Virginia Tech gets its first test of the season Thursday night in Blacksburg, and Mercer arrives with a fresh blowout of its own in hand.
The Hokies rolled past Coppin State 88-54 on Tuesday, getting a huge all-around night from Ben Hammond. He scored 20 points and set career highs with eight assists and seven steals. Oklahoma State transfer Jaylen Curry chipped in 19 points in his Virginia Tech debut, while Amani Hansberry added 16 points and nine rebounds.
Virginia Tech shot 50% from the floor and hit 13 of 28 from 3-point range, good for 46.4%. It also smothered Coppin State defensively, holding the Eagles to 36.5% shooting and forcing 24 turnovers.
The one blemish was the Hokies’ own ball security. They turned it over 14 times, and Curry was responsible for six of them.
"One assist, six turnovers is atrocious. I'm not sure I've seen that from one of my point guards in 41 years of coaching," coach Mike Young told Virginia Tech radio. "Just a little too much standing around, a little too much waiting for the ball."
Tyler Johnson also gave Virginia Tech a lift with 13 points and seven rebounds as he tries to rebound from an injury-riddled season. The Hokies were picked to finish ninth in the 18-team Atlantic Coast Conference.
Mercer opened Monday with a 90-53 win over Reinhardt, and Shane Cherry was the spark off the bench. He scored 21 points and added three steals in just 17 minutes. Derek Goodman, an Ohio Dominican transfer, scored 18, and KJ LaMonte, who came over from Indian Hills CC, finished with 14.
The Bears also leaned on returning backcourt starters Quinton Perkins II and Brady Shoulders. Perkins scored five points, while Shoulders posted five points and 13 rebounds as Mercer controlled the glass 48-27.
Mercer lost its top three scorers from last season to transfer or graduation, but it still finished in a second-place tie in the Southern Conference and was picked seventh in the 11-team league this year.
"This year's group is extremely physical," third-year Bears coach Ryan Ridder said. "We can shoot the ball at a high clip."
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