Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 17, 1994 TAG: 9411170137
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Yuri Barnes had 14 points and 10 rebounds, but his biggest plays were a couple of blocks that enabled 14th-ranked UVa to hold off Old Dominion 83-80 in the Preseason NIT.
Yuri Barnes, shot-blocking fool?
``That's me,'' he said.
The Cavaliers trailed for most of the game and did not take the lead for good until Alexander hit a pair of free throws to break an 80-80 tie with 37.8 seconds left.
``Regardless of how long I was out, I knew I was going to make the free throws,'' said Alexander, who missed virtually the entire 1993-94 season with a broken ankle. ``I think everybody in the gym knew I was going to make the free throws.''
Alexander was fouled again with eight-tenths of a second remaining and hit one of two shots to finish with a career-high 29 points. He scored 27 against Maryland two years ago as a sophomore.
``Cory has not missed a beat,'' said Jeff Capel, Old Dominion's first-year coach. ``He may be better than I remember him two years ago.''
The Monarchs came close to spoiling Alexander's return and handing UVa a first-round loss for the second time in two Preseason NIT appearances. In 1986, Temple beat the Cavaliers at University Hall.
Virginia will play again at 9:35 p.m. Friday, when it entertains Ohio University, a 77-68 winner over Ohio State. It was announced several times during the game that UVa had been chosen as host team, but first the Cavaliers had to win.
Virginia appeared to have the game under control when Barnes hit one of two free throws to make it 79-73 with 3:04 remaining, but an Odell Hodge layup with 1:45 left put the Monarchs on top 80-79.
A free throw by Junior Burrough tied it with 1:30 left. Then, Barnes made the first of his blocks, on a driving shot by Mario Mullen with 1:10 remaining.
After Alexander's free throws, the Monarchs called a timeout and set up a play for 3-point specialist Petey Sessoms, but Barnes stepped around a screen and made the block with 10 seconds left.
``I knew what was coming,'' Barnes said. ``I didn't notice it until Cory started yelling, but it was something we had been working against in practice.''
Said Capel: ``On the road, we were going for a win. At home, you go for a tie.''
The Monarchs were not expected to be as formidable as last season, when they defeated Virginia 76-69 in Norfolk, but that notion was proven wrong in the opening minutes.
``I came away very impressed with Old Dominion,'' said Jeff Jones, UVa's coach. ``I think they're a better team than they were last year.''
The Monarchs scored the first nine points and led 13-2 after less than three minutes. For UVa, it was hard not to remember the 1993-94 opener, when Connecticut demolished the Cavaliers 77-36 at University Hall.
``The thought crossed my mind,'' Barnes said.
Almost as familiar was the Cavaliers' first-half shooting: 13-of-37, including one five-minute stretch when they missed eight consecutive shots from the field. UVa was last in the ACC in field-goal percentage last season.
The Cavaliers started the second half by making eight of their first 12 shots, but that was followed by consecutive possessions on which they missed two layups and a dunk.
``When you get easy shots and come away empty, it sometimes serves as an emotional boost for the other team and deflates us,'' Jones said. ``Add in [missed] free throws and Old Dominion kept staying with us.''
The Monarchs, picked to win the Colonial Athletic Association after a 21-10 season in 1993-94, was led by Sessoms with 21 points and Hodge with 20.
Harold Deane helped out Alexander with 20 points for Virginia, although UVa's guards were a combined 18-of-46 from the field. Burrough, plagued by foul trouble in the first half, had 11 of his 13 points after intermission.
see microfilm for box score
by CNB