Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 24, 1992 TAG: 9203240330
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
The Cavaliers took control early in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament and pounded Tennessee 77-52 before a raucous crowd of 8,551.
It was a crowd unlike any other at University Hall this season. Fans arrived early, making a mad dash for the seats that are reserved for season-ticket holders during the regular season.
Once seated, they made lots of noise, stood for the introductions, waved shakers, hollered at the referees and even did "The Wave" at one point in the second half.
"As Ted Jeffries said before the game, `The pregnant clam [University Hall] was rocking tonight,' " UVa coach Jeff Jones said. "This was certainly one of the better crowds of the year.
"I'm sure that a lot of people took notice of the eagerness of people to buy up the tickets and create this kind of atmosphere on such a short notice."
The Cavaliers, accustomed to seeing hundreds of empty seats in the season-ticket sections, were greeted instead by a full house that helped propel them to an early 16-8 lead.
UVa senior Bryant Stith missed his first six shots, but Tennessee was having its own shooting problems and missed eight of its last nine shots in falling behind 37-25 at halftime.
When the Volunteers missed their first 13 shots to start the second half, the game was over. The Cavaliers had a 20-point lead with 15 1/2 minutes left and Tennessee got no closer than 57-42.
UVa ended any Tennessee hopes by scoring the next seven points, but the crowd was silenced for the first time when Stith tried to dunk over Carlus Groves with 3:57 left and landed on his right shoulder and neck.
"He was well enough that he didn't want to leave the floor right away," Jones said. "It was a pretty tough spill; he had his eyes closed but he was communicating."
Team physician Frank McCue said Stith had a headache and was sore, but McCue said he saw no reason that Stith would be unable to play in 48 hours.
Stith overcame the slow start to finish with 19 points and eight rebounds. Jeffries had 11 points and nine rebounds, and the Cavaliers had a 43-33 rebounding advantage.
Junior guard Allan Houston, shadowed by either Anthony Oliver or Cornel Parker at all times, had a hard-earned 19 points to lead the Vols. Carlus Groves was the only other Tennessee player in double figures with 10.
The other three Tennessee starters - Lang Wiseman, Corey Allen and Jay Price - were a combined 1-for-18 from the field and the Vols shot a season-low 31.7 percent for the game, 28.6 in the second half.
"If you're going to take the shots we took tonight, you've got to be better than the other team and we weren't," Tennessee coach Wade Houston said.
"Our lack of experience showed. On the road, you've got to make teams play defense a little longer. [But] their rebounding beat us. It wasn't the first shot they took, it was the second and third."
Virginia, which has won nine of its past 10 NIT games dating to its NIT championship season of 1980, was awaiting a phone call late Monday to determine its destination for the third round.
"I pray it's Thursday," Stith said. "If not, I'll find some way to wrap it up and compete for 40 minutes. The soreness, more than anything, is the real problem right now."
The Cavaliers will be unable to serve as host for a third-round game because University Hall is the site of the NCAA Women's Tournament East Regional, although the school was pushing the Richmond Coliseum as a site.
Virginia has a 17-13 record after its fifth victory in six games. Tennessee finished its season at 19-15. The Vols had ended UVa's last NIT bid in 1985.
"I was disappointed when we didn't get an NCAA [Tournament] bid," UVa freshman Cory Alexander said, "but the NIT is growing on me. I'm looking forward to getting to New York and trying to win this thing." \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB