Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 18, 1992 TAG: 9203180194
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Never underestimate the power of television.
"When we meet, in addition to our five committee members, we have two representatives of ESPN," said Jack Powers, executive director of the NIT. "They thought that Virginia-Villanova would be a very attractive matchup.
"People might say, `You're going to lose one of your top teams in the first round,' but TV is very important to us."
The game will be televised by ESPN at 7:30 tonight from the duPont Pavilion, home of the Wildcats (14-14).
When asked to fill out a questionnaire several weeks ago, Virginia (15-13) said it would be unable to serve as host for a first-round game. After reassessing the situation, however, UVa discovered that University Hall would be available tonight.
Upon learning they had not made the NCAA field, Virginia officials informed the NIT some time after 7 p.m. Sunday that they would like a home game.
"It was too late," Powers said. "The calls were already going out. That's why the questionnaires were sent out weeks ago."
Athletic director Jim Copeland said Virginia could not commit its building originally because of the unlikely possibility that the UVa women's basketball team might have a first-round home game in the NCAA Tournament.
Also, there was a possibility the Virginia High School League would need University Hall if one of the teams in the state tournament had played at U-Hall earlier in the season, in which case its opponent would have gotten a practice time today.
It became evident by the start of last week that University Hall would not be needed under either scenario. However, when asked Friday about the availability of the building, Copeland said he didn't want to talk about the NIT.
"It certainly would have helped if they'd let us know something a little sooner," Powers said.
So the Cavaliers, who played an ACC-low 12 home games this season, will hit the road again. The only game they have lost to Villanova in four meetings was at the duPont Pavilion, 63-54, in 1988.
"I thought we'd play James Madison or Richmond, but, for some reason, all three teams were sent to different regions," Virginia coach Jeff Jones said. "We're disappointed we're not in the NCAA field, but the NIT is an opportunity to make something positive out of the season."
Jones compared the situation to 1980, when he was a sophomore guard on the UVa team that won the NIT.
"I think I can speak to the range of emotions we experienced," Jones said. "We started out and weren't overly excited, but the closer we got to the championship, we didn't care that it was the NIT."
Villanova finished fourth in the Big East during the regular season with an 11-7 record, with six victories in a row before the Wildcats fell to Syracuse 55-52 in the Big East quarterfinals. UVa was 8-8 in the ACC, with three straight wins, before losing to Georgia Tech 68-56 in the ACC quarterfinals.
It was the first time a team from either the Big East or ACC had failed to make the 64-team field with at least a .500 record in conference play.
Jones said he still had not received a satisfactory explanation why the NCAA had chosen several teams with considerably lower power ratings than UVa. The Cavaliers are 33rd in the USA Today power ratings; Villanova is 50th.
"I don't know if they remind me of another ACC team," Jones said. "I think in terms of size and points, they most closely resemble us."
Both teams average under 70 points per game and Villanova's 41-percent field-goal percentage is lower than Virginia's, which was the lowest in the ACC.
Jones said it will be important for UVa to force the tempo, but that's what he said before the Cavaliers played Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament. UVa was credited with two fast-break points.
"We need to be aggressive and push it at them, the way they play defense," Jones said. "Against Georgia Tech, we didn't have any fast-break baskets, but we had a number of fast-break opportunities that we just didn't convert."
Villanova does not have a 20-point scorer to match Virginia senior Bryant Stith, but the Wildcats have double-figure capability at all five spots, Jones said. Lance Miller, a 6-foot-6 junior, leads Villanova in scoring with 14.4 points per game.
"The truth of the matter is, this is important," Jones said. "We have an opportunity here and I'd hate to waste another opportunity. It's a second chance. There is a prize, a trophy waiting for somebody in New York."
by CNB