ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, December 29, 1995 TAG: 9512290089
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
Perhaps the biggest difference between last season's Virginia Tech-Virginia basketball game and Thursday night's encounter was the fact that this Hokies team wouldn't give this one away and this Cavaliers squad couldn't steal it.
Playing before a sellout crowd at the Roanoke Civic Center, the 21st-ranked Hokies jumped ahead early and thwarted repeated comeback tries by No.22 Virginia in a 72-64 win.
The victory was Tech's first over the Cavaliers since the 1992-93 season, its first victory in Roanoke since 1988, and it vaporized any ill memories of a 63-62 setback to the Cavaliers in February in Richmond. That loss, in which Tech blew a seven-point lead, helped keep the Hokies out of the NCAA Tournament, although they regrouped to win the National Invitation Tournament.
``It feels good to beat Virginia, period,'' said Tech forward Ace Custis, adding, ``If we're going to go to the NCAA [Tournament], we've got to beat some of these big-name teams. Last year, they sent us to the NIT [with that loss in Richmond]. We said we wouldn't be denied this year.''
The victory was the 499th of Tech coach Bill Foster's 28-plus year coaching career. Foster, who owns a 499-304 career record, can reach 500 on Sunday in New Orleans, when Tech plays Wright State a few hours before the football Hokies face Texas in the Sugar Bowl.
Custis had 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead a quartet of double-digit scorers for the Hokies.
Virginia, which was led by Harold Deane's 20 points, never got closer than two points in the second half.
``I told our guys that was a lesson we got out there,'' said UVa coach Jeff Jones. ``Basically, we were beaten by a basketball team that's better than we are. Their experience paid off. We gave a great effort, but we did too many things that required too many great plays, whereas Virginia Tech makes solid plays possession after possession.''
It was a tough homecoming for UVa shooting guard Curtis Staples, who was playing in his hometown for the first time in four years. Staples, who led Patrick Henry to the 1992 Group AAA championship along with Tech back-up guard Troy Manns, had 11 points on just 4-of-13 shooting.
Credit that to Tech guard Damon Watlington, who was Staples' shadow all night.
``I fought through all the screens,'' Watlington said. ``I knew he'd be tough. I just had to apply extra pressure because I knew he'd do a good job.''
Staples was scoreless at halftime, when Tech led 35-27.
``I feel worse because we lost,'' said Staples, who received a thundering ovation during the announcing of the starting lineups from what was a partisan Hokie crowd.
Tech (5-1) needed a big night from Custis, because fellow post player Shawn Smith went to the bench with four fouls early in the second half.
Smith, who missed a shot at the final horn of last year's game, returned to nail two big shots to quell Virginia's last push - a long two-point shot with one second left on the shot clock to make it 63-55 with 2:57 to play and a 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it 66-56 with 2:02 left. He finished with 10 points.
Tech trailed only once - 3-0 when UVa's Courtney Alexander made a 3-pointer 20 seconds into the game. Tech led by 10 in the first half and by 11 with 6:10 to play, but UVa rallied like it did last year, behind point guard Deane.
Deane, who made just five of 17 shots, scored five straight points on a pair of drives that whittled Tech's lead to 67-62 with 1:11 to play, but the Cavaliers never got closer. Two Jamal Robinson free throws got them within five again, 69-64 with 58 seconds left.
``We were trying to come back, but we didn't have the extra power we needed at the end to come out on top,'' said Deane.
Virginia (4-3) made just 35.5 percent of its shots (19-for-55), the fourth time it has shot less than 40 percent in seven games.
``Yeah, I'm concerned [with the shooting percentage],'' said Jones. ``There are situations where we get every opportunity to get makable shots and we waste them.
``I'd like to think we'd be smarter if this game were played later [in the season],'' said Jones. ``But there are no guarantees of that.''
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: WAYNE DEEL/Staff. 1. Tech's Ace Custis (20) attempts toby CNBrip the ball away from Virginia's Chris Alexander. 2. Virginia coach
Jeff Jones watches his Cavaliers fall to the Hokies 72-64 at the
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