Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 21, 1993 TAG: 9302210198
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
FOR CAVALIERS, THERE'S NO ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY
After winning its first 11 games and ending Duke's 36-game home winning streak, in some respects Virginia was at the top of the college basketball world.While the national spotlight long since has shifted elsewhere, coach Jeff Jones doesn't feel much different at 16-5 than he did at 11-0.
"In some ways I feel better because we've been through some tough times," Jones said Saturday, two days after beating Duke for the second time, 58-55. "We experienced a potentially devastating loss and we've come through it OK, I think."
Jones was referring to a 59-53 loss to Virginia Tech in which the Cavaliers blew a 16-point second-half lead. Since then, the Cavaliers have won four of five, only one - against North Carolina State - as a heavy favorite.
As a result, Virginia (16-5 overall, 8-4 ACC) has moved into a tie for third place in the conference going into today's nationally televised game against third-ranked North Carolina (21-3, 10-2).
The Cavaliers already have won more games than they did during the regular season last year, when a UVa team led by first-round National Basketball Association draft pick Bryant Stith won the National Invitation Tournament and finished 20-13.
Many observers feel Virginia already has clinched an NCAA Tournament bid, although Jones bristled at talk that the pressure is off and UVa has the luxury of complacency.
"Absolutely not," he snapped.
Jones said the NCAA Tournament never was mentioned until halftime of UVa's game against Clemson eight days ago, and he's not sure he was the person who raised the issue.
"One of the things Dave [Odom] liked to do here was sit down before the season and predict our record," Jones said of his former office-mate, now the head coach at Wake Forest. "He was pretty good at it, too, but I've never gone in for those kind of things. You end up thinking, maybe just subconsciously, that you aren't supposed to win certain games."
Virginia will be the underdog in its next three games, including trips to Georgia Tech and Wake Forest, so there is no assurance UVa's victory total will continue to rise at a speedy rate.
"I'd be lying to you if I said the NCAA Tournament was not a goal after we didn't go last year," Jones said. "But making the NCAA Tournament is not that high on my list of priorities.
"I'd like to think that this program can do better than just making the NCAA Tournament. But it's like Cory Alexander or somebody said last year, `When people are talking about the NCAA every game, it tends to wear you down.' "
After beating Duke for the first time, Virginia jumped to No. 7 in The Associated Press poll - only two weeks after its entry into the rankings. Jones, who admitted the Cavaliers weren't Top 10 material, said the ranking would mean nothing if UVa quickly flamed out.
"If you're looking for some goals, I'd really like to stay in the Top 25 for the remainder of the season," said Jones, whose team spent two weeks at No. 24 before moving up to 23rd last week.
Virginia, then unbeaten, was blown out in its first meeting with North Carolina, which led by 29 points, but the Cavaliers have won three of the past four games against UNC at University Hall.
Carolina's trapping defense caused serious execution problems for Virginia in the first game, and the Cavaliers continue to be plagued by turnovers, particularly in the first 10 minutes.
The turnovers invariably decline when Jones replaces sophomore forward Jason Williford with senior guard Doug Smith, who has one of the best assist-turnover ratios in the league (63-25).
Williford had four turnovers in 15 minutes against Duke, but Jones said he actually considered another lineup change more seriously - replacing Junior Burrough with Yuri Barnes at power forward.
"If we had put Yuri in, I think he would have responded," Jones said, "but I'm not sure it would have had a positive effect on Junior. As for Doug, I don't think it would matter if he started or came off the bench."
At one reason for UVa's sloppiness Thursday night was the rare full house that turned out for Duke. It won't seem as unusual today, when the Cavaliers will make their first network TV appearance of the year.
"Any exposure of that type is helpful to the program," Jones said. "Being able to beat Duke - and I understand they were playing without [leading scorer] Grant Hill - we still got the main headlines in USA Today."