THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 1, 1995 TAG: 9503010615
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
Thirteenth-ranked Virginia's 63-62 victory over Virginia Tech Tuesday will either go down as one of the most remarkable comebacks in the history of this series or one of the biggest ripoffs.
The Cavaliers won their 20th game of the season by outscoring Tech, 12-4, in the final 2:32. But Tech's Ace Custis - and many in the Richmond Coliseum crowd of 9,418 - will always wonder what would have happened if what Custis was sure constituted a foul under the basket in the closing seconds had been whistled.
Virginia guard Harold Deane, strangely quiet all night, scored on a driving layup with 16.7 seconds to play to give the Cavaliers their final margin.
After a timeout by each team, the Hokies' Shawn Smith got free for a leaning 15-foot jumper that dropped two-thirds of the way into the hoop before spinning out.
Custis was there for the rebound and as he went up to stick it back, the ball flew out of his hands, high into the air as the horn blew.
As the rest of the Hokies ran off the court, Custis did an angry spin in front of the Tech fans under that basket, certain he'd been hacked.
One Virginia player, his identity obscured by a warmup jacket, ran down the court to Custis and hugged him, saying over and over, ``It's all right, it's all right.''
Custis finally trudged off the court, the last Hokie to leave.
The Hokies took a 58-51 lead with 2:32 to play when guard Damon Watlington hit a short baseline jumper as the 35-second clock was about to expire.
However, Virginia roared back. Jamal Robinson rolled in a layup with 2:17 left, then Curtis Staples stole the inbounds pass.
Virginia's Junior Burrough, unstoppable down low all night with 22 points, faked as if to shoot, but instead passed to Jason Williford. He scored on a reverse layup and was fouled by David Jackson. Williford, who finished with 18 points, made the free throw to trimthe deficit to two.
Custis scored to run Virginia Tech's lead back to four with 1:45 to play, and again the Hokies appeared to be safe when Deane was called for charging Shawn Good.
That set off a wacky sequence in which it appeared neither team had the nerve to win. Deane stole the ball from Good at midcourt and was ahead of the pack for a layup when he lost the ball back to Good, who slapped it to Watlington.
He passed to Smith, who was fouled but missed both free throws with 1:18 to play.
Williford hit two free throws to bring Virginia within two, then stole the ball from a bewildered Smith at the foul line.
He scored, was fouled by Custis with 53.8 seconds left and sank the free throw for a 61-60 Virginia lead.
Custis hit two free throws with 34.3 seconds to play, after which Deane took the ball at three-quarter court and gradually spun his way to the basket for the game-winner.
VIRGINIA TECH (19-9): Custis 4-9 4-6 12, Smith 5-12 4-9 14, T.Jackson 4-9 2-2 11, Good 4-10 1-2 9, Watlington 2-8 6-7 10, D.Jackson 2-3 0-0 6. Totals 21-51 17-26 62.
VIRGINIA (20-7): Burrough 11-17 0-3 22, Williford 6-9 5-5 18, Alexander 1-1 0-0 2, Staples 3-10 0-0 9, Deane 3-11 2-3 10, Ellsworth 0-0 0-0 0, Barnes 0-1 0-0 0, Robinson 1-2 0-0 2, Nolan 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-51 7-11 63.
Halftime-Virginia Tech 29, Virginia 26. 3-Point goals-Virginia Tech 3-6 (T.Jackson 1-2, Good 0-1, Watlington 0-1, D.Jackson 2-2), Virginia 6-17 (Williford 1-2, Staples 3-7, Deane 2-8). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Virginia Tech 33 (T.Jackson 9), Virginia 31 (Burrough 9). Assists-Virginia Tech 11 (Watlington 4), Virginia 16 (Deane 8). Fouls-Virginia Tech 17, Virginia 21. A-9,418. by CNB