Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 28, 1993 TAG: 9303290388
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Long
Instead, the Cavaliers trudged out of the Richmond Coliseum 75-73 losers to Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament East Region final before 7,859 spectators Saturday. It left Virginia one exit short of the highway to their fourth straight Final Four.
Third-ranked Ohio State (27-3), the region's top seed, earned its first national semifinals berth with help from a gutty offense, clutch perimeter play and an untimely timeout by the Cavaliers.
Ninth-ranked Virginia (26-6) trailed by two points with eight seconds left when Buckeyes freshman Katie Smith, an 83 percent free-throw shooter, went to the line in a bonus situation fresh off missing her first shot in the same situation 10 seconds earlier.
She missed again. UVa freshman Jenny Boucek rebounded and was accosted by Ohio State pressure. Ryan tried to call time out. No whistle. Boucek persevered and gained the frontcourt, where she flipped the ball behind her to Dena Evans as the whistle blew for the timeout with 0.6 seconds left.
Evans' 3-point shot swished, but well after what Ryan regarded as a tardy whistle.
"I called it all the way upcourt, but nobody would give me a look," Ryan said, meaning the officials. "Jenny was very shaky with the ball, but nobody would even look at me. I basically wanted to see how things were going [before calling the timeout]. If the ball had been in Dena's hands, I probably wouldn't have called it."
In the women's game, unlike the men's, either a coach or a player can call timeout.
Evans said she didn't hear the timeout whistle at all. Boucek wasn't taking a break, either.
"I was just taking it to score," she said.
Virginia still had its half-second or so left but wanted more.
"We told them that the time had run [after the whistle for the timeout], and there was no response," Ryan said.
Head official June Courteau told a pool reporter that she and umpire Mary Watford conferred and decided there was 0.6 seconds left when the whistle blew. "They said, `Fine,' " Courteau said of Virginia's coaches.
UVa ran Evans on a back-screen cut to receive a lob from Amy Lofstedt. Evans was free. The pass sailed out of bounds.
"It would've taken almost a perfect pass," Evans said.
But on Ohio State's inbounds, Averrill Roberts stepped over the sideline. Virginia was given the ball with 0.1 seconds left, but Smith tipped Lofstedt's pass inbounds and the horn sounded.
Two years ago, Ohio State was 11-17 and last year went 15-13. The Buckeyes beat Virginia for the second time this season for the program's most important victory.
"It's extremely rewarding," said Ohio State coach Nancy Darsch, doused at midcourt by a cooler of water after the game. "I'm not even sure I still believe it yet, that we are going to the Final Four."
Ohio State's backcourt of seniors Roberts and Audrey Burcy combined for 45 points, seven assists and six steals. Roberts had 17 at halftime, plenty in transition, and Burcy hit four 3-pointers in the game.
The Buckeyes led 40-27 with 2:34 left in the first half, but Virginia scored the next seven points and trailed by six at halftime. UVa kept up the rush in the second half, going on a 11-5 run to tie the score at 45.
Heather Burge had seven of those points and drew third fouls on Ohio State starters Nikki Keyton and Stacie Howard. The Buckeyes committed their seventh team foul with 9:59 left, but the Cavaliers didn't capitalize, going to the free-throw line only twice before putting Ohio State in the bonus situation too.
After Virginia tied it at 45 with 16:19 left, neither team led by more than four until 3:22 remained. Keyton had scored to give Ohio State a 70-66 lead, and Burcy stole UVa's inbounds and laid it in to make it 72-66.
"I was just there, ready for it," said Burcy, the region tournament's most outstanding player.
But Heather Burge scored again. Then after Roberts missed a 3-point attempt, Evans missed two free throws, but Burge rebounded and scored her final point to finish with a game-high 30 as UVa made it 72-70 with two minutes to go.
Burcy missed a 3-point shot, but Smith rebounded and Roberts, with the shot clock winding down, stuck a mid-range jumper over Boucek.
"I just got my feet set," Roberts said. "I was going to take a three, but I was thinking I hadn't hit a three in a while and I'd better go for penetration."
Said Boucek: "That was a great shot. I don't know if I would have done anything different."
Evans missed and Ohio State won a scramble for the ball, after which Smith was fouled with 33.5 seconds left. She missed, and UVa's Wendy Palmer scored inside to make it 74-72 with 20 seconds to go.
Ohio State threw a long inbounds pass to Smith, who was fouled before she could shoot. Again she missed, but Keyton put both hands on the rebound and Boucek knocked it out of bounds with 17 seconds left.
"That was a critical play, and I have no idea what happened," Ryan said.
Keyton was fouled on the inbounds play with 15.7 seconds left and made one of two free throws. Boucek dribbled upcourt and was fouled with 9.8 seconds left. She made the first free throw and intentionally missed the second. It was the same play that forced the second overtime against Maryland in the ACC Tournament when Evans came from the right wing, rebounded and scored.
"But we ran it the opposite way. We faked to the right and really went to the left," Ryan said.
Said Darsch: "We expected her to miss it. We took Roberts off the line and had her box Dena Evans."
Smith rebounded and was fouled, leading to the final few seconds.
"The tempo of the game went back and forth," Burcy said. "I'm just glad we had a spurt toward the end." \
see microfilm for box score
by CNB