Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, December 4, 1994 TAG: 9412070079
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Any time his Virginia Cavaliers missed a shot against Towson State, they just got the ball off the boards and shot again. And, eventually scored.
If there had been a school record for offensive rebounds, 23rd-ranked Virginia probably would have broken it Saturday afternoon with 30 in a 94-66 romp over Towson State.
It was the fourth time in four games UVa (3-1) has scored more than 80 points after accomplishing the feat three times all of last season.
``I don't know how we can miss so many layups,'' said Jones, whose team shot 40.5 percent from the field, but scored 22 points on second- or third-chance baskets. ``If we're going to keep throwing the ball inside, those guys have got to start putting the ball in the hole.''
Otherwise, Jones had few complaints about a performance that was UVa's most complete of the season. The Cavaliers had trailed during the second half in each of their first three games.
``This is the first time that we've pressed after made field goals to start the game,'' Jones said. ``We had to do something, because we've gotten off to such bad starts.''
Virginia outscored the Tigers 12-0 in a span of 2 minutes, 7 seconds to build a 30-12 advantage, and the Cavaliers led 41-26 at the half. The difference was as many as 32 points on two occasions in the second half.
``I haven't seen Virginia in person this year and only saw them on television against Ohio U.,'' said Terry Truax, the Tigers' coach. ``I think Virginia today looked more like the Virginia teams we're familiar with than Towson State looked like Ohio U.''
Virginia, upset by the Bobcats 94-83 in the second round of the Preseason NIT, has won its past two games by 44 and 28 points, respectively. Last season, UVa did not win any game by more than 21 points.
``I had been waiting my whole career to play in the Preseason NIT, and for us not even to get to New York ... that's going to stick with me for a while,'' said UVa guard Cory Alexander.
Virginia concentrated so much on its inside game that Alexander did not take a shot until less than eight minutes remained, but he finished with 16 points and a game-high seven assists.
It was a productive afternoon for all of UVa's post players, who were led by Junior Burrough with 18 points in 18 minutes. Chris Alexander had a career-high 12 rebounds and freshman Norman Nolan had 11 points - his first double-figure scoring effort.
Chris Alexander, a redshirt junior in his first year as a starter, had earned a reputation as a shot-blocker, but his rebounding numbers had not wowed anybody. His high before Saturday was seven.
``I told Chris at the end of last season that he needed to work on his defensive rebounding,'' Jones said. ``Sometimes, because of his shot-blocking, he gets caught out of position.''
That wasn't a problem against a Towson State team that was 21-9 last season, but is without its top returning scorer, Scooter Alexander, who has taken a redshirt year to be available for the Tigers' move next season to the North Atlantic Conference.
Towson State could have suited up assistant coach and former NBA forward Adrian Dantley and it wouldn't have made much difference Saturday. Towson State (1-2) was outrebounded by 26 and committed 22 turnovers.
``You have to like Virginia's depth when they can bring guys like Jamal Robinson and Curtis Staples off the bench,'' said Truax, a one-time UVa assistant. ``My gosh, I'd like to have just one of their big guys, like Yuri Barnes.''
The schedule gets tougher this week for Virginia, which visits Vanderbilt and Rice. The Cavaliers had hoped to take a road trip before now, but they aren't scared by the prospect.
``I think I play better on the road; I guess I just like being the bad guy,'' Cory Alexander said. ``As long as I'm ready, I think the team will be ready, and I'll be ready.''
METHENEY OUT: Chase Metheney, UVa's 7-foot-4 freshman center, has a hamstring injury and did not dress Saturday for the second consecutive game.
Metheney has not played in any of UVa's first four games, but is not a candidate for a redshirt year because he played in two exhibition games. Only an incapacitating injury would qualify him for a hardship ruling.
by CNB