Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 19, 1995 TAG: 9501190135
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHAPEL HILL, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
The Tar Heels, who have never lost to Virginia in the building named after their coach, prevailed 79-76 Wednesday night for their 14th straight victory over UVa.
The Cavaliers, who trailed by 14 points in the second half, had a chance to tie the score before Harold Deane's hurried 3-point attempt fell short with three seconds remaining.
``I didn't know how much time was left,'' Deane said. ``All game long, you're looking at the 35-second clock, but the 35-second clock was off, and the other clock was in the corner of the building.''
UVa actually had three shots after taking possession with 21.1 seconds left, the first an inside attempt by Junior Burrough. The ball then went to Curtis Staples, who fired a 3-pointer from left of the key.
``It all happened so fast that it's hard to remember,'' Staples said. ``There was actually more time left than we realized, but the last thing you want is for time to run out.''
UVa, which had fallen behind 63-49 with 101/2 minutes left, got as close as 78-76 on a drive by Deane with 26 seconds left. Pearce Landry then hit one of two free throws for the final margin.
Donald Williams scored a game-high 23 points to lead third-ranked North Carolina, which moved into a share of the ACC lead with Virginia at 4-1. The Tar Heels are 13-1 overall.
It was the first loss in five games for 18th-ranked UVa, which fell to 10-4 and 4-1. The Cavaliers were led by Burrough, who finished with 22 points and a season-high 14 rebounds.
Burrough missed four shots in succession to start the second half, two of them blocked by Carolina's 6-foot-11 center Rasheed Wallace, but did not stop taking the ball to the basket and had 18 points after intermission.
``Junior played very well late, just as he did Saturday [against Duke],'' UVa coach Jeff Jones said. ``When he sticks to finishing plays, he's been terrific. When he tries to make plays, that's when he gets in trouble.''
Williams was the story of the first half, hitting six of eight shots from the field, including a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer that put the Tar Heels ahead 40-36.
Carolina shot 56 percent in the first half, compared to UVa's 45, but the Cavaliers stayed in the game behind a 3-point barrage by guards Deane, Staples and Cory Alexander.
Deane had 13 first-half points, including three 3-pointers, and Staples hit his first three shots, including two 3-pointers. UVa's only lead was at 2-0, but the score was tied five times in the final six minutes of the half
Wallace broke a 36-36 tie when he made the first of two free throws with 37.3 seconds left, and the Tar Heels were able to hold for the last shot when Jeff McInnis stole the rebound from Staples.
Virginia used four different defenders on Williams, who had 16 points at the half. Depth-shy Carolina tried to avoid fouls by playing mostly zone, but ACC scoring leader Jerry Stackhouse picked up three of UNC's four first-half personals.
When Carolina scored the first six points of the second half and completed a 9-0 run, the Tar Heels had their biggest lead of the game at 46-36. After UVa closed to 48-45, Carolina went on another 9-0 spurt.
The Cavaliers' strategy was to use big men Chris Alexander and Yuri Barnes against Stackhouse, who had been leading the ACC in scoring with 21.5 points per game but finished with a season-low eight.
``I'm impressed with Virginia,'' said Carolina coach Dean Smith, who has a 31-2 record in home games against the Cavaliers. ``They've played with a lot of poise on the road.''
UVa has beaten Carolina three times in 55 games in Chapel Hill, the last time when Jones was a junior guard and the Cavaliers rallied from a 16-point second-half deficit for an 80-79 overtime victory in 1981.
``It's [the Tar Heels' domination] not that difficult to figure out,'' Jones said. ``They've got some really good players.''
One difference Wednesday night was the margin. The closest of the last seven games between the teams at the Smith Center was last year's 69-56 verdict.
``We're not satisfied coming here and losing by three,'' Cory Alexander said, ``but it's a lot better than losing by 30 and having to go home and regroup. Believe me, I've been in that situation before.''
by CNB