
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, March 4, 1991                   TAG: 9103040118
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE: FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.                                LENGTH: Medium

CLEMSON ELIMINATES COLD-SHOOTING CAVS

Reserve Cheron Wells scored 26 points and Clemson survived a series of mistakes in the closing seconds Sunday to pull off a 65-62 victory over top-ranked Virginia in the ACC women's basketball tournament.

The Tigers (20-9) will face seventh-ranked N.C. State in tonight's championship game. The Wolfpack upended Maryland 82-75 in the other semifinal.

Clemson and UVa struggled with their field-goal shooting, but the Cavaliers, who went through the ACC regular season unbeaten, lost their shooting touch in the second half. Virginia (27-2) made just five of 31 attempts for 16.1 percent in the final 20 minutes, yet had a chance to win.

Trailing by the final margin with 37 seconds left, Clemson committed a foul to give possession back to the Cavaliers. But Heidi Burge missed the front end of a one-and-one.

Kerry Boyatt was fouled with 11 seconds to play but she couldn't add to Clemson's lead in the bonus situation. Virginia set up for the 3-point shot to tie, but Tammi Reiss was fouled on the attempt and went to the free-throw line for three shots with three seconds to play.

Reiss missed all three chances and the Tigers ran out the clock and advanced to the finals for the first time since 1982.

Virginia scored 22 points in the second half, its lowest output in a half this season. The Cavaliers, who were 3-of-20 from 3-point range, shot 27.1 percent (19-of-70), compared to 37.9 percent (22-of-58) for Clemson.

Dawn Staley led Virginia with 18 points despite shooting 4-of-13 from the floor, and Reiss finished with 13 on 4-of-16 shooting.

Andrea Stinson scored 20 points to help N.C. State avenge two regular-season losses against Maryland. CLEMSON (65)

Bryan 3-14 1-2 7, Miller 2-3 0-1 4, Farmer 1-6 4-5 6, Mattress 1-2 1-1 3, Boyatt 3-6 0-1 8, Howard 0-1 2-3 2, Puckett 1-1 0-0 2, Sells 0-1 0-0 0, Johnson 1-3 3-3 5, Wells 9-18 7-9 26, Peters 1-3 0-3 2, Stephens 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-58 18-28 65. VIRGINIA (62)

Wagener 2-7 0-0 4, Cardoza 2-14 2-2 6, Heather Burge 3-6 0-0 6, Staley 4-13 8-8 18, Reiss 4-16 4-8 13, Evans 0-2 0-0 0, Toney 0-0 2-3 2, Ward 0-0 0-0 0, Heidi Burge 3-9 2-4 8, Smith 1-3 3-4 5. Totals 19-70 21-29 62.

Halftime-40-32, Virginia. Three-point goals-Clemson 3-5 (Boyatt 2-2, Wells 1-3), Virginia 3-20 (Staley 2-6, Reiss 1-10, Cardoza 0-40. Fouled out-Farmer, Heather Burge. Rebounds-Clemson 57 (Farmer 13), Virginia 43 (Cardoza 7). Assists-Clemson 4 (Peters 3), Virginia 7 (Staley 3). Total fouls-Clemson 21, Virginia 25. A-NA.

by CNB