THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 18, 1995 TAG: 9501180537
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHAPEL HILL, N.C. LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
When Virginia coach Jeff Jones says he is excited about tonight's game against North Carolina, the first impluse is to wave a schedule in his face and ask, ``Do you know where this game is?''
Of course, Jones does know the game is in the Dean Dome, where Virginia has never won in nine tries.
He knows, too, the Cavaliers have not won in Chapel Hill since 1981 in overtime, 80-79, when Jones was Virginia's point guard and Ralph Sampson the center.
In recent games, the scores have not even been close.
``But it seems the games down there have been closer than the scores indicate,'' Jones insisted.
``We have played them pretty tough but basically they have just worn us down in the final minutes. We didn't have the ability to hang in there with them for 40 minutes.''
Maybe that is the reason Jones honestly is excited about the newly ranked No. 18 Cavaliers playing the No. 3-ranked Tar Heels on their home court again.
This time, Virginia (10-3, 4-0) has the potential to wear out the Tar Heels (12-1, 3-1) down the stretch and continue its sizzling start in the ACC regular season.
The Cavaliers are the deepest they have ever been while North Carolina is so thin that it hardly can afford to have someone catching a cold or getting in early foul trouble.
The Heels' only loss came when forward Dante Calabria sat out the North Carolina State game with a sprained ankle and was replaced in the starting lineup by former walk-on Pearce Landry.
Disaster threatened again in practice this week when 250-pound Ed Geth came down on top of Calabria during a rebound scramble.
Calabria, the Heels' top 3-point shooter, received a hip pointer and was expected to miss a second day of practice Tuesday.
North Carolina coach Dean Smith said Calabria is expected to play against Virginia.
Jones said he thinks the Cavaliers' depth was a factor on Saturday when they came from 23 points down to defeat Duke in double overtime.
``Maybe their (UNC) starters don't need as much rest,'' Jones said, ``but we feel comfortable with our rotation.''
The Cavaliers have nine players averaging nine or more minutes per game. The numbers factor, though, won't mean much, Jones warned, if Virginia does not play an aggressive game.
``If they don't have to play every possession, or if we go for stretches without making them play defense, the fatigue factor is not so important,'' Jones said.
Smith complimented both Jones and the Cavaliers.
``I am impressed with what Jeff has done with this team,'' Smith said. ``They are in the driver's seat for the regular-season title right now.
``Everyone seems to know his role and the chemistry is there despite it being so early in the season.''
One of the most noticeable improvements in Virginia this season has been offensively.
Although the Cavaliers managed only 19 points in the first half against Duke, they had the firepower to come back for a 91-88 victory.
Overall, Virginia is avraging 17.7 more points per game than last year and has improved its field goal percentage from 38.7 to 45.5.
Virginia also leads the ACC in free-throw shooting with a 74.3 percentage.
``We have made some improvement, but there is room for a lot more,'' Jones said.
``We'll have to do a very good job against North Carolina of being patient, finding the open man, and getting good shots.'' ILLUSTRATION: PAUL AIKEN/Staff file color photos
Virginia's Jeff Jones uses nine players averaging nine or more
minutes per game.
``They are in the driver's seat,'' UNC's Dean Smith says of
Virginia, 4-0 in the ACC.
by CNB