Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, December 29, 1994 TAG: 9412300083
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DWIGHT FOXX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KNOSVILLE, TENN. LENGTH: Medium
Junior forward Shawn Smith scored 24 points, including 9-for-9 shooting from the free-throw line, as the Hokies improved their record to 9-1 with a 73-64 victory over Tennessee on Wednesday night at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The victory was Virginia Tech's first in Knoxville and came 10 years after its only other visit.
Smith, who almost chose Tennessee as a senior at Huss High School in Gastonia, N.C., was outstanding the entire night and kept the Volunteers at bay with his shooting and passing.
Tennessee had cut a 12-point Virginia Tech lead to one, 50-49, with 9 minutes, 1 second remaining, but Smith hit two free throws to extend the lead to three. After a defensive rebound, he hit fellow forward Ace Custis with a pass in the post and Custis converted to make the margin five.
But once again, Tennessee came back, closing to 58-56 with 4:26 remaining. But Virginia Tech would put away the much-improved Vols on a 3-point shot by Shawn Good and a layup by Good on a back-door pass from Smith.
Smith, who scored 14 of his 24 in the second half, said he was most proud of his second-half passing. He and guard Damon Watlington shared the team lead with four assists each.
``Leading the team in assists,'' Smith said when asked if he preferred leading the team in assists or points. ``I was trying to get everybody else into the flow. The thing I'm most proud of was leading the team in assists.''
But it was his scoring that ultimately doomed Tennessee (4-3). He scored eight points in the final five minutes, including two turnaround jumpers over the Vols' 7-foot Steve Hamer.
``Shawn Smith stuck some baskets when we had to make it,'' said Bill Foster, the Hokies' coach. ``He's great with his back to the basket.''
Smith, who may be his high school's second-most famous basketball player next to Eric ``Sleepy`` Floyd, said former Vols coach Wade Houston recruited him hard out of high school.
``If I had gotten my SAT coming out of high school, I probably would have went to Tennessee,'' said the junior forward. ``When I was at Fork Union, Virginia Tech was the first school that contacted me.''
For that, Foster is thankful.
``He's a great passer,'' the Hokies' coach said. ``He's got what a coach calls soft hands, wonderful hands. I'd like to take credit for his passing, but I can't. That's one of the reasons we recruited him.''
Both Smith and Foster believe that with a victory Saturday against Delaware State, the Hokies might make an appearance in next week's Top 25 poll.
``Tennessee is well-coached,'' Smith said. ``Coach [Kevin] O'Neill does a good job; he kept them in the game. I take my hat off to Tennessee. They're going to surprise some people in the SEC. This road win will help us as far as the NCAA Tournament.''
O'Neill, the Vols' first-year coach, says his 4-3 squad can attribute all three of its losses to poor play in the first half. Tennessee (4-3) is 4-0 when leading at halftime and 0-3 when trailing in O'Neill's first season as coach.
``I think in all three of our losses, we lost the game in the first half,'' said O'Neill, whose team trailed 37-25. ``I don't think we've gotten to the point mentally where we are prepared for top 30 teams. You play a half, you get a loss. We didn't deserve to win tonight.''
David Jackson, the Hokies' sixth man, was involved in a brief elbowing incident with the Vols' Hamer in the first half.
Hamer grabbed a defensive rebound with 4:50 remaining in the period and his team trailing 21-15. Hamer proceeded to continue to swing his elbows at Jackson after grabbing the rebound. The officials called a foul on Hamer and the Vols' fans erupted with disapproval.
While going to his team's bench, after being replaced on the play, Hamer struck official Andre Patillo on the jaw and was given a technical foul.
``I kind of fell and just put my arm out,'' Jackson said, describing what started the incident. ``He hit me once on the chin, too.''
The play seemed to spark Jackson, who scored eight points to go with Smith's 10 as the Hokies built their halftime margin.
Jackson's play was crucial throughout the game as Tech only received five points from Watlington and eight from Custis.
see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
BASKETBALL
by CNB