Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 26, 1995 TAG: 9503270083
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But give the big guy time. He'll throw the tape marked ``The Shot'' in his VCR and watch it one of these days.
Right now, he's still pinching himself, trying to make sure he's dribbling in reality.
Since delivering a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that slew New Mexico State 64-61 on Wednesday in a National Invitation Tournament quarterfinal - Jackson has been camped in the lane of a dream world.
``It all happened so fast that everything just runs together,'' Jackson said. ``I remember [Aggies guard Troy] Brewer making the shot to tie the game [at 61] with 13 seconds left. Then I remember spotting up on the left side and Ace [Custis, Tech forward] with the ball, coming to me. I never saw the guy running at me.
``After I let it go, I knew it was in. It felt really good. Like a home run in baseball.''
Jackson's 19-foot swish was more like a grand slam for Tech's rising program.
``I've been coaching college basket for 28 years, and that's about as big a shot I've ever been associated with,'' said Bill Foster, Tech's coach.
``It was big, very big. In fact, I don't think there's ever been a bigger one.''
Big. As in Big Apple, where Tech heads today as one of the final four of the 58th NIT.
In Monday's semifinals at Madison Square Garden, Tech (23-10) faces Canisius (21-12) at 7 p.m., and Penn State (20-10) meets Marquette (20-11) at 9.
``Travis Jackson's shot meant the difference between everybody saying, "well, you did pretty good,' or going to the final four of the NIT,'' Foster said.
``With that comes another game on national television [Monday night]. Tech hadn't been on ESPN in five years. And now we're going to be on three times, possibly four, in a span of a week.
``That gives a chance to be seen by people all across the country. We're being seen by so many prospects on TV right now. The amount of publicity we're getting out of this is immeasurable.''
Not to mention lighting a basketball bonfire in Blacksburg. A crowd of 9,523 - only Tech's second sellout in its past 66 home games - jammed Cassell Coliseum for the New Mexico State game.
In a sight unseen in Cassell for years, the student section mobbed the floor after the game in celebration. The electricity, gone since the Dell Curry days of the mid-1980s, was back.
``I've never seen the Cassell like that,'' said Foster, who voiced his displeasure more than once this season about mediocre home attendance.
``I had heard about it, but that's the first time I've seen it. I had kind of hoped to see that one day. It was great.''
Unless you got caught on the bottom of one of those piles of humanity.
``Damon [Watlington, Tech guard] and I were on the bottom of a pile,'' said Jackson, who at 6 feet 8 and 242 pounds, forms a strong foundation.
``There must have been 50-60 people on top of us. Damon and I both saw a $10 bill on the floor and we were going for it. Damon got it, then gave it to the guy who lost it after we finally got up.''
Jackson, who was in the game at the end only because junior forward Shawn Smith had fouled out, said making ``The Shot'' tells him that somebody's on Tech's side in this NIT.
``We got snubbed by the NIT last year and the NCAA this year,'' Jackson said. ``We've overcome a lot of adversity to get this far. We had a tough hand dealt to us and we've handled it. Yes, I think there's some destiny involved here.''
When will Jackson take a second look at his heroics?
``My roommate has the tape now,'' he said. ``My mom and dad [in Peterstown, W.Va.] have copies, believe me. I'm sure those tapes won't get lost anywhere.
``I'm going to check it out one day. I'll keep it and peel it out for the grand kids one day.''
NIT BITS: Canisius comes to New York riding the upset train. The Golden Griffins won at Seton Hall (83-71) and at Bradley (55-53) in the first two rounds, then surprised favored Washington State 89-80 on Thursday in Buffalo, N.Y. ... The Golden Griffins finished second (10-4) behind Manhattan in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference's regular season. Tech is 6-0 all-time vs. the MAAC. ... Tech needs one more victory to set a school mark for wins in season ... Canisius is 5-4 in five NIT appearances; Tech is 14-5 in seven NITs ... This is Tech's third trip to the NIT semifinals. The Hokies won the crown in 1973 and lost to Michigan in the '84 semis ... Monday's two winners meet Wednesday at 8:30 for the title. The two losers square off in the third-place game at 6:30.
by CNB