has been named to the 30-player Naismith Trophy Midseason Team (nation's top player), leading the team in scoring at 17.3 points and steals at 2.1 while also chipping in 4.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 46 3-pointers. Ahmed Hill averages 12.9 points and has buried 51 3-pointers while Outlaw (8.5 points, 5.0 rebounds) improved his 3-point shooting percentage for the season to 48.7 against the Yellow Jackets; the 6-6 senior has a team-high 57 3-pointers in 117 attempts.

ABOUT PITTSBURGH (12-13, 2-10): Jared Wilson-Frame led Pitt with 12 points and seven rebounds against BC and set a school record by draining at least four 3-pointers for a sixth consecutive game as Pitt suffered its 21st consecutive defeat on the road. Xavier Johnson (16.6 points, 4.5 assists, 3.9 rebounds) failed to reach double figures for just the third time all season, shooting 3-of-19 from the floor, including 1-of-13 inside the arc, but he still added seven rebounds and seven assists. Since scoring 127 points over a six-game span, fellow freshman guard Trey McGowens (12.2 points) has scored just 61 points on 20-of-68 shooting over his last eight games.

TIP-INS

1. Virginia Tech has won three straight in the series, including 81-67 last season behind a career-best 31 points from Blackshear - eight more than his previous high.

2. The Hokies played Wednesday without star senior G Justin Robinson (14.4 points, 5.5 assists, 1.7 steals), who missed his fourth straight game with a foot injury.

3. McGowens recorded four steals to become the fourth freshman in program history to record 50 or more steals in a season (52).

PREDICTION: Virginia Tech 84, Pittsburgh 67