ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, November 29, 1996 TAG: 9611290052
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: LAHAINA, HAWAII LAHAINA, HAWAII - VIRGINIA'S HAWAIIAN LUAU WAS
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Kansas (4-0), a lock to replace Cincinnati at the top of next week's polls, drowned Virginia's upset hopes with a second-half performance that was almost as pretty as Maui.
The Jayhawks hit 18 of 26 second-half shots (69.2 percent) and wasted UVa with two killer spurts in which they outscored the Cavaliers by a cumulative 43-12.
``They were just too strong for us,'' said Jeff Jones, UVa's coach. ``They came out in the second half and showed they were a better team than us and showed, I think, that they are a great basketball team.''
One would have to flip back a few pages to find the last time somebody has shot 69 percent in a half against UVa (2-1). Kansas shot 54.7 percent for the game (29 of 53), becoming the ninth team in 134 games since 1991-92 to top 50 percent against UVa.
The Jayhawks did more than shoot it, too. They not only owned the backboards, outrebounding Virginia 47-26, they lived in the Cavs' faces on defense. Virginia, which had shot 54 percent in beating South Carolina and Massachusetts to make the final, hit only 20 of 63 shots (31.7 percent).
Most of UVa's wayward shots came in two stretches of the second half when Kansas broke open a game in which it trailed 32-30 with 19 minutes left.
``At times, our shot selection was fine, but at other times it was very bad,'' Jones said. ``There was a stretch there in the second half when we panicked.
``Some of those shots led to easy baskets for Kansas. Thus, we made things easier for them and tougher for ourselves.''
Kansas made Virginia's long Wednesday night flight to Washington, D.C. - the Cavs play at George Mason on Saturday - even longer with two huge runs.
``I agree with Coach, we kind of panicked when they went on that run,'' said UVa guard Curtis Staples. ``We took some shots trying to get back in the game and we tried to make plays that weren't really there.''
Kansas, which will play until January without injured All-America point guard Jacques Vaughn, had plenty of stars.
The Jayhawks' starting front line of 6-foot-7 Paul Pierce, 6-11 Raef LaFrentz and 6-11 Scot Pollard combined to hit 22 of 32 shots that produced 59 points.
Pierce, who also shackled UVa's Courtney Alexander on defense, hit 10 of 14 shots for a game-high 27 points. The smooth LaFrentz was 7-of-8 from the floor for 15 points, while Pollard had 17 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
``They're a good team,'' said senior point guard Harold Deane, who led UVa with 14 points, but missed 12 of 15 shots. ``They did a good job of getting the ball inside. They outrebounded us and they took us out of our offense.
``But we didn't play well. The first two games I felt good about how we played. Today, I was little disappointed in myself and the team, as far as us not getting what we wanted on offense.''
During Kansas' second-half tornado, the Cavs, for the first time in three games, looked like last season's team. UVa couldn't rebound and launched ill-advised shots. Kansas converted many of UVa's quick misses into easy transition baskets.
``We got it into a tempo going up and down the court that we liked a little bit better in the second half,'' said Roy Williams, Kansas' coach.
What did the Cavaliers take home from Hawaii?
``Some of our guys take away a suntan. We take away a 2-1 record and I think a good feeling overall about how we played as a team,'' Jones said.
``Maybe more important, we take away an understanding we've got a ways to go before we can really compete and beat a team as good and solid as Kansas.''
see microfilm for box score
LENGTH: Medium: 72 linesby CNB