Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 14, 1991 TAG: 9102140238
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
These Virginia Tech Hokies are beyond predictability or analysis.
Tech, trying to avoid losing five straight basketball games at Cassell Coliseum for the first time in school history, did so Wednesday by doing something it hadn't done in seven years: beating Louisville for the second time in the same season.
Sophomore Thomas Elliott scored 16 second-half points and sophomore Rod Wheeler had 19 after halftime to spark the Hokies to a 72-56 victory against Louisville, which has gone from first to last in the Metro Conference in one season.
Even more odd, Tech has won but twice in its past 12 games - both against Louisville, last year's Metro champion.
"We know we've pretty much been inconsistent on a regular basis this year," Wheeler said, thinking of Saturday's 99-66 loss at Tulane. "The game Saturday was behind us; that's the past. There's nothing we can do about it."
Elliott, Wheeler, Erik Wilson, John Rivers and freshman Don Corker played the entire second half as Tech overcame a three-point halftime deficit.
"I could just see in their eyes that they wanted to be out there," Tech coach Frankie Allen said. "No sense breaking up that chemistry."
Tech (9-13 overall, 3-7 Metro) escaped the Metro's basement by winning for the 300th time in 30 years at Cassell. Louisville (8-13, 2-9), off to its worst start in 50 years, stayed in the Metro cellar.
"We've played them twice and we haven't had five minutes of good play in the two games," said Louisville coach Denny Crum, referring to Tech's 86-79 victory at Louisville two weeks ago. "As bad as we played [Wednesday], it's amazing we didn't get beat worse."
Elliott, the 13th different player to start a game for the Hokies this year, finished with 20 points and Wheeler had 24. They were a combined 14-of-15 from the free-throw line; the Hokies scored 15 of their last 17 points on free throws. The other two were Elliott's alley-oop dunk off an inbounds pass from Wheeler with no time left.
"It kind of hit us midway through the second half that we were still out there," Elliott said. "We were wondering when our subs were coming in. But we played relaxed and felt pretty good out there."
Wheeler didn't start for the seventh straight game but had his second 20-point game as a reserve.
"When you're involved in a good game, it seems like it's hard to get tired," Wheeler said. "I just want to come off the bench and play well."
Wheeler said once Louisville became aware of Elliott's offense, it freed him up to come off picks. The pair scored all but two of Tech's points in the first 17 minutes of the second half.
Tech tied the score at 31 on Elliott's three-point play with 18:09 left in the half and took the lead for good on Wheeler's 3-pointer that made it 44-41 with 11:36 left.
Louisville, playing against an occasional triangle-and-two defense, shot 39 percent from the field in the second half and made just four of nine free throws.
"The second half was the best we executed this year," Allen said.
LOUISVILLE MPFGFTRAFPT Webb 221-41-22423Holden 354-70-315048T. Smith 311-41-44153Sullivan 332-103-42329L. Smith 357-112-242219Brewer 205-90-041512Wingfield 140-00-03010Stone 71-40-01012Calhoun 30-00-00000Totals 20021-497-1537112256 VA. TECH MPFGFTRAFPT Elliott 316-117-751020Rivers 381-60-26112Wilson 330-43-410143Moses 134-100-01019Purcell 111-50-01103Jackson 121-40-02022Carruth 70-00-01010Williams 20-20-00000Wheeler 297-127-822024Corker 241-57-84449Totals 20021-5924-2936101372 Rebounds include team rebounds Score by periods: Louisville 28-28-56 Virginia Tech 25-47-72
Three-point goals - Louisville: Holden 0-1, Sullivan 2-8, L. Smith 3-5, Brewer 2-5, Totals 7-19. Virginia Tech: Elliott 1-4, Wilson 0-1, Moses 1-4, Purcell 1-2, Wheeler 3-4, Totals 6-15.
Turnovers - Louisville 23 (T. Smith, Sullivan 4); Virginia Tech 12 (Corker, Wilson 3). Blocked shots - Louisville 6 (Holden 6); Virginia Tech 2 (Elliott, Rivers). Steals - Louisville 7 (L. Smith 3); Virginia Tech 10 (Purcell 3).
Technical fouls - None. Officials - Paparo, Taylor, Sitton. Attendance - 5,418.
by CNB