Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 1, 1992 TAG: 9203010121
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY Sportswriter
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
The Cavaliers were at least partly responsible for a season-high 25 Clemson turnovers and handed the Tigers their 15th consecutive ACC road loss, 69-49, at University Hall.
"We live to play another day," said UVa basketball coach Jeff Jones, understanding that the Cavaliers need to win their next three games even to think about an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Virginia, which had lost four of its previous five games, had five scorers in double figures for the first time this season in raising its record to 13-12 overall and 6-8 in the ACC. Clemson dropped to 14-11 and 4-10.
"I thought we backed down [inside]," Clemson coach Cliff Ellis said. "We got nothing in the paint, absolutely nothing, which made it easier for them to pressure the perimeter."
Sharone Wright, the Tigers' 6-foot-10, 250-pound freshman center, took one shot in the first half and and finished with a season-low five points. Wright had a game-high 16 points when the Tigers defeated Virginia 51-48 in Clemson, S.C.
"To be honest, I think we took them lightly the first game," said UVa center Ted Jeffries, a 6-9, 250-pound junior. "There was no intensity going into Littlejohn Arena [at Clemson]. You could see it in our eyes.
"This was pay back, at least for me. There were a lot of writeups about Sharone Wright after the first game and I read them all, trying to get ready for this game."
Jeffries suffered a bruised shoulder Wednesday in UVa's 76-67 loss at Duke and was unable to practice Thursday. But he contributed eight points, six rebounds and four assists Saturday.
"As early as this morning, we were a little doubtful about how much action he would see," Jones said. "Just throwing a pass was causing him a lot of pain."
Freshman guard Cory Alexander also did not practice Thursday after sliding into the scorer's table at Duke, but regained his flexibility Friday and had 12 points and a career-high nine assists.
Alexander held Clemson's leading scorer, Chris Whitney, to seven points. The Tigers shot 51.3 percent from the field, but had 18 fewer field-goal attempts than Virginia because of the glut of turnovers.
Clemson, which trailed 31-20 at the half, never got closer than six in the final 20 minutes and trailed 48-40 after making its first nine shots of the second half.
"We didn't really come out with the idea of pressing to force turnovers," Jones said. "What we were trying to do was force the tempo of the game and not allow them to dictate the pace, as they did in the first game."
The Tigers led 9-4 when Virginia went to a full-court press after the first TV timeout with 15:59 remaining in the first half. Clemson had seven turnovers on its next nine possessions and scored one field goal in 8 1/2 minutes.
The Cavaliers were able to build their lead even though their top three scorers - Bryant Stith, Junior Burrough and Alexander - combined for only eight of 31 first-half points. Anthony Oliver had eight points at the half and reserve Cornel Parker had seven.
Parker, who had not scored in double figures in 16 previous games and had averaged 0.8 points over the past five, finished with 12 points, six assists and four rebounds in 23 minutes.
"`He got things going with his hustle and scrappy play at the defensive end, which he has given us for a couple of games now," Jones said. "When he was able to add the shots, it gave us a big lift."
Stith's production was limited by Clemson's box-and-one defense, but he finished with 12 points and moved ahead of Duke's Mike Gminski into fourth place on the all-time ACC scoring list with 2,334 points. Stith also became the fourth player in ACC history to score more than 500 points in four seasons.
Clemson, which has lost all five of its afternoon games, had not lost all season when it had shot 50 percent. Virginia had not won when an opponent shot over 50 percent, yet the Cavaliers enjoyed their biggest winning margin of the year in ACC play.
"The fat lady hasn't sung yet," said Burrough, who scored all 10 of his points in the second half. "She might be backstage, but we haven't heard her warming up yet."
The Cavaliers end their home schedule Tuesday, when Stith's number will be retired before a 9 p.m. game with N.C. State. Then, it's off to Maryland for the regular-season finale Saturday.
"We know what we're up against," Jones said. "Not much was said in the locker room after the game. What's written on the board is, `N.C. State.' That's going to require 100 percent of our attention." \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB