Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 14, 1991 TAG: 9103140092
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: SALT LAKE CITY LENGTH: Medium
Three regions had been selected, and there was no mention of the Cavaliers, whom most analysts had tabbed as either a seventh or eighth seed.
"I was sure we were going to get a bid," center Ted Jeffries said, "so, I was thinking about who we might play. It began to look like we might play UNLV."
In another part of the room, first-year coach Jeff Jones wasn't taking as much for granted.
"I wasn't thinking in terms of Vegas," Jones said. "I've got to admit, the longer it went, the more butterflies I got, simply thinking, `Did they leave us out?' "
If they had been seeded eighth, the Cavaliers (21-11) would have been on pace to meet unbeaten and No. 1-ranked Nevada-Las Vegas, the defending champion, in the second round. As it turned out, UVa was seeded seventh in the West Region and will play 10th-seeded Brigham Young (20-12).
Virginia has been installed as a 2 1/2-point favorite tonight when it meets the Cougars at 8:05 in the Huntsman Center at the University of Utah.
Not everybody breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of UNLV in the other half of the bracket. Point guard John Crotty said he thought the Cavaliers were headed to Tucson, Ariz., where UNLV will begin play.
"I really wanted to play UNLV," Crotty said. "They're a great team; I'd want to see just how great they really are. Now, it looks like we'd have a ways to go before we'd get to play them."
Instead of UNLV's swarming defense and intimidating fast break, the Cavaliers must prepare for another one of college basketball's wonders, 7-foot-6 Brigham Young freshman Shawn Bradley.
Bradley leads the Cougars in scoring with 15.2 points per game and rebounding (7.8) and leads Division I in blocked shots with 165 in 32 games. Bradley has a slight edge over Maryland's Cedric Lewis, who blocked six shots in two games against UVa.
"We had to be aware of where Cedric Lewis was at all times," said Jeffries, a 6-9, 240-pounder who scored in double figures both times against Maryland. "But, like Cedric Lewis, we'll have to take it to [Bradley]."
Jeffries has seen his share of 7-footers in college, and he even has played against somebody taller than Bradley. Two years ago, Jeffries guarded 7-7 Manute Bol in the Urban Coalition summer league in Washington, D.C.
"I checked him throughout the entire game," Jeffries said. "I don't remember the stats, but he didn't have a double-double or anything. I thought I did pretty well."
None of the Virginia players seemed overcome by fear at the prospect of facing Bradley.
"It might be intimidating if he was 7-6 and 320 pounds," said 6-7, 232-pound Matt Blundin, who splits time with Jeffries in the post, "but I can't remember being intimidated playing against anyone."
Jones said the Cavaliers needed to resist the temptation to shoot from the perimeter in an effort to avoid Bradley.
"We're not going to shoot all 3-pointers," Jones said. "If we do, we're going to get beaten. We can't let Bradley stay back there in a zone and not have to worry about somebody taking it to him."
It might not be advisable for UVa to shoot many 3-pointers, regardless of the opposition. The Cavaliers are 9-of-47 on 3-pointers over the last three games, and Bryant Stith missed 19 consecutive 3-pointers before Saturday.
"I don't think it's anything mechanical," Jones said. "If possible, he has been rushing some shots, but he's been consistent in his release and consistent in the kind of shots he's been taking. I feel it's a matter of time."
Stith was shooting exactly 50 percent for the season until going 23-of-69 over the last four games.
"You can't live in the past," Stith said. "I think the fact I shot 24 times [a career-high] against North Carolina is a sign I haven't lost my confidence.
"I came [to University Hall] to shoot on our day off and I was nailing everything. But it's a big difference when you're shooting with nobody guarding you."
Most of the discussion this week has centered on Bradley, but Jones said the Cougars' best player might be 6-7 senior Steve Schreiner, second on the team in scoring and rebounding.
The other starters are 6-7 freshman Kenneth Roberts, the brother of Milwaukee Bucks forward Fred Roberts; and guards Nathan Call and Scott Moon. Moon, like UVa shooting guard Anthony Oliver, broke a hand during the season.
Jones said he did not speak at length with Terry Holland, the former UVa coach who served as commentator for the Western Athletic Conference championship game in which BYU upset eighth-ranked Utah 51-49 in overtime.
"He gave me some general impressions of the BYU personnel and looked at the matchups," Jones said, "but he said he couldn't go much beyond that.
"He has what he termed privileged information; he actually called me before I called him to say, `Look, I want to help, but there are some things I really can't divulge.' "
by CNB