Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 23, 1994 TAG: 9402230217
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Deane, who shared ball-handling duties with fellow freshman Robinson, hit two free throws with 32 seconds left in overtime to lift the Cavaliers over 23rd-ranked Tech 73-72 on Tuesday night at University Hall.
"Without them, we don't win," said Jeff Jones, UVa's coach. "Those two were pretty much our offense [down the stretch]."
It was UVa's first victory over the Yellow Jackets in 10 games dating to the regime of former coach Terry Holland. Jones, in his fourth season as the Cavaliers' coach, was 0-8 against the Atlantic Coast Conference rival.
"That was mentioned a few times on the way [to the interview area] from the locker room," Jones said. "Yeah, it had bothered us, but it hadn't become an obsession."
Jones should have liked Virginia's chances when the game went to overtime. It was UVa's fifth consecutive overtime victory and 13th in 15 games, "and, hopefully, it's the last [overtime game] we have in a while," Jones said.
The victory couldn't have come at a more opportune moment for Virginia, which had lost four of its previous five games and had seen its chances of receiving an NCAA Tournament bid grow more bleak by the day.
Now it is Georgia Tech (14-10 overall, 5-8 in the ACC) that finds itself in big trouble. Virginia (14-9, 8-6) clinched at least a .500 record in conference play with its 11th victory in 13 home games.
The Yellow Jackets held for the last shot after Deane's free throws, but Travis Best, who had scored a game-high 24 points, was short on a running one-hander from the right side with seconds remaining.
Five players scored between 14 and 12 points for Virginia, which trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half, but stayed with an up-tempo game plan designed to wear down depth-shy Georgia Tech.
The Cavaliers rallied from 28-17 down to 36-30 at the half, then went ahead 48-40 with a 13-0 run. That included a rare six-point possession after Best was called for an intentional foul, followed by a technical, for elbowing Deane.
"Travis is better than that," said coach Bobby Cremins, who pulled Best and then called a timeout with 14 minutes, 34 seconds remaining. All the Yellow Jackets did was score the next 12 points and hold Virginia scoreless for nearly seven minutes.
"Certainly, we would have liked to keep the momentum," Jones said. "We didn't expect them to cave in [after the technical]. If anything, we expected them to use it to rally the troops."
Georgia Tech built its lead to 64-59 with 2:59 left in regulation, and it was 65-61 before Robinson hit a 3-pointer from the right wing with 1:46 left. A pair of free throws by Williford put the Cavaliers on top 66-65.
UVa had a chance to put away the game in regulation, but Williford, who had made his first eight free throws, missed a pair with 33.2 seconds left. The game went into overtime after Best hit two free throws with 13.2 seconds remaining.
The Cavaliers scored the first four points of the extra period, but trailed 72-71 before Tech center Ivano Newbill was called for an illegal screen, an offensive foul that sent Deane to the line for the fateful free throws.
"I didn't think about what it meant," said Deane, who finished 6-for-6 from the line. "It was like any other free throws. I knew what the time and score was, but you can't let yourself think too much."
Cremins declined to address the officiating, although the Georgia Tech coach indicated he would look closely at Newbill's screen, a five-second call on a Yellow Jackets inbounds play in regulation and Best's final shot.
Cremins said he would take responsibility for the decision to hold for the last shot with his team trailing by one point at the end of overtime.
"I thought [Best] would try to take me to a spot and then post me up," Deane said. "I was kind of surprised he took it to the basket. There wasn't much contact; I think somebody got a piece of the ball on the way up."
Virginia shot 34.3 percent from the field - its sixth consecutive game under 35 percent - but grabbed 21 offensive rebounds and hit 23 of 33 free throws. It was the first time the Cavaliers had scored more than 54 points in five games.
by CNB