Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 28, 1995 TAG: 9503280077
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
In an award-winning performance, Watlington scored 20 points to lead Virginia Tech to a 71-59 victory over Canisius in a semifinal of the National Invitation Tournament at Madison Square Garden.
The victory, Tech's school-record 24th of the season, moved the Hokies (24-10) into Wednesday's 8:30 p.m. championship game. Tech will play Marquette (21-11), which beat Penn State 87-79 in the other semifinal Wednesday. The Hokies beat Marquette 57-54 in an earlier meeting this season in Milwaukee.
Watlington's razor-sharp shooting eye guided Tech to the final. The 6-foot-2 junior hit eight of 10 shots, including four of six from 3-point range.
``I've always dreamed about playing in the Garden, so that makes it nice to come out and play well,'' Watlington said. ``My shot felt real good in pregame, so I knew I'd be hitting come game time.''
Did he ever. Watlington hit all four 3s he took and a 15-footer en route to 14 points in the first half. Watlington's assault from downtown helped Tech construct a 38-25 halftime lead.
``When Damon's shooting like that, we just keep putting the ball in his hands,'' said Tech's Ace Custis. `` Somebody that hot, you've got to get it to them.
``I asked him after the game, `Why did you have to come into the Garden and try to show off so much.' He just smiled. He doesn't talk much. He lets his shooting do the talking for him.''
It spoke volumes. Watlington has hit 12 of 25 3-point attempts in Tech's four NIT victories. He has scored 65 points in the tournament, including three games of 18 or more.
``He was on fire,'' said Bill Foster, the Hokies' coach. ``When's he hitting out there, it really helps open things up inside and makes things so much easier.''
Tech started the game as aggressively as a New York cab driver. The Hokies scored 13 of the game's first 15 points and led 17-3 after seven minutes.
Canisius (21-12) threw up enough bricks early to build a Manhattan skyscraper. Besides star forward Craig Wise, who shot 6-for-9 in scoring 13 his game-high 32 points, the Golden Griffins hit only five of 24 field-goal attempts.
Foster mixed zone and man-to-man defenses against the Griffins in the first 10 minutes, and Canisius never could get a good read on offense.
``We're very beatable when we don't shoot well, and we didn't shoot well vs. their zone,'' said John Beilein, Canisius' coach. ``They played `D' against us the way Wake Forest guarded us, and we had a hard time putting the ball in the hole.
``Tech is a damn good team, a terrific team, so we shouldn't talk about what we didn't do but what they did.''
The Hokies did a great job of rebounding, pounding the Griffins 50-37 on the boards. Shawn Smith had a season-high 14 rebounds, while Custis and Travis Jackson had 10 each. It was the first time Tech had three double-figure rebounders in a game since Dale Solomon (13), Michael Cooke (12) and Calvin Oldham (11) did it Jan.12, 1981, in an 80-70 overtime victory over Florida State at Cassell Coliseum.
Jackson, whose game-winner against New Mexico State in a quarterfinal sent Tech to New York, had eight of his season-high total in the decisive first half.
``I knew we had to put it all on the table tonight,'' said the 6-8 center.
Tech also put the defensive shackles on Canisius' Michael Meeks. The 6-9 junior, averaging a club-high 16.6 points before Monday, was a meek 1-for-15 from the floor and had six points.
``We were scared of Meeks,'' Foster said. ``Travis and Ace both did a heck of a job on that guy.''
The Golden Griffins, who rallied from double-digit deficits to win five games this season, tried to make a late run. They chopped a 62-45 Tech lead with 4:33 left to 65-59 with 2:02 to play.
The Griffins missed four 3s on their next possession while trying to close to four.
``We knew they'd come at us,'' Foster said. ``I've seen that happen a few times this year. As a coach you're never comfortable. But we stayed aggressive, kept trying to score and got out of here.''
Watlington paced four Hokies scorers in double figures. Custis, battling a bad cold that had him in his motel bed most of Monday, had 18 points. Shawn Good had 15 and Shawn Smith added 10.
The Hokies will shoot some today, then return to the Garden to watch the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan play the Knicks in an NBA game.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB