Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 21, 1994 TAG: 9402210065
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: TAMPA, FLA. LENGTH: Medium
The rewards, which had trickled in, rained on South Florida on Saturday.
Jackson, a fifth-year player making his first start since early last season, scored 18 points as Tech ripped the Bulls 65-40 in a Metro Conference game before 3,447 spectators at the Sun Dome.
The Hokies improved their record to 15-8 overall and 4-6 in the Metro with their second consecutive victory. It was their first victory in 17 Metro road games under third-year coach Bill Foster.
Foster used to gnash his teeth over Jackson's indifference to anything except his jump shot. No more.
"He's earned the right to take about any shot he wants, because he's worked so hard in other areas," Tech's coach said.
Jackson started in place of sophomore Jim Jackson, who stayed in Blacksburg with a back injury.
Corey Jackson had scored 28 points in his first 18 games this season but has 45 in his past five.
"It has to do with growing up a little bit," Jackson said. "I have to be able to play in all kinds of situations. The Good Lord helps me. I talk with family and a very few close friends. That's where it comes from - inside."
On Saturday, it came from outside. Jackson made four of eight shots from 3-point range, two on consecutive possessions in the first half that gave Tech a one-point lead.
His 15-foot jumper from the baseline came in the middle of a 15-2 Hokies run that made the score 25-13 with 6 minutes, 26 seconds left in the first half.
It was the second consecutive first-half flurry by Tech, which had an 18-0 spurt in a victory over Virginia Commonwealth on Thursday. In that game, VCU went scoreless from the field for 10:32. On Saturday, South Florida (10-13, 2-7) didn't make a field goal for 9:35.
In the second half, a tentative Bulls charge was cut off by eight consecutive points from Jackson - two 3-pointers and a 10-foot jumper that kicked the Hokies' lead to 48-27.
South Florida had dropped into a 2-3 zone, but Tech was waiting.
"Our kids read it," Foster said. "We played those five or six possessions against their zone really beautiful."
The Bulls missed regularly, open or not. They shot 27.5 percent, their second-poorest figure this season, and their 40 points were the fewest at home in school history.
Tech outrebounded South Florida 47-32, and the Bulls made one of 11 3-point attempts and 11 of 21 free throws (52.4 percent). Last season, in a 77-50 USF victory over Tech here, the Bulls were 7-for-12 from 3-point range.
South Florida guard Chucky Atkins, whose ankle sprain took him out of Tech's victory in Blacksburg this season before he scored, was 2-for-9 from the field Saturday and 0-for-5 from 3-point range.
Bobby Paschal, the Bulls' coach, poured equal parts praise on Tech and acid on his team for its dead-battery performance. South Florida was 8-2 at home this season before Saturday's game.
"Virginia Tech's got a nice basketball team, but I guarantee you Virginia Tech can't be totally responsible for doing all that to us," Paschal said. "I have no explanation as to why. I almost feel like I should be apologizing for the way we played."
Not so Tech, which had much more go right than Jackson's performance. The Hokies shot 54.2 percent from the field in the first half en route to a 13-point lead.
Guard Shawn Good led the team in rebounds with eight and added four assists, four steals and two turnovers in 29 minutes.
Center Jimmy Carruth disrupted Jesse Salters, the Bulls' top inside threat, and finished with seven blocks.
"They kept coming at me," Carruth said. "[We wanted to] take it back to them defensively.
"This is our year - the seniors. We're leading."
Foster said winning a Metro road game chopped another goal off Tech's preseason list. Postseason play is the biggest one left, and Foster said it "will be a full-time job" for the Hokies to play on after the Metro Tournament. The tournament will be played March 11-13 in Biloxi, Miss.
The Hokies did move 1 1/2 games ahead of last-place South Florida in the Metro standings.
"You're playing as much for third or fourth [in the league] as you are to get yourself out of the seventh spot," Foster said.
At least one team was Saturday.
"They approached it as if it was a very important game," Paschal said of the Hokies. "We approached it as if it meant nothing at all."
by CNB