ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, January 19, 1996 TAG: 9601190063
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
The revered Sports Illustrated jinx came within a whisker of claiming yet another victim Thursday night.
Only hours after this week's SI - one carrying a story on Virginia Tech's recent sports revival - hit the streets, Tech's 11th-ranked men's basketball team received the scare of its young Atlantic 10 life at Cassell Coliseum.
Outshot, outrebounded and outplayed by 19-point-underdog Dayton, Tech escaped with a 63-62 victory when Coby Turner missed an open, game-winning 10-foot jumper with 2 seconds left.
``All I can say is that we were lucky, lucky, lucky,'' said Tech coach Bill Foster, shaking his head in disbelief. ``I thought we got outplayed in about every aspect of the game. Sometimes, though, you just have to thank your lucky stars when you win one you shouldn't have.''
This one definitely belonged in that category. The Hokies (11-1 overall, 4-0 Atlantic 10) played defense as though they had their heads stuck in an SI. Oliver Purnell's pesky Flyers (1-3, 9-6) deserved all the headlines on this night.
The Flyers did everything but win, shooting 55 percent (23-of-42) from the field and outrebounding Tech 27-26.
After Ace Custis made one of two free throws to put the Hokies up 63-62 with 1:25 left, the Flyers had their chance to win.
After each team exchanged turnovers, Dayton's Josh Postorino missed a 12-footer with 10 seconds left, but Flyer Ryan Perryman grabbed the rebound and had it swatted out of bounds by a Tech defender.
With 8.7 seconds left, the Flyers set up shop under their basket. The inbounds pass went to 6-10 center Chris Daniels, who immediately whipped the ball to Turner. The 6-7 freshman forward dribbled into the lane, went up and fired a one-handed jumper. The ball caromed off the back iron into the hands of Tech's Keefe Matthews, who was fouled with 1.1 seconds showing.
``We got the shot we wanted against the 11th-ranked team in the country,'' Purnell said. ``To be in position to win at the buzzer and get that shot, you've got to give a lot of credit to our kids.''
Tech, not in the bonus situation, ate up the final second and a fraction when Custis heaved the ball down the court on the inbounds. Matthews got a hand on the ball, the clock started, and the horn blew.
And the Hokies had their eighth straight victory. Somehow.
``We dodged a bullet,'' said Matthews, who came up huge for Tech off the bench, scoring 10 points. ``We've got to realize that since we're No. 11 in the country that everybody is going to be coming at us and try to knock us off our perch.''
The Flyers, getting one easy shot after another down low with great dribble penetration, were only the second team all season to shoot better than 50 percent against Tech. The other one, Georgia, handed the Hokies their only loss.
``Our defense has disappeared,'' Foster said. ``Dayton's two inside guys [Daniels and Perryman, who combined for 34 points and 15 rebounds] just schooled us. I don't think they made more than four or five outside shots all night. They just worked us to death inside.
``Maybe this will be an attention-getter for our team. It appears that we were the fat cats tonight. Hey, this is a whole new deal for us, being ranked among the top teams in the country. Maybe we're feeling the heat a little bit.''
Tech, which shot 46.7 percent (28-of-60) from the floor, was paced by Custis' 17 points and eight rebounds. Senior guard Damon Watlington added 13 points and passed the 1,000-point barrier for his career.
Senior forward Shawn Smith continued his recent struggles, hitting only two of 10 shots. He had five points and three rebounds.
``That happens to everybody every once in awhile,'' Foster said. ``He will just have to pin his ears up and get it back.''
The Hokies travel to St. Bonaventure on Monday. Until then, they can read SI and practice playing defense.
``We can't be worrying about Sports Illustrated and all that stuff,'' Custis said. ``That stuff doesn't win any games for you.''
It sure can help you lose one. Well, almost.
Tech athletic director Dave Braine, who sweated out the finish watching near the Tech basket, said: "I thought for sure [the SI jinx] had gotten us.''
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ALAN KIM/Staff. Virginia Tech's Myron Guillory hurdlesby CNBDayton's Darnell Hahn after stealing the ball from the Flyers guard
Thursday night at Cassell Coliseum. The Hokies barely won, 63-62.