NC A&T, Virginia Tech out to improve shooting, end skids

Two teams struggling to put the ball in the basket will meet when North Carolina A&T takes on Virginia Tech in nonconference action Thursday night in Blacksburg, Va., where one losing streak will end.

Virginia Tech (3-6) has dropped its last six games, failing to score more than 64 points in any of those losses.

Three of the Hokies' defeats have come on their homecourt, including Saturday's Atlantic Coast Conference opener when then-No. 18 Pitt prevailed 64-59.

"Need an uptick, play a little bit better and win, and start stringing some things together," Virginia Tech coach Mike Young said. "Lets play better on Thursday."

Virginia Tech did halt its string of three consecutive games of shooting below 40 percent from the field. But the 43.3 percent was hindered by 8-for-24 shooting (33 percent) in the second half, when Pitt overcame an eight-point deficit.

"I thought the ball moved and we had some really good actions," Young said. "Just didn't really execute it as well as we could."

Virginia Tech's leading scorer is Tobi Lawal at 11.9 points per game. Jaden Schutt, who made four 3-pointers in the Pitt game, has a team-high 23 baskets from 3-point range but only seven 2-point buckets.

The Aggies (3-6), who have a four-game losing streak, are coming off their lowest scoring output of the season, losing 67-55 on Saturday at home to city rival UNC Greensboro.

That game was marked by poor perimeter shooting, with NC A&T going 3-for-23 (13 percent) on 3-point attempts. That puzzled coach Monte Ross, whose team struggled in the second half against a zone defense.

"When somebody plays zone, we look at it as, 'Oh, good,'" Ross said. "We've got so many good shooters."

Ross said Landon Glasper, who leads the Aggies with 27 baskets from 3-point range, should be available after missing the last game for a disciplinary issue.

Ryan Forrest is the Aggies' leading scorer at 19.9 ppg, followed by Glasper with 17.6.

NC A&T showed determination against Greensboro, overcoming an 11-point deficit to lead at halftime.

There were positives for the Hokies last weekend as well.

"We did, by and large, a very good job on a very potent offensive team in Pittsburgh," Young said.

The Aggies will face their second ACC opponent after falling at Wake Forest 80-64 in the first week of the season.

--Field Level Media