Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 26, 1995 TAG: 9502280031
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Perhaps only one loss from becoming a flat-liner on the NCAA's at-large-bid screen, tThe Hokies' vital signs did improve - at least they thought so - clung to life , however, with a 74-64 victory over South Florida before a crowd of 6,069 at Cassell Coliseum.
The victory was only the second in the past five basketball games for Tech (19-9 overall, 5-6 in the Metro Conference).
``We're doing all we can do to stay alive, man,'' said Ace Custis, who paced Tech with 18 points. ``There's a lot of pressure on us. Every game is a must now. There's no room for error.''
Tech, which has won 19 games for the first time since 1987-88, has two regular-season games left - against No.11-ranked Virginia in Richmond on Tuesday and against Metro leader UNC Charlotte on March 4 at home.
``I would think if we get to 20 [wins] before the [Metro] Tournament we're going to play somewhere [NCAA or NIT],'' said Bill Foster, the Hokies' coach. ``We're going to have to play well in the [Metro] Tournament, no doubt.
``[Virginia] would be a heck of a steal. If we could get that it would erase a conference loss. That's the kind of game that if you can figure out some way to win it, and if you're 6-6 [in the Metro], you'd be in.''
The Hokies almost certainly would have been out of contention for an NCAA at-large bid with a loss Saturday. Back-to-back stumbles to Metro lightweights Virginia Commonwealth and South Florida would have all but buried Tech's chances.
``That wasn't going to happen,'' Custis said. ``We owed South Florida big-time. This was a payback game.
``After they beat us down there [68-66 in Tampa, Fla., on Feb.4], they made a bunch of remarks in the newspaper about how we were the easiest team in the Metro to get the ball inside on.
``The fans were on us real hard, too. It was a rough trip down there. Our fans were on 'em all day today and that's good, because now they know how it feels.''
Playing defense as they did before their recent slump, the Hokies put the Bulls out to pasture with a 24-8 run to begin the second half. The spurt enabled Tech to turn a 33-29 halftime lead into a 57-37 bulge.
``We turned up the defensive intensity and that got us some easy baskets,'' said the Hokies' Damon Watlington, who had two 3-pointers and a resounding reverse jam that electrified the crowd with 16:43 to play. ``That's what we were doing earlier in the season. We have to play tough defense.
``We wanted to put South Florida away quickly, and we did.''
The Bulls self-destructed during Tech's decisive run. South Florida went four minutes without scoring and had as many turnovers (eight) as points for the first 10 minutes of the second half.
``That sealed our fate right there,'' said Bulls coach Bobby Paschal, whose club never got closer than nine points the rest of the way.
The Hokies, who were hammered down low in Tampa, put the handcuffs on the Bulls inside this time. South Florida's 6-foot-7 bookend senior forwards, Jesse Salters (four points) and Jerome Robinson (five), were held to season-low offensive production. The two were averaging a combined 31 points per game before Saturday.
``Travis [Jackson] and Smitty [Shawn Smith] gave me some good help-side defense,'' said Custis, who shadowed Salters and came up with a career-high five steals.
``I wanted to front [Salters] and deny him the ball the whole game. And when he did get it, the guys collapsed down right away and he had to kick it back out. He got frustrated because he wasn't getting any free shots.''
Foster liked what he saw as his team improved its home record to 11-1.
``I think we got back to defending today like we were defending early in the year,'' Tech's coach said. ``Nothing came easy. We forced 15 turnovers. They shoot 52 [actually 51] percent and lose, which meant if you weren't forcing some turnovers you're going to get beat.''
Custis and Smith still were hurting from injuries suffered during Thursday's loss in Richmond, courtesy of VCU.
Custis has a painful hip pointer after being driven into a basket support on an intentional foul by the Rams' Marlow Talley. Smith wore a wrap on his wrenched right knee, hurt in the first half against the Rams.
``They just sucked it up and played well,'' Foster said. ``Coming off that war in Richmond, that's saying something.''
Custis led four Hokies scorers in double figures. Shawn Good had 16, Watlington 15 and Smith 14.
The Bulls, only the second club all season to shoot better than 50 percent against the Hokies, were led by Chucky Atkins' 19 points. Donzel Rush had 16.
by CNB