Virginia Tech Basketball: How to watch ACC opener vs. Louisville

After playing their last four games on the road, the Virginia Tech men’s basketball team returns to Cassell Coliseum Sunday afternoon to open ACC play against Louisville.

The Hokies split their two games away from Blacksburg, beating Boise State and Iowa State in the first two games of the ESPN Events Invitational last weekend, before losing 84-50 in the championship game to Florida Atlantic. Wednesday night, the Hokies lost, 74-57, at Auburn in the ACC/SEC Challenge.

How to watch Louisville at Virginia Tech men’s basketball

The Hokies will tip off the ACC season at home against the Cardinals at 4 o’clock on the ACC Network. Virginia Tech enters the game at 5-3, while Louisville is 4-3, rallying in the second half from a five-point halftime deficit to beat Bellarmine, 73-68, in a non-conference game Wednesday night.

For Virginia Tech, the game plan is simple, get Hunter Cattoor going and get him going early. This season they have had a lot of success when he hits some 3-pointers early and gets into a good rhythm. Lynn Kidd has emerged as a huge presence in the post and round the basket both offensively and defensively. He has benefitted from Sean Pedulla and his ability to get into the lane, draw defenders, and feed Kidd.

Louisville is trying to rebuild with Kenny Payne and they survived Bellarmine after an odd situation. Freshman Ty-Laur Johnson missed the opening half in their last game because the team didn’t have the right tights that he wanted. He found a pair during the first half and returned for the second half and dished out five assists to help the Cardinals rally for a win.

“He didn’t know if he wanted to play,” Payne said. “We didn’t have the tights that he wanted, that we’ve never had for him, and he decided, ‘I don’t feel like I can go.’ That’s what young people do.

“But he figured it out in the second half. He accepted the fact that we didn’t have the tights that we’ve never had for him and he played. And he played well.”

According to ESPN’s Matchup Predictor, the Hokies have over a 90% chance of winning this game, and if they want to get back to the NCAA Tournament in March and end their two-game losing streak, this is certainly a win that they must have.