ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, December 11, 1995 TAG: 9512110111
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: TECH NOTES
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
While their overwhelming support of Virginia Tech's Sugar Bowl-bound football team has produced recent headlines, Hokie fans certainly can't be accused of leaving their basketball team unattended.
Perhaps the biggest surprise thus far in the 3-0 start by Coach Bill Foster's 19th-ranked Hokies has been the rapidly spinning turnstiles at Cassell Coliseum.
In its first two home games, both against less-than-marquee opponents (Coastal Carolina and VMI), Tech has played to crowds of 7,791 and 8,234 for an 8,013 average.
Just how generous is that response? Well, consider that last season the Hokies topped 8,000 only once - 9,081 for UNC Charlotte - in 15 Cassell dates.
Foster, who at times in his Tech tenure has bemoaned the lack of support for his program, admitted he's impressed.
``I'm really, really tickled to death about our crowds,'' he said. ``Can you have imagined three or four years ago with us playing two December home games with Coastal and VMI and averaging over 8,000 per game?
``Our kids really appreciate that. Our fans have gotten behind us. I think there's going to be lot of fun nights in the Cassell coming up.''
Tech hasn't averaged more than 8,000 at home since 1987-88, when Frankie Allen's 19-10 squad led by Bimbo Coles averaged 8,714 at the 10,052-seat Cassell.
In Foster's first two seasons (1991-92 and '92-93), home attendance swooned to 4,652 and 4,432 for a pair of 10-18 squads. The number increased to 6,219 in '93-94 and 6,241 last season.
``I knew the fans would respond when we came out for Midnight Madness [Oct.15] and I saw 5,000-6,000 people in the seats,'' said Travis Jackson, Tech's senior center.
``We had more for that practice than we did most of the games in my first couple of years here.''
Winning helps. Coming off last season's National Invitation Tournament title, this Tech club entered the season with perhaps the highest expectations of any in the school's basketball history.
The carryover from last season's success and all the preseason hype translated into much higher season-ticket sales. The Hokies sold 2,659 season tickets (including 234 mini-plans), up more than 40 percent from last season.
REDSHIRTING STORY: Due to his club's immense depth, Foster had hoped to redshirt at least two players - sophomore forward Shawn Browne and freshman forward Andre Ray.
While Ray elected to take that option, Browne did not. Despite Foster's prodding, Browne decided he didn't want to sit out a second straight year at Tech. The 6-foot-6 forward sat out last season after being declared ineligible by the NCAA for a problem with his high school transcript.
``Shawn just didn't want to do it,'' Foster said. ``He said, `Coach, it's all right if I get a minute here, a minute there or whatever, I love being part of the team. I'm going to be 24 when I graduate; I don't need to be 25.'
``He's got a great attitude. I know it's been frustrating for him. He could have gone to four or five other places. He came here, and he hasn't gotten lot of minutes. He's a good kid, and I think something good will happen for him down the road.''
The decision to redshirt wasn't as difficult for the 18-year-old Ray, who was very impressive in preseason practice.
``Andre is happy with his decision,'' Foster said. ``It just took him a little while to come to grips with it.''
TOUGH STRETCH: After opening with three teams it should beat, Tech now moves up in class. Before heading into Atlantic 10 play on Jan.7, the Hokies face what Foster called ``about as tough a five-game stretch as we've played since I've been here.''
The test begins Saturday in Atlanta against Georgia. Then comes West Virginia (Dec.18 at home), Virginia (Dec.28 in Roanoke), Wright State (Dec.31 in New Orleans) and UNC Charlotte (Jan.4 in Worcester, Mass.).
``All five have some big kids ... there [are] three 7-footers in that group of five schools,'' Foster said.
``Our schedule so far has been kind of like we want it. We've had three games with a lot of practice time in between, and, hopefully, we can keep people healthy. This five-game stretch should really get us ready for conference play.''
TECH TIDBITS: As Foster expected, it took his club several minutes to adjust to VMI's frenetic run-and-gun pace in Saturday's 99-67 Tech victory. ``Travis [Jackson, Tech's senior center] almost got a cold those first three possessions with that guy blowing by him so fast,'' Foster jokingly said. ``Once we got used to [the pace], I thought we tightened the screws and played good defense.'' ... Browne, who didn't play the first two games, and 6-9 freshman center Alvaro Tor each scored their first hoops as Hokies against VMI. ... The victory over VMI pushed Tech's Cassell record to 85-6 vs. in-state competition. ... The Hokies fell one point short of 100 vs. VMI. Tech's 110-75 win over VMI last season marks the only time the Hokies have scored 100 at home in the 1990s.
LENGTH: Medium: 92 linesby CNB