Virginia vs Virginia Tech injury report, February 19: Latest on Christian Bliss, Mekhi Long and more

Monday night's Atlantic Coast Conference action will see the Virginia Cavaliers take on the Virginia Tech Hokies. The game will begin at 7 p.m. ET at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Virginia, and will air on ESPN and stream on FuboTV.

Injuries will affect how these programs suit up and perform on the court. With each team dealing with one injury but neither player having a significant statistical impact, it will be intriguing to see how they play here.

Virginia vs. Virginia Tech injury report, Feb. 19

Christian Bliss, Virginia

Freshman guard Christian Bliss has not stepped on the court throughout the season as he is dealing with a foot injury and is out indefinitely. It is expected that we will not see him play for the rest of the 2023-24 season, and he looks to be granted a medical redshirt.

Mekhi Long, Virginia Tech

Senior forward Mekhi Long has been out for more than a month as he is recovering from a knee injury that he suffered on Jan. 20 and has not been on the court since then. The fifth-year senior has no specific timetable for a comeback but hopes to return before the end of the regular season.

He has appeared in 18 games for the Hokies and is averaging 3.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.3 blocks and 0.4 steals in 18.6 minutes per game. He is also limited in his shooting range, connecting 41.9% from the field and 50.0% from the free-throw line without making a single 3. Statistically, it has been a difficult transfer for him since leaving Old Dominion before the season.

What will the Virginia vs. Virginia Tech starting lineups look like tonight?

The starting lineups for this game will be interesting, but the injury report does not seem to be a source of change. The Hokies starting lineup is expected to look like this:

• Guard Hunter Cattoor
• Guard Sean Pedulla
• Guard MJ Collins
• Forward Robbie Beran
• Center Lynn Kidd

The Virginia Cavaliers also do not seem to have many changes to their starting five compared to recent games. They will have a four-guard lineup to spread the floor. The expected lineup for the program for tonight's matchup is below:

• Guard Reece Beekman
• Guard Isaac McKneely
• Guard Ryan Dunn
• Guard Andrew Rohde
• Forward Jordan Minor