THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 14, 1996 TAG: 9601140219
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BOB MOLINARO
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
On one side of the interview room at University Hall, guard Curtis Staples wore a Band-Aid over a gash above his right eye.
On the opposite side of the room, Harold Deane had his right leg stretched out on a chair. An ice pack was taped to his hip. Another one was wrapped around his calf.
``We got the loose balls,'' Deane was saying. ``We made the hustle plays. We got down on the floor. We got dirty.''
They got banged up, too, as good a sign as any that the Cavaliers were playing their style of ball once again.
When assessing U.Va.'s 77-66 victory over Duke Saturday, the trainer's report may be as reliable as the box score. The Cavaliers shed more blood, lost more skin and hit the floor more often than the curiously docile Devils.
``We're playing very soft,'' said Duke guard Chris Collins. ``We're letting people bully us.''
Over the years, nothing has played into U.Va.'s favor more than a game of bullyball. Under Terry Holland, and now Jeff Jones, the Cavaliers have thrived on hand-to-hand combat.
This season, as in some others, it has taken U.Va.'s players awhile to revisit the program's roots. Losing usually helps the process.
Virginia started the day only one game over .500, and 1-2 in ACC play. Worse, in their 10-point loss at Clemson last week, the Cavaliers were outscraped. It was Clemson, not U.Va., that left everything on the court that night.
Saturday, a more resolute U.Va. reverted to traditional form.
``They played a lot harder, a lot more together,'' Mike Krzyzewski said.
``They're more physical than we are,'' added the Duke coach. ``Not that they're fouling. They can just play really hard-nosed basketball. Their defense was outstanding late in the game.''
And Duke?
``Teams turn it up and we don't turn it up,'' said Jeff Capel, the Blue Devils' junior guard.
A year ago, Duke began the ACC campaign 0-4. The Devils are 0-4 again, with two losses on their home floor.
``We think this is a different team than last year,'' Capel said.
With Krzyzewski back on the bench, this should be a tougher team, a more confident one. But the pattern of Duke defeats remains eerily familiar.
Duke continues to lose the final five minutes of ACC games. Against U.Va., Duke went ahead 64-63 with 4:34 to play on a pair of free throws by Carmen Wallace.
The Blue Devils didn't score another point until Wallace tapped in a missed shot with 34.9 seconds remaining.
``Games are decided in the last few minutes,'' said Deane, relishing U.Va.'s 14-2 final flourish.
``I think U.Va. wanted this game more down the stretch,'' acknowledged Capel. ``They out-toughed us.''
He shook his head, and ran a brush over his hair. ``That,'' Capel said, ``is totally unacceptable.''
For fans accustomed to better, the remainder of the ACC season may, at times, seem unacceptable.
In the press room Saturday, writers joked about what it would take to win the conference's regular season.
``Eight and eight,'' predicted one.
``Maybe 7-9,'' said another.
If that's the case, perhaps U.Va. still can become a contender.
Like Duke, though, most of the Cavaliers' scoring comes from the perimeter. When the shots don't fall, U.Va. must fall back on what's worked in the past.
``We've got to be the toughest team out there,'' Deane said. ``We can win if we are.''
Maybe so ... as long as the Band-Aids and ice hold out. by CNB