ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, February 18, 1996 TAG: 9602190130
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
If Virginia Tech had its say, the national player of the year trophy would be in Marcus Camby's mailbox today.
Express-mail it. Fed-Ex it. Just give it to the guy - now.
``No doubt about it,'' said Tech's Ace Custis. ``He's the player of the year. There's no doubt in my mind he's the best player in the nation.
``I just wish he'd left [for the NBA early] last year. But unfortunately he was here.''
Was he ever.
Ruling as king in Tech's Cassell Coliseum for two hours Saturday, the 6-foot-11 Camby had 31 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots to carry top-ranked Massachusetts to a 74-58 victory over No.10 Tech.
UMass, a three-point favorite in a building where Tech had won its past 17 games, improved to 25-0 overall and 13-0 in the Atlantic 10.
Tech (19-3, 10-2) had its seven-game winning streak snapped and fell one game down in the loss column in the A-10 West Division to George Washington, which is 9-1 in league play entering today's game at La Salle.
The Hokies can thank Mr. Camby for their predicament. The mobile center with the wingspan of a 747 took off on Tech early.
Operating inside and outside, off the dribble or the spot-up jumper, Camby was simply too much for Tech. The Hokies' two 6-8 post men, Travis Jackson and Keefe Matthews, had no chance.
``There's no comparison,'' said Jackson, when asked to compare Camby with Rasheed Wallace, whom he faced last season when Tech played North Carolina.
``It's really uncommon for someone his size to be able to do what he does. He's pretty incredible, really.''
The Hokies tried to offer help on Camby, but most times the agile center already was heading to the basket or on the way up before the reinforcements arrived.
``I haven't gotten single-teamed since the Kentucky game [a 92-82 UMass victory on Nov.28],'' Camby said. ``I was surprised they came out and played me one-on-one.
``They tried to double me, but it didn't matter this afternoon because I was hitting shots and I was hitting the cutters. And whenever I step into the game, I just know we're going to win.''
There was never much question about that Saturday. Tech never led after Camby's 10-foot jumper gave UMass an 11-10 lead 41/2 minutes into the game.
UMass, behind Camby's 16 points and 13 from forward Donta Bright, led 33-28 at halftime.
Any hopes Tech had at a second-half comeback were doused by poor shooting. The Hokies hit only eight of 28 in shots in the second half (29 percent) and finished at a season-low 36 percent (21-for-58).
Custis, covered by the UMass defense like a glove, was limited to 3-of-13 shooting and only seven points. Shawn Smith, Tech's other starting forward, was 3-for-9 from the floor for 12 points, and Jackson was 2-for-8 for five points.
Meanwhile, UMass' three inside starters - Camby, Bright and Dana Dingle - were a collective 23-of-36 from the floor for 56 points.
``This game was decided in the paint,'' said Bill Foster, Tech's coach. ``They converted in there and we didn't. You won't see many days when Ace Custis goes 3-for-13. If we played again tomorrow, he might go 9-for-13 and we would be right in the game.''
Custis, guarded most of the way by Dingle, blew several easy shots early and never recovered.
``I struggled offensively and defensively,'' Custis said. ``I was ready to play. But I didn't go out and provide the numbers I normally do. I don't think I was intimidated, though.''
Bright, who along with Camby combined to score 50 of UMass' first 61 points, schooled Custis on the offensive end, hitting seven of 10 shots en route to 19 points for the game.
With no inside game, Tech was forced to rely almost solely on shooting guard Damon Watlington, who led the Hokies with 17 points.
``We had a tough time on offense,'' Foster said. ``When you go against a guy like [Camby], you just have to go for the basket. He's not going to block every shot. He doesn't have a red `S' on his jersey.''
Tech did a good job shutting down the Minutemen's highly touted guards. Carmelo Travieso and Edgar Padilla struggled, combining for only three field goals and 16 points.
But with Camby and Bright, who needed backcourt scoring? UMass didn't. Not on this day.
Afterward, Camby said he didn't even bring his best game to Blacksburg.
``I'd say about average,'' responded Camby, when asked how this game compared to others this season. ``It was an average game. I think I can play a whole lot better.''
That was music to UMass coach John Calipari's ears.
``I hope he's right,'' Calipari said.
The victory leaves UMass four games short of completing a 29-0 regular season. The 1990-91 Nevada-Las Vegas team was the last Division I team to run the rack in the regular season.
Camby noted that many observers thought UMass would take the fall Saturday.
``I was reading about how this was the game where UMass was going to stumble,'' Camby said. ``So we just went out there and tried to prove a point and say, `Hey, we're for real.'''
Camby and UMass won't get any arguments from the Hokies.
``I've gone up against five or six No. 1 teams in 25 years of coaching and I can tell you this bunch is as solid as they come,'' Foster said.
``They don't beat themselves. They play excellent defense. And, of course, they have Camby.''
``If that guy doesn't win player of the year,'' said Smith, ``there should be an investigation.''
see microfilm for box score
LENGTH: Long : 113 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: 1. DON PETERSEN/Staff UMass' Marcus Camby goes up forby CNBone of his 10 rebounds on Saturday in front of teammate Tyrone Weeks
(right) and Virginia Tech's Travis Jackson (left). No. 1 UMass
ripped Tech 74-58. color
2. chart with color photo A Mass-terful Performance KEYWORDS: BASKETBALL