Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 18, 1990 TAG: 9003182409
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
As recently as two weeks ago, it would have been preposterous to think the Cavaliers could rebound with the likes of a Syracuse, but not anymore.
UVa's rebounding has been the major factor in a recent surge that has taken the Cavaliers to the championship game of the ACC Tournament and a date with the Orangemen in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Southeast Regional.
Second-seeded Syracuse (25-6) and seventh-seeded UVa (20-11) will meet at 2:20 p.m. today at the Richmond Coliseum. No. 6 Minnesota (21-8) and No. 14 Northern Iowa (23-8) will square off 30 minutes after the first game.
Virginia advanced with a 75-67 victory over Notre Dame, which had been ranked third in Division I in rebounding margin (8.8 per game) and boasted one of the individual leaders in LaPhonso Ellis.
The Cavaliers had more offensive rebounds in the first half (10) than Notre Dame had total rebounds (eight) and outrebounded the Fighting Irish 33-22 for the game.
The pattern started with the ACC Tournament, in which Virginia outrebounded its three opponents by 24. Before that, the Cavaliers had been outrebounded in seven of eight games to end the regular season.
"We made some adjustments," said Terry Holland, UVa's coach, "but I think it's been more a case of determination."
Four players had at least six rebounds against Notre Dame, including 6-foot-9 freshman center Ted Jeffries, who also had four points in 14 minutes.
UVa's center for most of the game was 6-7 Matt Blundin, also the backup quarterback for the Cavaliers' football team. Blundin had 28 rebounds in the ACC Tournament.
"I was a little ticked off when I heard comments that Notre Dame had no respect for our inside game," Blundin said. "Whether it was true or just a rumor, it got us to play a little harder."
Virginia could use similar motivation against Syracuse, whose frontcourt may be more imposing than Notre Dame's. Derrick Coleman, a 6-10, 230-pound senior, already has been named national player of the year by two publications.
Billy Owens, a 6-9, 220-pound sophomore, leads the team in scoring with 18.4 points per game and averages 8.3 rebounds. Coleman averages 18.1 points and 12.2 rebounds.
The Orangemen have outrebounded their opponents by more than six per game and had a 45-29 margin against first-round opponent Coppin State, a 70-48 victim.
For much of the season, Syracuse's third frontcourt starter was 6-10, 235-pound LeRon Ellis, a transfer from Kentucky, but Ellis played only two minutes against Coppin State.
Tony Scott, a 6-8 sophomore, took Ellis' place in the Big East Tournament championship game and his playing time has increased because of his outside shooting ability.
"We're just too big against a team like Coppin State," said Jim Boeheim, the Syracuse coach. "We didn't want Derrick to have to chase people out on the perimeter."
If Boeheim thought Coppin State was small, he won't believe Virginia, although the Syracuse coach would not say Saturday if Scott would start.
Boeheim had little to say about anything on the eve of Syracuse's second game ever with Virginia, which defeated the Orangemen 63-55 in 1984 to win the East Regional in Atlanta and advance to the Final Four.
Specifically, Boeheim refused to be drawn into a discussion of the supposedly neutral setting. The Cavaliers were cheered on by a wildly partisan crowd Friday.
"I know it's not supposed to be a home game," Virginia guard Anthony Oliver said, "but it sure felt like a home game."
The Cavaliers could do little wrong, other than allow Notre Dame to score 49 points in the second half, many of the baskets coming on turnarounds and jumpers in the lane.
That seems to be one of the dangers of Virginia's new rebounding philosophy. The Cavaliers have started to play behind opponents' big men in order to get better rebounding position.
"We went from playing behind and being a really good rebounding team to fronting and losing," Holland said, "but we'll have to pick our spots against Syracuse.
"Let's face it, if you let Coleman have the ball, he'll kill you. If you front him, they'll lob it over you and they'll kill you."
Holland said he isn't as concerned as much by the rebounding as UVa's ability to score. Over the past nine games, the Cavaliers have shot better than 50 percent four times but also have been under 35 percent four times.
"Who knows what to expect?" said forward Kenny Turner, who has had five knee operations but has 37 rebounds in the past four games.
"When we've shot in the 50s, we've generally had a lot of offensive rebounds. If you keep rebounding your misses, eventually the ball's going to go in." Southeast Regional Virginia vs. Syracuse, 2:20, WDBJ Channel 7.
by CNB