Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 17, 1990 TAG: 9003172507
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Crotty, who was given a shamrock by his mother before the game, scored 28 points and played a flawless floor game in leading Virginia past Notre Dame 75-67 in the first round of the NCAA basketball tournament.
"Crotty coached our team," said UVa's Terry Holland, who survived to coach another game in his final season. "When you've got a point guard who has a night like that, you get to take the night off."
The Cavaliers, who reached the 20-victory level for the ninth time in Holland's 16-year tenure, will play Syracuse, a 70-48 winner over Coppin State, in the second round of the Southeast Regional at 2:20 p.m. Sunday.
UVa's win completed a 5-0 run for ACC teams in first-round NCAA Tournament action.
Notre Dame (16-13) put the heat on UVa by shooting 62.5 percent (20-of-32) in the second half, but the Cavaliers (20-11) countered every shot and added a new wrinkle - they made their free throws.
"Everybody worries about us at the end of the game with our recent experience against Clemson," Crotty said, referring to the ACC Tournament semifinal in which the Cavs failed to convert six one-and-ones in the final 1:15 but held on for a 69-66 victory. "I think it was important to hit the first few so we could settle down."
Virginia made 18 of 22 free throws in the final 2:56, including five one-and-ones by Crotty, who also had five assists and no turnovers. Notre Dame scored 14 points in the final 1:06 but could cut an 11-point deficit by only three.
It was hard to find an area in which Virginia did not excel, unless it was post defense in the second half. The Cavaliers shot 50 percent (26-of-52) from the field, 77.8 percent (21-of-27) from the free-throw line, outrebounded Notre Dame 33-22 and committed just six turnovers.
"I thought a real key was that Virginia got 10 offensive rebounds in the first half," said Digger Phelps, Notre Dame's coach. "I thought our shot selection and intensity was better in the second half, but they made the key shots."
Crotty, who dazzled the crowd with his first-half drives, may have made his biggest basket with 9:06 remaining after Notre Dame had hit nine of 11 shots in closing to 44-41.
Crotty fired in a 3-pointer, then Kenny Turner sank a 3-pointer and Crotty followed with a three-point play. Notre Dame had three baskets of its own during that stretch, but found itself trailing 53-47.
"I think Crotty is an excellent point guard," Phelps said. "He does an excellent job of knowing what's best for the best basketball team. He knows who to get the ball to; he knows when to drive and when not."
The first half belonged to Crotty, who scored 12 points without making a shot from farther than 10 feet. Crotty scored three times on drives, twice on pull-up jumpers in the lane and once on a baseline jumper.
"Louisville did a good job with a switching man-to-man against them," Phelps said. "There were times when [7-foot] Felton Spencer was on Crotty. We worked on it all week, but our big men were lunging at him."
The Cavaliers, backed by a noisy contingent of fans, jumped to an 8-2 lead and led by 10 on two occasions, the last at 28-18 after a twisting Crotty drive at the halftime buzzer.
Crotty subsequently missed a free throw, the only one attempted by either team. When the half ended, both teams had five personal fouls.
Notre Dame entered the game ranked third in Division I in rebounding margin at 8.9, but the Cavaliers outrebounded the Irish 18-8 in the first half.
Notre Dame played well in every other area, shooting 56.9 percent (29-of-51) from the field, 77.8 percent (7-of-9) from the line and committing just eight turnovers. It was only the second time a Virginia opponent has shot over 50 percent and lost.
The Irish had four scorers in double figures, led by sophomore guard Elmer Bennett, who had 17 points and nine rebounds. Daimon Sweet added 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field.
Joe Fredrick, who had started 23 of 27 games before spraining an ankle March 8, played but did not score in 13 minutes.
NOTRE DAME Ellis 394-91-210059Ellery 144-70-020310Robinson 244-53-330411Bennett 327-143-409417Sweet 277-90-011214Fredrick 130-00-02000Singleton 100-20-00200Williams 263-50-02256Jackson 20-00-00000Paddock 130-00-00010Totals 20029-517-922142467\ VIRGINIA MPFGFTRAFPT Turner 354-102-392211Stith 387-147-971121Jeffries 142-40-06024Oliver 331-41-20323Crotty 358-1311-1315328Kirby 70-00-00000Smith 51-10-00012Blundin 333-60-06036Totals 20026-5221-2733111475 Rebounds include team rebounds Score by periods: Notre Dame 18-49-67 Virginia 28-47-75
Three-point goals - Notre Dame: Ellery 2-2, Bennett 0-2, Total 2-4. Virginia: Turner 1-2, Stith 0-1, Crotty 1-6, Total 2-9.
Turnovers - Notre Dame 8 (Ellery, Robinson, Bennett 2); Virginia 6 (Turner, Jeffries 2). Blocked shots - Notre Dame 3 (Ellis 3); Virginia 0. Steals - Notre Dame 1 (Robinson); Virginia 3 (Stith, Jeffries, Oliver).
Technical fouls - None. Officials - Dibler, Holmes, Watts. Attendance - 11,051.
by CNB