Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 20, 1994 TAG: 9401200160
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
The Cavaliers, losers by at least 18 points in all three games against the Tar Heels last year, rewarded their long-suffering fans by stunning No. 3-ranked North Carolina 81-77.
"I would caution anybody against analyzing this game too much," said fourth-year UVa coach Jeff Jones, previously 1-7 against UNC. "This wasn't about X's and O's. It was about heart and determination."
The Cavaliers (10-4 overall, 4-1 ACC) trailed most of the way until a dunk by junior center Yuri Barnes put them ahead 67-66 with 6:03 remaining. Carolina (13-3, 3-2) never led again.
"I was happy with our play for the most part," North Carolina coach Dean Smith said. "We tried to get the ball inside, obviously, but we just couldn't."
Tar Heels center Eric Montross, coming off a 25-point, 17-rebound performance against Clemson, had just 12 points and nine rebounds. Kevin Salvadori matched a career high with 16 points to lead Carolina.
Virginia was led by junior forward Junior Burrough, who had 10 of his 22 points in the final 4:56. That included two of his four career 3-pointers, the second of which he banked in with 2:58 left.
"Surprisingly enough, Junior can shoot the three," Jones said. "It's something he wants to do and it's something we'll let him do, if he doesn't take 'em too quickly."
Virginia largest lead was 77-70 after a Burrough steal that led to a Cornel Parker layup with 2:25 left. UVa made only four of 10 free throws in the final 1:28, but Carolina couldn't hit from long range.
"The only time I was disappointed was when we were down five [with 40 seconds left]," Smith said. "That's something we work on; we just didn't execute that well."
The most entertaining half of basketball at University Hall this season found the Cavaliers trailing 43-41, but only after erasing a 10-point deficit.
Carolina, once ahead 29-19, was leading 34-26 before Virginia went on a 9-0 run capped by an 18-foot jumper by Barnes that gave the Cavaliers their first lead with 3:36 to go before halftime.
Barnes, giving up 4 inches to 7-foot Montross, scored seven points in a row, three on free throws. The Cavaliers, sixth in the ACC in free-throw shooting at 66.4 percent, were 13-of-13 in the first half.
At the other end, Carolina made its first seven free throws, but the Cavaliers were better off when the Tar Heels missed. Three times Carolina missed the second of two free throws, but all three times it got the rebound.
Virginia had the good fortune of getting Montross and 6-11 Carolina freshman Rasheed Wallace in early foul trouble, but a third Tar Heels big man, Salvadori had 10 points.
Salvadori, who had 14 points against Virginia last year but is not known for his scoring, scored Carolina's last six points of the first half, including a 10-foot turnaround that represented the Tar Heels' two-point halftime margin.
The Tar Heels shot 44.4 percent in the first half and outrebounded Virginia 23-19. The Cavaliers shot only 38.7 percent but did not commit a turnover over the final 9 1/2 minutes.
Things changed as soon as the teams made their first two trips down the floor in the second half. Carolina immediately went inside to Montross for a jump hook; then Virginia freshman guard Harold Deane threw away the ball after crossing midcourt.
Carolina built its lead to 54-46, but the Cavaliers cut the deficit to 56-54 before losing Deane to a shin injury with 11:40 left. The Tar Heels' Donald Williams had injured his shoulder moments earlier.
Parker, a 6-7 senior, took over at the point with no significant dropoff until Deane returned with 7:44 remaining and North Carolina ahead 62-60.
Moments later Barnes scored in the lane to tie the score and the Cavaliers grabbed their first lead of the second half when Deane's 3-pointer made it 65-64 with 6:37 remaining.
"That Deane was something," Smith said. "And we knew about [Jamal] Robinson [who had 10 points off the bench]. But in the end it was Junior who drove through our whole team."
Jones announced after the game that X-rays taken on junior Cory Alexander showed his broken ankle has not healed and that the coach will discuss the prognosis with Alexander today.
by CNB