Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 17, 1991 TAG: 9102170084
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Long
Sure he did.
When Antony Moses hit one of two free throws to tie the score and Cincinnati missed a halfcourt shot, Corker smiled inwardly.
"To me, that was good," Corker said when overtime arrived. "It gave me more time. It helped me out a lot because I got more minutes and got more confidence."
He also helped the Hokies get a basketball victory. Tech, despite its top two point guards and centers having fouled out, survived a Cincinnati rally and dumped the Bearcats 85-81 with help from Corey Jackson's five points in the extra period.
Tech (10-13 overall, 4-7 in the Metro Conference) won for the second straight time but for only the third time in its last 13 games. The Hokies won the 1,000th game in school history in front of 5,783 fans at Cassell Coliseum.
Cincinnati (15-8, 7-4), which has lost two in a row after winning seven straight, is the strongest team Tech has beaten. If the season ended today, seventh-place Tech would play second-place Cincinnati in the first round of the Metro Conference Tournament in Roanoke.
Tech shot 57 percent from the field, its second-best effort this year and best in a Metro game since it made 60 percent against Cincinnati in 1986.
In a game that had the grace of a demolition derby - for example, 58 fouls were called - Tech's fate was entrusted to Corker, a herky-jerky offensive performer.
Tech had built a 14-point second-half lead but already had begun looking like a tired swimmer fighting a riptide when point guard Jay Purcell fouled out with 9:10 left and Rod Wheeler followed four minutes later. Corker was dispatched to handle the Bearcats' trapping defense.
"I had to just tell Donald, `It's in your hands,' " Tech coach Frankie Allen said. "Sometimes, it was in Cincy's hands."
Corker had three points, at least two turnovers, a steal and two assists in the game's final 10 minutes.
"I know I had a lot of turnovers, but I couldn't lose my composure," said Corker, who said he has played the point infrequently in practice and didn't wish away his role Saturday. "I'd rather it be me. If I make turnovers, I make 'em."
Tech led 66-56 when Wheeler left. The Hokies' offense cramped, scoring just six points in five minutes.
Free throws by Levertis Robinson and Keith Starks made it 71-70, Tech.
Starks' shots came after an intentional foul by Tech's Thomas Elliott. On the possession, Robinson tipped in his own miss - one of Cincinnati's 20 offensive rebounds - to put the Bearcats ahead 72-71.
At Tech's end, Moses was fouled and hit one of two free throws to produce overtime.
Moses' layup in overtime gave Tech a 74-73 lead, and Jackson's steal and dunk made it 76-73.
Cincinnati came back to lead 77-76 on Curtis Bostic's layup.
Then Jackson, inserted after centers Jimmy Carruth and Erik Wilson fouled out because Allen said he wanted better ball-handling and shooting, hit a jumper that gave Tech the lead for good, 78-77 with 2:28 left.
A Hokies fast break resulted in John Rivers' shot being blocked by Starks right to Elliott, who dunked for an 82-79 score with 48 seconds left. A Cincinnati turnover preceded Moses' follow shot and a safe 84-79 lead for Tech.
Thus, the Hokies avenged a 77-61 pounding earlier this year at Cincinnati, in which Allen said Tech's zone defense sapped spirit from its offense. But the Hokies played a 2-3 zone almost all day Saturday, and Cincinnati - appearing befuddled at times - shot 36 percent from the field.
"They had some good pressure on the ball, and that cost us a couple turnovers early in the game," said Cincinnati guard Louis Banks, who was 0-for-3 from the field and fouled out with 8:22 left. "Then we had some unforced turnovers. We played hard for the last 15 minutes. . . . That was the difference between them winning and us losing."
The Bearcats, shooting 43 percent from 3-point range in the past four games, made three of 21 long shots Saturday. That helped Tech's zone succeed.
"Nobody was hitting," Purcell said. "They had like five guys posting up."
Tech also survived its opponent's physical play, something that has bothered the Hokies several times this year. Purcell said Tech had "goofed around" before the earlier game at Cincinnati. Not this time, apparently.
"It all depends on our mental attitude," Jackson said. "Some of the games, mentally we weren't in it. Today we were ready."
CINCINNATI MPFGFTRAFPT Robinson 436-1511-1571424Jones 445-132-453414Bostic 141-10-01122Banks 270-35-82255Jackson 454-198-1073416Starks 181-62-22144Williams 61-30-01102Reicheneker 31-10-01002Scott 255-62-450412Totals 20024-6730-4334122781 VA. TECH MPFGFTRAFPT Moses 294-106-1091214Herbster 40-01-40001Oladotun 30-00-00000Purcell 233-51-12357Wheeler 314-76-623517Rivers 383-71-18627Wilson 251-21-44153Carruth 141-22-34054Elliott 258-101-120118Jackson 82-41-20135Corker 224-61-24519Williams 30-00-00020Totals 20030-5321-3438203185 Rebounds include team rebounds Score by periods: Cincinnati 36-36-9-81 Virginia Tech 46-26-13-85
Three-point goals - Cincinnati: Robinson 1-2, Jones 2-6, Banks 0-1, Jackson 0-6, Starks 0-5, Williams 0-1, Totals 3-21. Virginia Tech: Moses 0-1, Purcell 0-1, Wheeler 3-3, Elliott 1-2, Jackson 0-1, Corker 0-1, Totals 3-9.
Turnovers - Cincinnati 15 (Robinson 4); Virginia Tech 25 (Wheeler 6). Blocked shots - Cincinnati 4 (Starks 2); Virginia Tech 4 (Rivers 2). Steals - Cincinnati 7 (Scott, Jackson 2); Virginia Tech 4 (Purcell 2).
Technical fouls - None. Officials - Olah, Hatfield, Gonsoulin. Attendance - 5,783.
by CNB