Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 26, 1991 TAG: 9102260147
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
The Cavaliers, who had lost five of their previous seven games, pulled away early in the second half for a 72-49 basketball victory against Towson State before a sparse turnout of 5,000 at University Hall.
"I'm not going to sit up here and pretend it's the best team we've played," UVa coach Jeff Jones said, "but it's a good team that, basically, breezed through its conference schedule."
Towson State already has clinched the regular-season title in the ECC at 10-2 and arrived with a 17-9 record overall, but the Tigers shot 32.8 percent (20-of-61) from the field, 27.0 (10-of-37) in the second half.
"I very seriously thought about practicing [after the game] and I've never done that in eight years," said Towson coach Terry Truax, a one-time Virginia assistant.
"It's a good thing we have a bye in the first round of our conference tournament, but bye probably could have beaten us tonight."
Virginia, which had dropped to 25th in The Associated Press poll, shot 66.7 percent (18-of-27) in the second half and 55.7 (28-of-51) for the game in raising its record to 20-9, its third straight season with 20 victories.
Jones said he still believes the Cavaliers will receive an invitation to the NCAA Tournament.
"It's such an inexact science," Jones said. "At 17-4, we were looking pretty good. Even after a couple of losses . . . it still looked pretty good. As you start losing, you begin to wonder, `Well, what if?'
"You can't take it for granted that we're in, but you also don't want to put undue pressure on yourselves. But I've got to think we're in."
After blowing a 20-point second-half lead Saturday at North Carolina State, Virginia jumped to a 7-0 lead Monday night. Towson came back to make it 7-7 and trailed 21-19 with under three minutes left in the half.
"I think both teams expected more of each other early in the game," Truax said, "but Towson State didn't live up to its side of the bargain.
"At a program like ours, you should point to a game like this all year. It looked like we had forgotten we had played Syracuse to a five-point game [78-73] in December."
Chuck Lightening had 14 points and Old Dominion transfer Terrance Jacobs had 13 for the Tigers, who have not beaten an ACC school in 15 tries.
Kenny Turner had 16 points and 10 rebounds, John Crotty added 15 points and center Ted Jeffries matched his career high with 14 points for UVa. Jeffries had not scored in double figures in 11 straight games.
"This lets everybody know I can score," Jeffries said. "I'm still here. I'm not just another player on the court."
Jeffries contributed eight rebounds and held his counterpart, John James, scoreless.
"We have continually encouraged Ted and sometimes we've yelled and screamed to motivate him to play the way he can," Jones said.
What displeased Jones the most was the crowd, which appeared even smaller than estimated.
"Obviously, the fact you could hear me from the bench meant we didn't have very much of a crowd," Jones said. "Even despite the fact that we've been slumping a little bit, that was very discouraging.
"I think the coach definitely has some responsibility for that. When we make our trek around the state this spring, it's something I'll address. These guys, quite honestly, deserve better." TOWSON MPFGFTRAFPT Lightening 286-152-342114Brown 210-33-43033James 290-20-05130Boyd 212-80-01025Jacobs 316-120-261313Griffin 110-10-02030Waller 202-60-00004Campbell 221-60-02122Caldwell 60-10-01000Mason 20-10-00000Ray 22-30-02004Manning 10-00-00000Totals 20020-617-163151749 VIRGINIA MPFGFTRAFPT Turner 326-104-6103316Stith 283-94-560411Jeffries 286-82-582014Parker 231-40-04212Crotty 316-91-217115Blundin 191-30-37002Oliver 123-40-01026Katstra 110-20-02020Smith 111-12-22134Kirby 20-00-00010Havlicek 21-10-00002Floriani 10-00-00000Totals 20028-5113-2342151772 Rebounds include team rebounds Score by periods: Towson State22-27-49 Virginia31-41-72
Three-point goals - Towson State: Boyd 1-3, Jacobs 1-2, Waller 0-1, Ray 0-1, Totals 2-7. Virginia: Crotty 2-2, Stith 1-3, Turner 0-1, Totals 3-6.
Turnovers - Towson State 11 (Boyd 3, Jacobs 3); Virginia 12 (Three with 2). Blocked shots - Towson State 4 (James 2); Virginia 7 (Parker 3). Steals - Towson State 4 (Four with 1); Virginia 6 (Crotty 2, Jeffries 2).
Technical fouls - None. Officials - Corbin, Styons, Wall. Attendance - 5,000.
by CNB