ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, January 13, 1997 TAG: 9701140025
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: UVA NOTES
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
It could be argued that Virginia's 1995-96 men's basketball season began to unravel the night that North Carolina visited University Hall.
Carolina outrebounded the Cavaliers by 25 and defeated them 67-53 in what was the start of a season-high five-game losing streak for UVa.
Virginia forward Norman Nolan hasn't forgotten.
``It hurt because I didn't play well,'' said Nolan, who that night had four points and one rebound in 18 minutes. ``That was the game I had the flu and I really couldn't contribute.''
Nolan's contributions started with the introduction of the lineups Saturday. The first player to be called, he burst from the UVa bench with a look of controlled rage.
``I just tried to show more enthusiasm, more intensity,'' Nolan said. ``I wanted to let the coaches and the players know that I was ready and I wanted my teammates to be ready.''
Nolan's intensity never wavered and he finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds as unranked Virginia knocked off No.13 North Carolina 75-63 at U-Hall.
``The numbers look good,'' coach Jeff Jones said, ``but quite honestly, at times this year with Norman, the numbers have looked good and we didn't necessarily have a good feeling about the way he performed.
``In my estimation, this was Norman's best game of the season. He seemed to have a lot of enthusiasm. He had a lot of bounce to him. The times he got the ball inside, he really responded.''
Nolan also made eight of 10 free throws and moved over 50 percent from the line (52.6) for the first time this season. After a 4-for-17 start, he has hit 26 of his last 40 from the line over the last seven games.
It was also the second time in as many games that Nolan had made as many as half of his field-goal attempts. He has three dunks in the last two games and nine for the season, up from seven in 1995-96.
``When I've tried to lay it in off the glass, that hasn't been too good for me,'' said Nolan, who recently went 21-of-69 during a seven-game stretch.
``I've just been attacking the basket much more aggressively. I figure, if they try to block it, they're going to send me to the free-throw line.''
METHENEY CONTRIBUTES: Seven-foot-four ``project'' Chase Metheney had his best performance in a big game with five points, four blocked shots, three rebounds and two steals in 15 minutes.
``Against Maryland [last week], he just seemed so nervous,'' Jones said. ``More than anything, in the last two games, I think Chase has been relaxed and he's put together two good efforts.''
WHERE'S HUNTER? Craig McAndrew's return from a pulled hamstring meant a night on the bench for 6-10 freshman Kris Hunter, who had five points in 35 seconds Wednesday night in a 64-61 victory at Florida State.
McAndrew, also a 6-10 freshman, has scored four points - total - in 108 minutes over seven games. He has no points, one rebound, five turnovers and six fouls in his last two games.
* McDonald's All-American Willie Dersch, whose playing time had dwindled in recent games, did not play for the first time Saturday night. Neither did Monte Marcaccini, a starter only eight days earlier.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS: Harold Deane had three steals Saturday night - his seventh game with three or more steals this season - and now ranks fourth all-time at Virginia in steals, fifth in assists and ninth in scoring.
``It seemed like every time we needed something positive to happen at the offensive end, Harold Deane managed either to do it himself or enable someone else to do it,'' Jones said.
Deane, a model citizen on the basketball floor this season, will be in Charlottesville Circuit Court today trying to reverse his August conviction on a resisting-arrest charge.
BY THE NUMBERS: Jones moved into second place among UVa coaches with 51 ACC wins. Athletic director Terry Holland, who was 111-103 in ACC play, is first. Jones (51-47) moved ahead of Bill Gibson (50-98). Curtis Staples, a junior from Roanoke, needs 10 points to become the 31st player to score 1,000 points in his career.
LENGTH: Medium: 77 linesby CNB