Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 12, 1993 TAG: 9302120206
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
VIRGINIA OUTLASTS N.C. STATE
Now Virginia knows why it didn't win at home for almost a month.The Cavaliers made four of 18 shots to start the second half and struggled to beat North Carolina State 75-66 on a night when basketball coach Jeff Jones finally lost patience with the UVa fans.
"Our guys are to be given credit because we had to generate everything," Jones said. "The fans didn't give us anything. We practically had to beg 'em to get into the game."
And those were the fans who chose to attend.
All tickets were sold at 8,864-seat University Hall, but there were approximately 2,500 no-shows. Jones did not buy the excuse that the game was shown on ESPN or that North Carolina State was a decisive underdog.
"I've bit my lip for a long time this season," Jones said. "We need people in the seats. We need students to get their butts in the seats or not pick up the tickets.
"I don't know if I expected it. The thing was sold out. Things haven't changed - as far as what we're putting into this - since a couple of weeks ago, when everybody wanted to jump on the bandwagon."
Virginia (14-5 overall, 6-4 ACC) entered Thursday night's game as an 18-point favorite, but N.C. State (5-13, 1-9) pulled to 66-62 before UVa made nine of 12 free throws in the final 1:19.
"We feel good about it," Jones said. "The coaches feel good about it; the players feel good about it. There might be some people out there who might think we should win by more. That's ridiculous.
"We don't want negative thoughts on our mind. It's an ACC win, regardless of the team. We beat another ACC team that played pretty daggone well. I doubt that N.C. State has played a whole lot better than that on the road."
Wolfpack coach Les Robinson didn't disagree.
"It depends on which [N.C. State] team you're talking about," said Robinson, whose squad has been rocked by injuries, academic troubles and personal problems. "It was certainly better than Saturday in Chapel Hill."
The Wolfpack, crushed Saturday by North Carolina 104-58, led for much of the first half Thursday night and never trailed by more than 11 points.
It appeared that UVa was in command after a Ted Jeffries free throw made it 66-55 with 3:38 left, but it got tight when N.C. State scored seven points in 40 seconds.
The Wolfpack used its final timeout with 1:22 left, which worked to the Cavaliers' advantage, but, Robinson said, "At least I earned my pay in the last five minutes for a change."
It was senior Doug Smith who came to UVa's rescue. Smith, who earlier had made a 3-pointer after N.C. State had closed to 55-52, made a free throw and bonus with 1:19 left.
Cory Alexander made another one-and-one with 1:06 left. Then, Smith was fouled again with 40 seconds left and made three of four free throws, the last two resulting from a technical foul against N.C. State's Kevin Thompson.
Alexander had a game-high 25 points to lead four players in double figures for UVa, which had not won at University Hall since Jan. 13.
Virginia had four turnovers, its lowest figure in almost six years; the Wolfpack had eight. Each team shot better than 45 percent, well over their averages in ACC play.
Thompson fouled out on his technical, assessed after he hit Parker in the back of the head. He finished with a team-high 18 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
The Wolfpack, losers in six of seven games before Thursday night, sank six straight shots in the opening minutes and twice led by five points, at 14-9 and 18-13.
Virginia did not regain the lead until Smith hit a 3-pointer with 7:24 left in the half as part of a 9-0 run that made it 26-21.
UVa stretched its lead to 40-30 behind Alexander, who had one field goal before he accounted for 12 of 14 points for the Cavaliers during a three-minute, 44-second stretch. Alexander has 76 points in the past three games.
"Cory was outstanding," Jones said. "I'm not entirely sure why he wasn't attacking at the beginning. Finally, we had to say, `Cory, take charge.' When he got going, we got going." \
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