ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 17, 1995 TAG: 9512170014
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ATLANTA
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Virginia Tech basketball coach Bill Foster only wishes the latest story coming out of the state of Georgia was a hoax.
What the University of Georgia did to the 17th-ranked Hokies on Saturday definitely wasn't speculation. Fact is, it was a certified rear-end kicking.
With the school's rumored courtship of Tech football coach Frank Beamer apparently dead, the Bulldogs' basketball team left nary a doubt, thumping the Hokies 85-72 at the Georgia Dome.
The loss was the first of the season for Tech (3-1), which had won a nation's best eight games in a row dating back to last season's National Invitation Tournament run.
``Let's face it,'' Tech senior Shawn Smith said, ``those guys handed us our tails today.''
Georgia (6-1) may do that to a lot of folks this season. The Bulldogs have a lot of athletes and now they have a coach who knows how to use them.
After the 'Dawgs' back-to-back convincing victories over Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech in a span of three days, first-year 'Dawgs coach Tubby Smith has quickly become a popular guy in these parts.
``Hey, Tubby, can you coach our football team, too?'' one Georgia backer hollered.
Although the final margin Saturday was 13, it wasn't that close. The Bulldogs, shooting a season-high 62.5 percent (30-of-48) from the floor, led by as many as 19 before Tech made it semi-respectable at the end.
Tech attempted to make a run, cutting an 11-point halftime deficit to 44-37 with 16:47 left. But the 'Dawgs answered with an 11-2 run in the next 21/2 minutes to make it 55-39 and turn the lights out on Tech.
``When they shoot the ball like that, they're going to be tough for anybody to beat,'' Foster said.
Guard Katu Davis paced four 'Dawgs in double figures with 18 points. Forward Shandon Anderson had 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including his team's final nine points of the first half.
Shooting wasn't Georgia's only big edge. The 'Dawgs pounded the Hokies 39-26 on the backboards, not to mention the fact they seemingly retrieved every loose ball. All the positives offset Georgia's 23 turnovers.
``We didn't play good defense like we can,'' said Tech's Smith. ``Every time we needed a stop, we couldn't come up with it. Give 'em credit. They took it to us.
``They're one of the quickest teams I've ever seen. All their big men can run, too.''
Foster said the 'Dawgs made the Hokies ``look like we were running in quicksand'' in the first half.
Foster noted he had an inkling his club may be in trouble on this trip after a week of bad practices. The Hokies hadn't played since last Saturday, spending most of the week preparing for exams.
``It was like we had post-exam syndrome,'' Foster said. ``We were still in the classroom.
``I'm not using that as a crutch. Georgia's players have to take exams, too.''
Foster said the fact that the game was Tech's first real test played a factor, too.
``I think that was in Georgia's advantage,'' Foster said. ``They went to North Carolina and played awfully well the second half and they beat Georgia Tech convincingly. Meanwhile, we played three teams [Coastal Carolina, William and Mary and VMI], which, quite honestly, we were a lot better than they were.''
Damon Watlington paced the Hokies with 20 points. Ace Custis had 18, while Smith added 17. That was basically it for a Tech offense that shot only 41 percent from the field.
``We need to take this one and try to learn from it,'' said Foster, whose team gets West Virginia in Blacksburg on Monday.
``Hey, we all knew we weren't going to go undefeated. And neither is anybody else.''
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 76 linesby CNB