Virginia Tech basketball: Freshman guard Rodney Rice to play Wednesday

Jan 10, 2023 - 1:18 AM

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The Virginia Tech basketball team is finally receiving some good news. Head coach Mike Young confirmed Monday that freshman guard Rodney Rice would make his college debut Wednesday night vs. Syracuse.

After weeks of saying Rice was close to a return from a preseason ankle injury, he finally received clearance to return. And his debut couldn’t come at a better time for the Hokies, who have lost four consecutive games. All four games have come down to the wire as VT has been without senior guard Hunter Cattoor.

What can we expect from the four-star prospect from DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville, Maryland? It sounded like Rice would come off the bench after around the first TV timeout Wednesday, and Young indicated they’d just go from there, depending on how Rice felt.

Rice is one of the top recruits in school history, and the 6-foot-4 combo guard has a chance to help Tech’s depth significantly.

Young indicated that Rice has been practicing for a bit and looked ready to go but just needed final clearance.

As for Cattoor, Young indicated he had a good day Sunday and was trending in the right direction, but remains a game-time decision.

The return of both players could be exactly what the Hokies need.