2024 North Carolina Sports Network
Atlantic Coast Conference Basketball Spotlight:
Virginia Tech

By Evan Rogers
North Carolina Sports Network

School: Virginia Tech

Location: Blacksburg, Va.

Previous NCAA Conference Affiliations: Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1895-1906), South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1907-21), Southern Conference (1921-65), Metro Conference (1978-95), Atlantic 10 Conference (1995-2000), Big East Conference (2000-04)

ACC Member Since: 2004-05

ACC Ranking Among 32 Leagues (KenPom): 7th (2023), 5th (2022), 5th (2021), 4th (2020)

NCAA Tournament Bids: 13 (1967, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1985, 1986, 1996, 2007, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022)

Conference Titles: 2 (1979 in Metro; 2022 in ACC)

Conference 1st-Place Finishes: 1 (1960 in SoCon)

Head Coach: Mike Young (60 years old, 5th season at Virginia Tech)

As A Player: Emory & Henry (1982-86)

Record At Virginia Tech (Through Jan. 19): 83-58 (.589) in 4+ seasons

Previous HC Experience: Wofford (2002-19)

College AC Experience: Emory & Henry (1986-88), Radford (1988-89), Wofford (1989-2002)

Assistant Under: Robert Johnson, Oliver Purnell

2022-23 Record: 19-15, 8-12 (11th in 15-team ACC)

2023-23 Preseason Prediction (Coaches/Media): 8th in 15-team ACC

2023-24 Record (Through Jan. 19): 10-7, 2-4 ACC

2023-24 Midseason Ranking (KenPom): #63 nationally (5th in ACC)

Upcoming Schedule Highlights: at NC State (1/20), Duke (1/29), at Miami (2/3)

Coach Mike Young and the Virginia Tech Hokies are looking to get back to the NCAA Tournament after a one-year absence.

Upon losing three of his top five scorers from last year’s team, Young used the transfer portal to plug holes in the Hokies’ starting lineup and bench.

Through the portal, Virginia Tech welcomed swingman Tyler Nickel (North Carolina) and forwards Robbie Beran (Northwestern) and Mekhi Long (Old Dominion). None of the players was a star at his previous school, although Long averaged about 11 points and nine rebounds per game at ODU, and Nickel was a top-100 recruit with a reputation as an outstanding perimeter shooter.

All three players have started at times for the Hokies this season, with Beran in the opening lineup 12 times in Tech’s first 17 games. Nickel and Long more frequently have come off the bench.

The Hokies are led by veteran guards Sean Pedulla and Hunter Cattoor. Both muli-year starters at Tech, they can fill the basket from long distance, with Pedulla shooting at a 39.5 percent clip and Cattoor at 41.1 percent clip from 3-point range. In addition, Nickel is connecting at an efficient 37.3 percent mark from downtown.

“I talked to you about the quality of depth that we have up and down the roster, and nothing has changed,” Young said. “I think we’ve got (in the backcourt) — behind Hunter and Sean, MJ Collins, two kids that can, again, help us win games. That’s all that matters.”

Collins, a sophomore, typically starts alongside the two sharpshooting guards. As a true freshman in 2022-23, he was thrown into the starting lineup midway through the season because of injuries throughout the Hokies’ roster.

Young is hoping the unexpected starting experience will continue to reap benefits for Collins this season.

“I always knew in my private moments,” Young said, “every rep this kid gets is going to aid him greatly as we continue to move along throughout his career.”

During the Hokies’ 10-7 start this season, they joined North Carolina, Duke and Clemson — all projected NCAA Tournament teams — as the only ACC squads to post multiple high-quality nonconference victories. Tech beat Iowa State, which recently entered the Top 25, and Boise State, which is expected to be a contender in the Mountain West Conference.

However, Tech has started only 2-4 in ACC play, with a dominating home victory over Clemson the only highlight so far. The Hokies have lost at home to Miami and on the road to Florida State, Virginia and Wake Forest.

2023-24 Virginia Tech Hokies
(10-7, 2-4 ACC; through Jan. 19)

Starters

PG Sean Pedulla*, Jr. — 29 mpg, 16 ppg, 4 rpg, 43% FG, 81% FT, 40% threes, 62/52 ATO, 0 blocks, 14 steals
(6-1/195); 36 mpg, 15 ppg, 4 apg in 2022-23; Edmond Memorial HS, Edmond, Okla.

G Hunter Cattoor*, Gr. — 31 mpg, 13 ppg, 3 rpg, 47% FG, 91% FT, 41% threes, 25/21 ATO, 3 blocks, 16 steals
(6-3/200); 3-year starter for Hokies; Bishop Moore HS, Orlando, Fla.

G MJ Collins, So. — 24 mpg, 5 ppg, 3 rpg, 28% FG, 91% FT, 24% threes, 32/14 ATO, 1 block, 13 steals
(6-4/195); part-time starter in 2022-23; Combine (N.C.) Academy; Clover, S.C.

F Robbie Beran, Gr. — 20 mpg, 5 ppg, 4 rpg, 42% FG, 83% FT, 32% threes, 14/21 ATO, 18 blocks, 11 steals
(6-9/215); 2023 Northwestern transfer (4-year starter); Collegiate HS, Richmond, Va.

C Lynn Kidd, Sr. — 24 mpg, 14 ppg, 7 rpg, 66% FG, 87% FT, 25/27 ATO, 8 blocks, 9 steals
(6-10/235); 13 mpg, 5 ppg, 3 rpg in 2022-23; IMG (Fla.) Academy; Gainesville, Fla.

Key Reserves

G Brandon Rechsteiner, Fr. — 12 mpg, 2 ppg, 1 rpg, 39% FG, 75% FT, 27% threes, 30/13 ATO, 0 blocks, 4 steals
(6-1/185); 4-star signee; 2x all-state/team captain; Etowah HS; Acworth, Ga.

G Tyler Nickel, So. — 26 mpg, 9 ppg, 2 rpg, 41% FG, 80% FT, 37% threes, 23/16 ATO, 4 blocks, 8 steals
(6-7/220); 2023 UNC transfer (reserve); East Rockingham HS; Harrisonburg, Va.

F Mekhi Long, Gr. — 19 mpg, 4 ppg, 5 rpg, 43% FG, 50% FT, 0% threes, 17/20 ATO, 6 blocks, 8 steals
(6-7/200); 2023 ODU transfer (2-year starter); Bishop McNamara HS; Bryans Road, Md.

F Mylyjael Poteat, Sr. — 13 mpg, 5 ppg, 3 rpg, 64% FG, 67% FT, 13/7 ATO, 4 blocks, 3 steals
(6-9/265); 2022 Rice transfer (backup); Burlington School; Reidsville, N.C.

*—returning starter (started at least 50% of current team’s games last season)