Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, April 1, 1991 TAG: 9104010097
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: NEW ORLEANS LENGTH: Medium
"What was going through my mind was we were in a similar situation last year and that shot fell for us," Staley related. "It was the same shot."
Staley drove down the right side of the lane Sunday, pulled up and launched an 8-foot jumper over Tennessee's Jody Adams. But this time, the shot wouldn't go.
At that point, down four points, Tennessee would have been dead. Instead, Dena Head made two free throws to send the game into overtime and the Lady Vols prevailed 70-67 for their third NCAA women's basketball championship in five years.
Staley's recollection of the 1990 meeting between the teams was perfect. Her short jumper with 21 seconds left in overtime put the Cavaliers ahead by four points and they went on to win 79-75 in the East Region championship.
"You win some, you lose some," said Staley, who finished with 28 points Sunday. "We wanted to go out with a bang, but I guess we have to wait our turn."
Staley was selected most outstanding player of the Final Four in an announcement that brought a smattering of boos from the Tennessee fans, who favored Head, but the votes were collected before the end of regulation.
Staley very nearly kept the game from going to overtime before her potential winning layup in the closing seconds was blocked by Head, who is 5 feet 10 to Staley's 5-5.
"They called it like they saw it," said Staley, who refused to be drawn into any discussions of possible contact. "She blocked the shot. Give [Head] all the credit because it probably would have gone in if she hadn't."
Tammi Reiss, who was watching from the left wing, said she felt Staley was fouled.
"I thought there was body contact," Reiss said. "I think everybody was looking at the shot instead of the body. Dena did a tremendous job of blocking the ball clean, but I'm not sure there wasn't any body contact."
Coach Debbie Ryan said she subscribes to the theory that championships should not be decided by an official's whistle.
"I think the officials for the most part let the kids win games," Ryan said. "If you make that shot, it's a great play. If you don't, you can't blame the officials for not calling incidental contact, if there was any."
That was of little comfort to Reiss, who noted that Head went to the free-throw line with seven seconds left after a foul on Tonya Cardoza.
"That runs through your mind," Reiss said. "I was on the court thinking, `We can't get a break.' It's because we lost that we're somewhat bitter."
Reiss had been involved in a controversial call earlier when her apparent 3-point basket with 7:50 left and UVa trailing 51-50 was nullified because of a foul on Tennessee's Daedra Charles underneath the basket.
"I had shot it," Reiss said. "It was in the air and all of a sudden I heard a whistle. I thought the foul was on us, but I thought the basket counted. That's when I got really hot."
Five players were to foul out, including three for Virginia, in a 2 1/2-hour affair that was hotly contested if not always well-played. There were 12 fouls called in the overtime.
Keywords:
BASKETBALL
by CNB