Virginia @ Virginia Tech preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 15, 2019 ) Virginia Tech 59, Virginia 81

Fourth-ranked Virginia jumped on the backs of De’Andre Hunter and Kyle Guy to earn two important wins last week and will need another big effort from the star guards when it visits No. 16 Virginia Tech on Monday night in an ACC showdown. Hunter drained 13-of-21 shots and averaged 20 points while Guy made nine 3-pointers and scored 42 combined in wins over North Carolina and Notre Dame.

The victory at North Carolina last Monday followed a second crushing loss to Duke, and Saturday’s 60-54 triumph against the Fighting Irish at home showed that the Cavaliers can grind out a win on a poor shooting night. “I think it’s good for us,” Virginia coach Tony Bennett told reporters after his team shot 36.5 percent from the field. “OK, shots are not going in. Are we going to be sound? Are we going to stay together and come up with big stops or find other ways? And that’s part of maturing as a team.” Virginia Tech has won two straight after a 70-64 triumph at Pittsburgh on Saturday, improving to 3-2 since second-leading scorer Justin Robinson (14.4, team-high 5.4 assists) went down with a toe injury, and is looking forward to the challenge of its state rival. “Got to keep our poise,” Hokies junior forward Kerry Blackshear Jr. told reporters after scoring a season-high 29 points Saturday. “I think they score just as good as anybody in the country. Defend just as good as anybody in the country. It’s going to be a big game. Cassell (Coliseum) is going to be rocking.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT VIRGINIA (22-2, 10-2 ACC): Hunter also connected on 5-of-6 from 3-point range in the last two games and is shooting 53.4 percent from the field overall this season while averaging 15 points - second on the team behind Guy (15.1). “He’s so good and talented at one-on-one basketball,” Guy told reporters of Hunter, who recorded his second double-double (20 points, 10 boards) Saturday. “There probably isn’t anybody in the country that can stop him.” Junior point guard Ty Jerome (13 points, team-high 5.1 assists) must recover from a 2-of-9 shooting performance against Notre Dame.

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (20-5, 9-4): Blackshear made 8-of-9 from the field, including all three of his 3-point attempts, and hauled in nine boards Saturday to improve his scoring average to 14.0 and team-high rebound mark to 6.7. “We have to play through him,” Hokies coach Buzz Williams told reporters of Blackshear. “He’s our best defender. He’s our best scorer. He’s our best passer. He’s our best playmaker and he has the best basketball IQ on our team.” Sophomore guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker tops the team in scoring (16.9) despite being limited to nine in 17 minutes against Pitt.

TIP-INS

1. Virginia Tech senior G Ty Outlaw is draining 48.3 percent from 3-point range and scored a season-high 20 against Georgia Tech last Wednesday.

2. Cavaliers junior G Braxton Key tops the team in rebounding (6.0), but has made just 3-of-16 from the field the last three games.

3. Virginia has won 10 of the last 13 meetings, but the series has been split in each of the last three seasons.

PREDICTION: Virginia 64, Virginia Tech 60