Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 11, 1995 TAG: 9503140047
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: GREENSBORO, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
``My first thought?'' Burrough said in response to a question. ``That I had missed two free throws.''
That was all that separated Burrough from his perfect game as he finished with a career-high 36 points in Virginia's 77-67 victory over Georgia Tech.
Burrough, who had never scored more than 28 points in a college game, had 26 points in the second half as 11th-ranked UVa advanced to the ACC tournament semifinals for the eighth time in nine years.
The Cavaliers (22-7) will meet No.7 Wake Forest (22-5) at 1:30 p.m. The Demon Deacons are the last team to beat Virginia, which has 10 victories in the past 11 games.
``We still haven't gotten the respect that some of the other teams have,'' UVa forward Jason Williford said. ``People think it's a fluke that we've been winning like this. It's helped give us a hard edge.''
The Cavaliers' victory was their third of the season and fourth in a row over the Yellow Jackets, who had beaten Virginia nine straight times between 1990-94.
Most recently UVa had crushed Georgia Tech 83-60 in Atlanta, and the Yellow Jackets were determined to prevent a repeat of the Cavaliers' 11-of-19 assault from 3-point range.
``I've never seen so much room,'' Burrough said. ``One time I set up on the low block, and [Matt] Harpring had both feet on the other side of the 3-point line. He was the only [Georgia Tech] player between me and the ball.''
UVa's perimeter players relentlessly worked the ball to Burrough, a 6-foot-8, 242-pound senior who did most of his damage on turnarounds after a drop-step move to the middle.
``I've never seen him play like that,'' said Georgia Tech guard Drew Barry, a fourth-year junior. ``He just killed us. We knew they would emphasize the 3-point shot, but we didn't want to forget about Junior. There was just nothing we could do, though.''
Georgia Tech (18-12) had based its hopes of an upset on the return of Barry, who missed the most recent UVa game with a sprained ankle. However, even Barry's playmaking didn't keep the Yellow Jackets from shooting 30 percent in the first half.
UVa coach Jeff Jones was disturbed when the Cavaliers, ahead 37-24 with 21/2 minutes left in the first half, missed their last six shots and took a 37-30 lead into the dressing room.
``Junior started off the game playing extremely well, [and] I think he got a little spoiled,'' Jones said. ``Maybe he had in mind that this was one of those nights when everything was going in.
``After his first four or five buckets, Georgia Tech tightened up and started to push him out [of the lane]. He accepted that. We had a little discussion about how he needed to play a little stronger.''
The tone was set on UVa's second possession of the second half, when Burrough picked up the third foul on Georgia Tech's best inside player, James Forrest. The Cavaliers had shot only one free throw to that point, but were 14-of-16 in the second half, including 10 straight by Burrough.
``Junior Burrough was sensational,'' Georgia Tech coach Bobby Cremins said. ``James got in foul trouble, we had to put our freshmen against him, we tried zone, we tried several different things, but he was fabulous.''
The Yellow Jackets hit five second-half 3-pointers and cut a 16-point deficit to 67-60 with 4:57 remaining but couldn't avoid a second straight opening-game loss since their 1993 ACC championship.
Senior guard Travis Best led Georgia Tech with 21 points, but was only 8-of-22 from the field. Forrest, once a first-team All-ACC player, had a season-low seven points before fouling out.
Sophomore guard Harold Deane had a rare off day for Virginia, making one of nine shots from the field, but freshman Curtis Staples overcame a slow start to finish with 14 points, including four 3-pointers.
``Today, for the first time I can remember, I wasn't looking for my shot first,'' said Staples, the ACC leader in 3-point field goals. ``When I came off screens, unless I was wide open, I was looking to go inside.''
Burrough scored almost as many points in the second half as he did in three ACC tournament games last year, but he wasn't seeking vindication for that or a snub from the media, who relegated him to third-team All-ACC.
``I just wish this game meant more,'' said Burrough, who went 13-of-23 from the field. ``All it means is that we'll be playing the winner of the second [Friday] game on TV. It wasn't for a championship or anything.''
Keywords:
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by CNB