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hokieinoregon OP
Dec 21, 2025 at 09:35 PM ET
Tyler Nickel dropped 26 on Wake today.
9-12 FG, 8-10 from 3, 3 blocks in 29 min. Averaging 14.4 PPG and 44% from 3 on the season. Would have been a good to keep that guy around.

38 Replies

AnotherTechW AnotherTechW
7mo
Vandy is really good
David Cunningham David Cunningham
7mo
Out of the guys who left two years ago, Nickel
was the one MY wanted to keep the most.
VPI63 VPI63
7mo
But if he had stayed here …
he would be sitting on the bench with a foot/back injury plus the flu 🤷‍♂️
hoosnowahokie hoosnowahokie
7mo
Why didn't you give a $500k to help out with that then??
J
jrc3rd
7mo
Did he gain the quickness to guard a 3 or grow enough to guard a 4?
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Vippie1
7mo
You realize he is easily one of the top 3 players on a top 15 team
But he isnt good enough for VT?
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jrc3rd
7mo
It wasn't a criticism. I haven't seen him play. They could be covering
weaknesses or he has improved his defense. Believe me, i did not want him to transfer.
hokiepro hokiepro
7mo
Yes
Grew experience wise…and he’s 6’8 so the length helps at either position
A
ancient alien 2018
7mo
No, it would have been bad for Tyler and VT. He was not able to adjust
to CMY's system and is now in a system designed to utilize his skills differently. He also got a huge increase in NIL at Vandy that VT could not, and would not, match. Both parties are better off with the split.
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Vippie1
7mo
i'll agree on the NIL part , not the rest
he would have very much helped CMY and VT last year and this year.
NC Hoke NC Hoke
7mo
As a big wing shooter he would very much fit CMY’s system.
But the money was a very good reason for him to leave, along with the others who left that season who also got big raises by leaving when they did.
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ancient alien 2018
7mo
Si why didn't he thrive under CMY's system while he was @VT? He couldn't
learn the system at all and his play showed. Now he's in a totally different system that emphasizes freedom to make your own offense, and it shows that it fits him well.
NC Hoke NC Hoke
7mo
I guess I don’t share your opinion he didn’t thrive when he was here.
He was a good player for us. He learned the system well enough to play in the regular rotation and have the 4th highest minutes played. If he hadn’t learned the system at all he wouldn’t have played all those minutes for Mike Young. Sure he has improved since leaving, but there’s no reason I know of that he wouldn’t keep improving for us the same as he has improved since leaving. It’s not uncommon for players to improve from their soph year to their senior year.
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Lancelot Link
7mo
As opposed to who that is on the team now?
hokiepro hokiepro
7mo
I’d take him over Schutt, Bedford or Pasha yeah
He’s a 14.4 ppg scorer on an unbeaten top 15 team
King of Hokies King of Hokies
7mo
Those aren't the choices. The choices would be taking Nickel over Lawal and
Johnson. And there's no way in hell I'd do that.
hokiepro hokiepro
7mo
He doesn’t play the same position as Lawal
I agree I wouldn’t take him over TJ Schutt I like a lot but Nickel is a better player & yes they play the same position
King of Hokies King of Hokies
7mo
Uh yeah he does. They're both 4s.
hokiepro hokiepro
7mo
Nickel is a 3. He is in no way shape or form a 4.
A four can post up and guard the other team’s 4. He’s a 3
King of Hokies King of Hokies
7mo
You're right. Sorry. But it's Johnson and Schutt you'd be giving up.
Truthfully I'd have taken Nickel over last year's Schutt any day. But not this year. And under no circumstances whatsoever would I ever take Nickel over Johnson. Never.
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Jackie VT
7mo
Can he cover 3s. You are what you can defend.
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HokiesACC2004
7mo
I rather have Schutt
hokiepro hokiepro
7mo
I like Schutt because of course he’s stuck around
But Nickel is 6’8” Schutt is 6’5 Nickel is a better scorer…he’s gotten better as a defender as he’s matured and with experience as most do
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Vippie1
7mo
yep I love what Schutt is doing to max his game BUT it is nuts
how much some posters have tended to minimalize Nickel's skill set. It is delusional to think he would not have materially improved last years team and this years team if we could have kept him.
GCHokieof91 GCHokieof91
7mo
Honest question: Do you equate a poster
saying he/she prefers Schutt over Nickel to minimalizing Nickel’s skill set?
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Vippie1
7mo
no, but they are apples and oranges
a primary 2 guard vs a big wing or even stretch 4. my point is he would make this team better (last year and this year) and it isn't (losing him) remotely addition by subtraction .
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marcbvtgm
7mo
Not really apples & oranges. They'd occupy some similar real estate.
Nichols is more of 2/3 in a 3/4 body. For example, would he have been able to move inside to cover the loss of Lawal this year? I say not much and it would have actually hindered his game while also hindering Shutt's game. I don't think either would have flourished with the other on the roster. In fact, I suspect Shutt doesn't come to VT if Nichols is on the roster.
GCHokieof91 GCHokieof91
7mo
Fair enough (and I agree). But the original post
was an apples to apples comparison.
hokiepro hokiepro
7mo
Yes. I love this team especially their fight
And I don’t want to say I’d trade them for someone else but reality is we lost a good one I in Nickel
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HokieEngineer
7mo
Yeah, he's definitely a good player. I'd be happy to have him. However,
Schutt's numbers to-date this season are pretty close to what Nickel put up last year as a junior. (There is always the possibility that Schutt could tail off as the competition gets better in conference play, but his Kenpom Tier A numbers are great.)
GCHokieof91 GCHokieof91
7mo
I’d take Schutt over TN.
A
ancient alien 2018
7mo
Except he's not a guard, and VT didn't have the cash, and wouldn't pay
what he's making at Vandy. His playing for one of his father's best friends and obviously( to most) he wasn't happy with his playing time and role at VT. It's not rocket science with him, or most players, that free agency is in and if you don't get PT at one school, move to another.
hokiepro hokiepro
7mo
Yeah the Byington connection makes it a good fit for him
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UpperQuad
7mo
The ex-VT team is having some good seasons this year.
Zanderhokie Zanderhokie
7mo
Jaydon Young even put up some points for UNC tonight vs ECU.
He’s fairly well buried on their bench, but does get some minutes.
YBYSAIAHokie YBYSAIAHokie
7mo
Patrick Wessler putting up 12 ppg, 9 rpg, 57% FG shooting.
But the most amazing one is MJ Collins: 20 ppg, 56% FG shooting Why didn't he shoot that good here?
hokiepro hokiepro
7mo
Collins is an athlete with a nice looking shot. He’s obviously worked very
Hard on his shooting to complete his game. He was a developmental scorer with big upside. He was just as big of a loss as Nickel due to his defense & athleticism. Similar player to TJ but has blossomed as a shooter. TJ is getting there as a shooter too
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HokieEngineer
7mo
Yeah, as good as Nickel has been, Collins may have been better. While I
liked M.J. when he was here, I never would have expected that to happen.