Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 14, 1991 TAG: 9102140189
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
The Stags will want to cover their eyes at the sight of 19th-ranked Virginia building a 43-point lead en route to a 84-52 victory at University Hall.
The Cavaliers outscored Fairfield 50-9 over one stretch and led 61-21 when coach Jeff Jones pulled the last of his starters with 15 minutes remaining.
"The first thing I want to say is Jeff was very kind tonight," Fairfield coach Mitch Buonaguro said. "This was a mismatch.
"I thought he was very sensitive. He's obviously a class act. I know other coaches would find it as an opportunity to hammer someone, and I don't think he did that."
It was a school-record 11th straight loss for the Stags (6-17), who were without leading scorer Kevin George, who remained home in Connecticut to work on his academics.
Virginia (18-7) was coming off a three-game losing streak, which Buonaguro did not consider a favorable omen for his team.
"This game originally was scheduled for early January," Buonaguro said. "To be honest, this is not a time for us to be playing Virginia.
"We just came off playing LaSalle, which has a terrific team, on Monday night. We're a young team, we're in the throes of a losing streak and we're missing our leading scorer. I thought this could happen."
Jones said the game was "a Dave Odom deal." Odom, a former UVa assistant, is in his second year as head coach at Wake Forest, where the schedule includes New Hampshire, Winthrop and Bucknell, a Fairfield victim earlier in the season.
"Next year, there's hardly any breathing room [on the UVa schedule] at all," Jones said. "I think it's something, at times, that a basketball team needs.
"We play a hell of a schedule, and there are few people in the country, who, on a consistent basis, who play as tough a schedule as we do.
"We play relatively few home games. We haven't shied away from going on the road or playing good non-conference opponents. Georgia Tech - have you looked at their schedule?"
Jones was responding to a mention of the Yellow Jackets' televised game Sunday against Arizona at the Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, N.J. Georgia Tech has played only two non-conference games on another team's home floor.
The Cavaliers started slowly Monday night before a crowd estimated at 5,400, the smallest turnout of the season at University Hall. UVa made only seven of its first 21 shots but never trailed.
After the Stags closed to 8-6 with 14:20 in the first half, UVa went on a 22-1 run and led 48-15 at halftime.
Jones used 12 players in the first half and went to the bench for good when the Cavaliers scored the first 10 points of the second half to go ahead 58-15.
FAIRFIELD MPFGFTRAFPT Sytulek 303-112-24128Henderson 295-121-4150211Brantley 274-81-44019Martin 201-32-23005Jones 383-132-24218Rodgers 101-30-03002Steele 123-41-21047Schwartz 150-20-01010Fitzsimons 50-00-01100Holland 121-50-03012Plansky 20-20-00110Totals 20021-639-164051352 VIRGINIA MPFGFTRAFPT Stith 205-100-021110Turner 195-101-1113011Jeffries 162-42-37216Parker 152-40-23204Crotty 175-91-101012Blundin 204-41-23039Kirby 134-60-03018Smith 122-30-00104Katstra 132-41-32135Johnson 110-10-01000Wilson 121-20-01232Havlicek 81-30-00002Stewart 113-100-05006Ford 71-21-30103Floriani 41-10-01102McGowan 20-10-00000Totals 20038-747-1544151284 Rebounds include team rebounds Score by periods: Fairfield 15-37-52 Virginia 48-36-84
Three-point goals - Fairfield: Sytulek 0-1, Martin 1-1, Jones 0-1, Rodgers 0-1, Plansky 0-1, Totals 1-5. Virginia: Stith 0-1, Turner 0-1, Crotty 1-3, Ford 0-1, Totals 1-6.
Turnovers - Fairfield 16 (Sytulek, Henderson, Jones 4); Virginia 10 (Smith, Johnson, Wilson 2). Blocked shots - Fairfield 4 (Brantley 2); Virginia 6 (six with 1). Steals - Fairfield 4 (four with 1); Virginia 9 (Stith 4).
Technical fouls - None. Officials - Pitts, Elliott, Grogan. Attendance - 5,400.
by CNB