Preview: Maryland-Eastern Shore at No. -- Virginia Tech

BLACKSBURG, Va. (Interstat) — The Virginia Tech Hokies, riding high with one of the nation’s top records, return home to face the struggling Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks in a nonconference men’s basketball game Sunday at Cassell Coliseum.

The Hokies (9-2) have won seven of their last eight games, including an 86-83 overtime victory at South Carolina and a dominant 96-74 win over Western Carolina on Thursday. They are a perfect 6-0 at home this season, winning those contests by an average of 22.8 points.

Virginia Tech is powered by guard Neoklis Avdalas, who is coming off a career-high 30-point performance against Western Carolina. Over his last five games, Avdalas is averaging 16.0 points and 4.8 assists. He forms a potent backcourt with Tyler Johnson, while forward Amani Hansberry provides a strong interior presence.

The Hawks (4-9) have lost three straight and five of their last six, including an 84-60 defeat at Virginia on Tuesday. They have faced a difficult road schedule, with this game marking their 10th true road contest of the season. UMES is 1-8 away from home.

Guard Michael Teal is a key player for the Hawks, averaging 10.0 points and 6.0 assists over his last two games. He will need a strong performance to help UMES handle Virginia Tech’s pressure and offensive firepower.

This matchup marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs. For the Hawks, it is the final tune-up before Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play begins in January. For the Hokies, it is a chance to solidify their record before a highly anticipated ACC opener against in-state rival Virginia on New Year’s Eve.

Virginia Tech’s defense, which has held opponents to 40.2% shooting this season, will look to overwhelm a UMES squad averaging just 63.2 points per game. The Hokies’ efficient offense, shooting 49.8% from the field, will be heavily favored against a Hawks defense allowing 74.2 points per contest.

Tip-off is scheduled for Sunday afternoon. Virginia Tech will host Elon next Saturday, while Maryland-Eastern Shore travels to face Wagner on Wednesday.