Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 27, 1994 TAG: 9402270117
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
One of the hazards of living on the edge is that sometimes the fall can be pretty nasty.
Virginia, which had overcome second-half deficits in seven of its 14 victories, twice got as close as one point Saturday before crumbling in the final 10 minutes.
In a men's basketball game with major NCAA Tournament implications for both teams, Wake Forest got 20 points and a masterful floor game from junior guard Randolph Childress and upset the Cavaliers 63-45 at University Hall.
"I think it's clear, if we had won this game, that things would have changed a great deal," said UVa coach Jeff Jones, whose Cavaliers would have clinched at least a share of third place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. "Wake Forest definitely would have been behind us.
"Wake is a lock now for the NCAA Tournament, regardless of where [the Deacons] finish. For us, we've still got some more games to play, but the pressure doesn't drop off at all."
Virginia (14-10 overall, 8-7 in the ACC) fell behind 23-11 in the first half, but had a chance to tie the score in the second half before Yuri Barnes made the first of two free throws with 12 minutes, 22 seconds remaining. On the next possession, Junior Burrough scored for UVa to cut the deficit to 36-35.
"I'm still not sure what happened," said Virginia forward Jason Williford. "One moment, it looks like we're about to take the lead. Then, the next time I look up, we're down by 20 points."
The Cavaliers went more than eight minutes without a field goal and shot 30.2 percent, marking the seventh consecutive game in which they have failed to shoot as high as 35 percent. UVa's 45 points were its fewest in a conference game since 1982.
As he usually does, Jones claimed that the Cavaliers took good shots, although Wake Forest (18-9, 8-6) had the better looks at the basket. It was uncanny the way the Deacons would hold the ball until less than five seconds remained on the 35-second clock, but still get a good shot and score.
"I think we got discouraged," Jones said. "They were called for three 35-second violations [and] were close to three more. You think you're playing good defense and then, when they score like that, it's tough. It takes a lot out of you physically and mentally."
Nobody was more frustrated than Jones, who was assessed his second technical foul as a head coach - and first since 1991 - by Zelton Steed. Jones had become enraged with Steed in the opening minutes, when he felt Steed was loafing and had guessed on a foul against Jason Williford.
The Cavaliers prevailed in their first meeting with the Deacons, overcoming a 16-point deficit for a 61-59 victory in Winston-Salem, N.C., but Wake has won at University Hall three times in Dave Odom's five seasons as head coach. UVa was 11-2 at home before Saturday.
"One of the things we've tried to do is put greater emphasis on road games," said Odom, a Virginia assistant from 1982-89. "I would hope it would extend into other buildings as well."
Four Wake players scored in double figures, and freshman center Tim Duncan contributed 10 rebounds and seven blocks, but the key figures were Childress and Travis Banks. Banks had 12 points off the bench, including six in a row as part of an 11-2 run that put Wake on top 47-37.
"Randolph Childress played about as good an overall game as anybody has played against us," Jones said. "Quite simply, this was Randolph's day."
The Deacons shot 46 percent and made 15 of 17 free throws before Charlie Harrison missed a pair of meaningless tosses in the closing seconds. It spoiled the "final" University Hall appearance for the UVa seniors, although it is not inconceivable that UVa could play a home game in the National Invitation Tournament.
UVa hopes to get back on track for an NCAA berth Wednesday, when the Cavaliers meet Virginia Tech at 7:30 p.m. at the Roanoke Civic Center. However, UVa's worst shooting night of the 1992-93 season and its second-lowest percentage of the 1991-92 season were against the Hokies.
by CNB