Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 19, 1994 TAG: 9403190090
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SACRAMENTO, CALIF. LENGTH: Long
"My career flashed before my eyes," said Cornel Parker, the lone senior who receives substantial playing time for the Cavaliers. "Going back home . . . I thought about that."
UVa has made a habit of overcoming second-half deficits, but there was nothing to match the Cavaliers' latest escape act, a 57-54 NCAA Tournament victory over New Mexico in the West Regional at ARCO Arena.
A stick-back by Jason Williford gave Virginia a 55-54 lead with 46 seconds remaining, and freshman Harold Deane converted a one-and-one with 23.3 seconds left as the Cavaliers settled their score with the Western Athletic Conference.
Seventh-seeded UVa, a first-round loser in its past two NCAA Tournament games against WAC teams, will meet second-seeded Arizona at 3 p.m. Sunday in a second-round game.
"I asked our guys at the half - and obviously it had a great effect - if they were satisfied just to get here," UVa coach Jeff Jones said with a touch of sarcasm. "I told them, `If you are, we aren't going to win.' "
Virginia trailed 41-26 when Jones called a timeout with 15 minutes, 5 seconds remaining. At that point, UVa did not have a field goal in the second half and had been outscored 10-2.
"I was extremely worried at that point," Jones said. "It's not like I had any answers. The timeout was not called to change anything. It was a yelling, screaming challenge."
The turnaround was not immediate. When freshman Charles Smith drove to the basket and dunked off an inbounds pass, the Lobos led 43-29 and showed no signs of fading with 13:29 left.
"I don't know that I ever believed we would lose," said UVa forward Junior Burrough, "but there comes a point where you say, `If we don't get it turned around right now, we've got to go home.' "
For Virginia, that point came during a six-minute stretch when the Cavaliers held New Mexico without a field goal and outscored the Lobos 17-3, with 15 of the points coming from Burrough and Deane.
New Mexico's huge lead was gone when Deane hit a 3-pointer to make it 46-46 with 6:20 remaining, but the Lobs weren't finished. A second-chance basket by Cannonchet Neves put New Mexico on top 54-49 with 2:26 left.
As it turned out, that was the Lobos' last basket. UVa scored on four consecutive possessions, including the tip-in by Williford after Burrough's short jumper from the lane was well off the mark.
"I'm not even sure it hit the rim," said Williford, who had not scored in the half. "I don't think it did. But I had such good position that unless it went in, I was going to get the rebound."
Burrough, almost a forgotten man in UVa's march to the ACC tournament's championship game, finished with 20 points and eight rebounds and shrugged off six consecutive missed free throws to hit a pair that cut the deficit to 54-51.
"Junior was a horse in the lane despite getting double- and triple-teamed," Jones said. "Not only did he score, but by drawing so much attention he was creating opportunities for our other players."
Deane, the leading scorer in the ACC tournament, continued his outstanding postseason play by scoring 18 points, including 12 in the second half, when he was 4-for-4 from the field and made both of his free throws.
Deane said his only thoughts at the line were "that I'm not going to miss. You're always going to say that after the game's over, but I'm the type of player who wants the ball in my hand at the end."
Deane also drew the defensive assignment on 5-foot-7 New Mexico guard Greg Brown, the WAC's player of the year. Brown had nine points in the first 11 minutes, but was held to one 3-pointer the rest of the game.
"It was a very unusual game with all the no-calls," said Dave Bliss, New Mexico's coach. "We haven't played many games this year when our point guard [Brown] didn't go to the free-throw line."
An officiating crew led by Big Ten referee Ted Valentine called the Cavaliers for 11 fouls - the low against Virginia all season. Neither team was in the bonus until the Lobos had to foul intentionally at the end.
Virginia (18-12) missed its first seven shots of the second half, but went 12-for-18 thereafter and finished at 40.4 percent for the game. The Lobos shot 35 percent - the 16th game in which a UVa opponent has been under 40.
New Mexico (23-8) lost consecutive games for the first time in more than a year and has lost in the first round in its each of its four NCAA Tournament appearances since 1974.
"Unfortunately, we're not in a great shooting streak right now," said Bliss, whose team was 6-of-20 from 3-point range, "but that's what got us here. You don't get to be the top 3-point team in the country without shooting 3s." NEW MEXICO MPFGFTRAFPT White 375-151-151212Neves 352-101-27126LaMar 342-40-08044Smith 327-123-452219Brown 385-151-354313Willis 20-00-00000Pritchett 80-20-00000Griego 30-10-01000Hayden 60-00-01000Schornstein 50-10-00000Totals 20021-606-103681354 VIRGINIA MPFGFTRAFPT Robinson 282-82-26136Williford 182-71-28145Burrough 389-192-681120Parker 351-50-04212Deane 386-123-432018Havlicek 10-00-00000Barnes 202-50-04004Ch. Alexander 170-00-02000Powell 51-10-01022Totals 20023-578-144071157 Rebounds include team rebounds Score by periods: New Mexico28-26-54 Virginia24-33-57
Three-point goals - New Mexico: White 1-9, Neves 1-6, Smith 2-3, Brown 2-7, Totals 6-25. Virginia: Williford 0-2, Burrough 0-1, Parker 0-1, Deane 3-6, Totals 3-10.
Turnovers - New Mexico 11 (White 3); Virginia 10 (Three with two). Blocked shots - New Mexico 2 (LaMar 2); Virginia 5 (Five with one). Steals - New Mexico 6 (Six with one); Virginia 5 (Robinson 3).
Officials - Valentine, Rodeheffer, Schumer. Attendance - 16,477.
Keywords:
BASKETBALL
by CNB