Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, December 29, 1993 TAG: 9312290198
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BOCA RATON, FLA. LENGTH: Medium
The question was not whether the Hokies would score 100 points for the first time during Bill Foster's three years as their coach, but how early.
Tech passed the century mark with 7 minutes, 16 seconds remaining on a free throw by Shawn Smith as it bombarded winless Florida Atlantic 115-87 on Tuesday night at FAU Gymnasium.
The last time the Hokies scored more than 115 points was in a 141-133 double-overtime victory over Southern Mississippi in 1988. The Hokies had not scored 100 points in 131 games dating to the 1988-89 season.
"I remember scoring 99 points against Southern Miss my freshman year, but never 100 before," said senior guard Jay Purcell. "That was one of our goals after seeing [the Owls] on film."
All five Tech starters scored in double figures, led by sophomore guard Jim Jackson, who hit all seven of his field-goal attempts and finished 8-of-8 from the free-throw line.
"When somebody mentioned it, no, I couldn't remember missing a shot," said Jackson, who scored a game-high 24 points. "But it wasn't anything I thought about during the game."
The Hokies (6-1) led by as many as 38 points before taking a 63-28 halftime lead. That was more points than Tech scored in 11 games last season.
"It felt kind of funny because I wasn't sure how intense we were coming in to the game," Purcell said. "We always play good defense, but now we can score, too."
Tech scored the first 12 points of the game and led 18-2 behind freshman Adrian "Ace" Custis, who quickly gained a convert in the FAU public-address announcer, who hailed Custis' baskets with a lusty, "That's Ace."
The Hokies were without starting center Jimmy Carruth, who sprained a foot Monday during practice, but suffered little drop-off with Smith, making his first start of the season in the pivot.
Smith scored two of Tech's first three baskets on jump hooks, hitting a shot that was not in his repertoire last season.
"It's something I've been working on every day," said Smith, undersized for a college center at 6 feet 6. "Prior to this year, my jump hook was pretty ragged, but I'm too short not to have it."
Smith finished with 20 points and, like Jackson, posted a career high. Carruth is expected back Thursday, when the Hokies meet Florida International, but Smith hopes he proved a point.
"One of my goals is to be the best sixth man in the country," he said.
The Hokies, who had shot 50 percent in only one of their first six games, hit 71 percent in the first half and 61.3 for the game. Florida Atlantic, which scored 59 points in the second half, shot 44.8 percent.
"Once they knew they weren't going to win, they played a lot better," Foster said, "but you've got to give them credit for the way they played in the second half."
Although his 1988-89 University of Miami team averaged 92 points, Foster said he was not surprised that one of his Tech squads had not reached triple digits.
"We're so much better of a passing team now that it's getting contagious," he said. "Our two post players tonight [Smith and Custis] can really pass the ball."
The victory gave the Hokies their best start since 1985-86, when they were 8-1. FAU dropped to 0-10 and has lost 35 of 38 games in the past two seasons.
The Owls, members of the Trans America Conference, are in their first season of Division I play. They had played seven consecutive road games before Tuesday night and have 10 home games all season.
The Tech men's and women's swim teams, training in South Florida, gave the Hokies some unexpected vocal support in a crowd of 603. Tech had not previously scored more than 108 points on an opponent's home floor.
The competition gets stiffer for the Hokies on Thursday night, when they visit another Trans America member, Florida International. The Golden Panthers upset Tech last season in Blacksburg 57-44, but have lost five of their first six games this season.
by CNB