ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, February 3, 1996 TAG: 9602040011
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: TECH NOTES
DATELINE: WARWICK, R.I.
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Since losing a wheel 10 days ago at George Washington, Virginia Tech's men's basketball appears to have tightened its lugnuts.
Bill Foster, coach of the 13th-ranked Hokies, said, in retrospect, that Tech's embarrassing 64-47 loss at GW on Jan.25 did his club a favor.
Since that blowout, the Hokies have appeared more finely tuned in home victories over Fordham, St. Joseph's and UNC Greensboro.
"Looking back,'' said Foster, "I think that game really helped us. I believe it's really gotten our guys refocused.
"I think it was the same thing after the Georgia game [Tech's first loss on Dec.16]. We came after that one and ran off nine [victories] in a row.''
For Tech (15-2 overall, 7-1 Atlantic 10) to continue its latest run, it will have to pass a tough road test today at dangerous Rhode Island (12-6, 4-3).
The Hokies, whose West Division lead over GW has shrunk to a half-game, will have to get it done on the road. Five of Tech's final eight A-10 regular-season games are away from Cassell Coliseum.
"Our guys know how important the league games are on the road,'' Foster said. "We call it stealing the game ... every time we win one on the road in the league we say we stole one because that's kind of how you feel.
"We've got five road games left, and I think for us to take care of business, we've got to steal two or three of those road wins.''
ANOTHER SAVE: Although no statistics are available, Tech assistant coach Bobby Hussey must lead the country in coaching games saved the past two seasons.
Hussey steered the Hokies home Wednesday against UNC Greensboro when Foster left the bench with approximately six minutes left because of stomach problems. Foster left early in three games last season because of the same problem.
Foster suffers from a stomach disorder that tends to flare up in the heat of battle.
"I take this stuff to try and help me on game day,'' Foster said. "With four [games] in seven days, if I took that stuff every day, I'd be in the Twilight Zone.
"I didn't take it and I made it almost all the way through four games without anything. I can get back on my routine now that we don't have that kind of schedule.
"I just have to have something. I've always been that way. Everything goes to my stomach. I wouldn't have left if it had been close.
"Oh well. Bobby needed some time in the other seat anyhow.''
EN MASSE FOR UMASS: The Hokies checked into their Warlock motel Thursday night in time to catch most of Massachusetts' shockingly easy 59-35 rout at Temple.
Senior center Travis Jackson might as well have been speaking for the entire team when he said he was pulling for top-ranked UMass to win.
"I think everybody would like to see them unbeaten when they come to Blacksburg [on Feb. 17],'' Jackson said.
"We'd like to get a shot at being the first one to knock them off. If we could pull that off I believe it would really open some eyes around the country. We're at home, but it won't be easy. They're a damned good team.''
Barring an unlikely slip against Duquesne on Tuesday or Liberty on Feb.13, Tech will have a 17-game home winning streak when UMass comes calling two weeks from today.
UMass, the nation's only unbeaten, likely will be 24-0 when facing Tech. The Minutemen will be huge favorites to beat Xavier, Fordham, Temple and La Salle before catching Tech.
QUICK GETAWAY: Only one other Tech club has started 15-2. The 1916-17 squad was 15-2 en route to a 17-2 season. One of that team's victories was a 53-28 on the road against the Roanoke MICA.
JACKED JANUARY: Tech was 9-1 in January. Only one other Tech team - the 1975-76 squad - recorded nine victories in January.
This is only the third Tech team since 1935-36 to reach February with only two losses. The '65-66 club started 14-2 and lost its third game on Feb.1. Tech's '72-73 NIT championship team, which finished 22-5, made it to Feb.5 before losing for the third time.
TOURNAMENT TIME: Tickets for the A-10 tournament March 6-9 at the Philadelphia Civic Center are on sale at the Tech ticket office.
A complete tournament ticket package can be purchased in advance for $110 and $40 for Tech students. To order call 1-800-Vatic. Individual session tickets, if available, will go on sale at the civic center just prior to the tournament.
If Tech finishes first or second in the West, it will get a first-round bye into the March 7 quarterfinals. If Tech wins the West, it will face the East No.4-West No.5 winner. If Tech finishes second, it will play the West No.6-East No.3 survivor.
TECH TIDBITS: Tech's 15 straight victories at Cassell Coliseum is the longest since the Hokies won 21 straight from Jan. 14, 1965 to Jan. 18, 1967. UMass game won't be the only big happening on Feb.17 in Blacksburg. A parade honoring the Tech football team's Sugar Bowl victory over Texas will commence on Main Street at 10 a.m. The football team will be honored at halftime of the basketball game, which tips at noon and will be televised by ESPN. ... Speaking of ESPN, the cable network's cameras have been kind to Foster & Co. Tech has won its past seven games televised by the sports channel. ... As of Feb.1, Rhode Island was the nation's second-most improved team. The Rams already have won five more games than last season when they were 7-20. Only Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, coached by former Tech star Jeff Schneider, has shown more improvement on the Division I level. Schneider's club is 9-9, up eight victories from last season's 1-26 log.
LENGTH: Long : 103 linesby CNB