Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, December 18, 1994 TAG: 9412190093
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MORGANTOWN, W. VA. LENGTH: Medium
Virginia Tech took its we-get-no-respect tour into one of college basketball's most notorious snakepits Saturday night, and, like few others, lived to tell about it.
In their first road test of the season, the Hokies scored 13 of the game's final 15 points to whip West Virginia 83-73 at WVU Coliseum.
The victory, Tech's fifth straight, was the Hokies' first here since 1984. Not only was it the Mountaineers' first loss at home this season, it was their first nonconference setback at home since Nov.25, 1989, when Robert Morris turned the trick.
``We're hoping that this will be enough to get the attention of the writers who vote on the Top 25 poll,'' said Shawn Smith, who, along with Damon Watlington, led the Hokies with 22 points.
``We're hoping all those voters realize what we've done tonight and just take into consideration how hard it is to win in this place. We're playing for respect and, hopefully, this will get us some.''
After blowing an 11-point second half-lead, the Hokies trailed 71-70 after WVU's Zain Shaw made two free throws with 4 minutes, 30 seconds left.
``We had let a lead get away,'' said forward David Jackson, who contributed 11 points and five rebounds in a season-high 35 minutes off the bench.
``We all knew it was nutcracking time then. When it comes down to that time, this team doesn't fold.''
Instead, it was the Mountaineers who pulled the accordion act.
While WVU failed to score for the next 4:05, the Hokies ran off 11 straight points to send most of the 7,145 fans scurrying for the exits.
Watlington had four points in the Tech run, including a sealing layup in the lane off a superb pass from Shawn Good with 1:35 left that gave the Hokies a 78-71 lead.
``We did a great job down the stretch in a tough situation,'' said Tech coach Bill Foster, whose club improved to 7-1.
``After we had blown the lead, it's easy to get down. But we kept our heads, kept fighting and got the job done. This was a real growing-up game. It ain't easy winning here, believe me.''
Behind Watlington's 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting, Tech led 47-41 at halftime.
Both teams had trouble finding the basket early. Despite hitting only three of its first 14 shots, West Virginia led 10-9 after 7 minutes as Tech looked totally out of sync.
Sparked by Watlington, the Hokies went on a 10-0 run midway into the half to erase a 23-20 WVU edge. Watlington had seven of Tech's points in the spurt, hitting a 3-pointer, two free throws and a leaning 12-foot jumper.
The Mountaineers never got closer than four the rest of the half, and Tech went to the locker room up six when Good scored just before the horn on a rebound of Smith's blown dunk.
Smith, setting up permanent shop down low, scored Tech's first four baskets of the second half, three coming off offensive stickbacks. After David Jackson's 3-pointer at the 15:53 mark, the Hokies found themselves leading 58-47.
``We knew it wasn't going to be that easy,'' said Jackson. ``Coach Foster told us it would be a game of spurts.''
WVU (3-2) answered with its own 8-0 run to climb back in the game. The Mountaineers finally took the lead 63-62 on two Damian Owens free throws with 7:42 left, their first lead since 23-20.
The game then see-sawed until Tech's final knockout punch.
``I thought at the end we'd have an advantage since they don't play many guys,'' WVU coach Gale Catlett said. ``But we couldn't find the basket. That was the big difference.''
The Mountaineers, shooting 55 percent in their first four games, connected on only 26 of 75 field-goal attempts, including 1-of-18 from 3-point range.
Tech has now held five straight foes under 40 percent from the field.
``Defense is heart,'' said Jackson, who picked up some more floor burns diving for loose balls. ``And let me tell you this team has some heart.''
Good added 17 points for Tech, but his biggest contribution came on the defensive end as he held WVU guard Seldon Jefferson to 7-of-22 shooting.
The Hokies shot better than 50 percent (29 of 57) for the fourth straight game.
The Hokies return to action Monday, when East Tennessee State visits Cassell Coliseum at 7:30 p.m.
see microfilm for box score
by CNB