ROANOKE, Va. – Senior point guard Justin Robinson can simply do it all. Score, rebound, pass and play aggressive defense. His efforts this season led him to becoming the all-time assists leader in Virginia Tech history. But Buzz Williams and the Hokies now have to game plan without the team's second leading scorer in Robinson, who suffered a foot injury against Miami and sidelined him indefinitely.
"Like every team this time of year, it's kind of a feel, an instinct, it's a prayer on how to manage our emotional gas tank, how to manage their mental gas tank and how to manage their physical gas tank," said Hokies head coach Buzz Williams.
It's no secret that the Hokies are best when in transition offense but Saturday at N.C. State, they slowed the pace down since they were without their floor general. It's something that Williams said had to be done in order to have a chance to win. Monday night, as the Hokies welcome Louisville, we can expect the same for a team with a thin lineup, with just seven players having played significant minutes.
"He's going to operate (Robinson) and we know we just have to fill in and now it's all of us moving as the ball moves. Cohesiveness and attention to detail, cutting at the right times and making sure everything is with purpose," said current ACC Player of the Week Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
"It wasn't a single person who picks up what he does. It's going to take all of us and moving forward we're excited to see what we can do," said Hokies forward Kerry Blackshear Jr.