ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, February 14, 1996 TAG: 9602140072
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
With UMass up next, Virginia Tech tried its darnedest to play UMess up Tuesday night.
On a night that was scheduled to be a tuneup for Saturday's much-hyped collision with No.1 Massachusetts, 10th-ranked Tech came shockingly close to being on the wrong end of maybe the biggest upset of the men's college basketball season.
In a verdict that guaranteed them national news four days before they wanted it, the Hokies had to come back from an 11-point second-half hole to beat unheralded Liberty University 56-53.
``We were really lucky to escape the second half and win,'' said Travis Jackson, Tech's starting center.
``I didn't really expect this. I would liked to have believed we were supposed to beat those guys pretty bad.''
For the longest time, most of the crowd of 7,134 must have wondered if Dr.Jerry Falwell, Liberty's founder, hadn't cut some kind of deal with the man upstairs.
The Flames, playing a smart game by running down the shot clock on offense, were torching Tech and its Cassell. After back-to-back 3-pointers by Marcus White, Liberty (12-10) led 38-27 with 15:41 to play. The Flames had a Top-10 club on the ropes in its own back yard.
``I thought we had 'em,'' White said.
``But Tech never looked worried. Even then, they didn't start rushing their shots or their offense.''
Suddenly understanding the urgency of the situation, a veteran Tech club began to work its way back into the game. The Hokies went on a 7-0 run to cut their deficit to four with 12:22 left.
Another 7-0 run just inside the 10-minute mark enabled the Hokies to take a lead - their first since 10-9 with 12 minutes left in the first half. Ace Custis' tip-in with 6:56 left put Tech up 46-44.
White's rainbow jumper from the baseline and a layup off a Jim Jackson turnover put Liberty back up 48-46 with six minutes left.
Following an exchange of 3-pointers by Tech's Damon Watlington and Liberty's Larry Jackson, Custis hit a 14-foot baseline jumper with 3:34 left to tie it at 51.
After Jackson misfired on a 3-pointer on Liberty's next possession, Watlington came up with the burial bucket - a 3-pointer from the left of the key with 2:24 remaining that proved to be the winner.
The Flames, finally showing signs of being rattled, didn't score again until White's meaningless layup at the final buzzer. After having several 3-point prayers answered earlier in the night, the Flames couldn't find any late miracles, throwing up two bricks on 3-pointers in the final minute.
Troy Manns' two free throws with 27.9 seconds left sealed the verdict.
``Yeah, we played a good game, but we let it get away in the last five minutes,'' said White, who led Liberty with 15 points. ``It just got away from us at the end. I think we should have won the game.''
Afterward, Tech coach Bill Foster knew his club had dodged the proverbial bullet.
``Give Liberty credit,'' he said. ``Those guys played a whale of a game. They had a great game plan. They milked the clock and then stepped up and hit some big shots.
``We didn't play bad. We played hard the whole game. We got Liberty's best shot, and we're fortunate to win.''
Foster said he thought this game could be a trap. As hard as he tried, Foster couldn't get his players' mind off Saturday's huge date with UMass.
``Ask my wife,'' Foster said. ``I've been like a nutcase all day long about this game. I knew it would be close, but not this close.
``As far as UMass goes, that deal has been hyped up way too far in advance.''
Travis Jackson, who posted the first double-double of his career (12 points, 10 rebounds) in a career-high 37 minutes, said the Tech players have been hearing ``UMass, UMass'' for weeks on campus.
``I think everybody else but us overlooked Liberty,'' said Jackson, who held the Flames' 6-10 center, Peter Aluma, to three second-half points. ``Students have been talking about the big UMass game. Well, I told 'em the big game for now is Liberty.
``Hey, in three weeks nobody will look at this as nothing but a win.''
Watlington, who scored all of his 11 points in the second half, said UMass ``may have been a little in the back of our minds.''
``Yeah, everybody has been talking that game up and maybe forgetting about this one,'' Watlington said. ``Needless to say, we're going to have to play some better ball come Saturday.''
Shawn Good's 13 points paced Tech. Custis had 10 points and nine rebounds.
The Hokies, who have won seven consecutive games overall and 17 in a row at home, didn't have to be told they will need a better effort against UMass.
``We got into that game like Liberty did tonight,'' Foster said. ``Now we'll be the underdog.''
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 95 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ALAN KIM/Staff. Virginia Tech's Ace Custis knocks away aby CNBshot by Liberty's Peter Aluma (00) during the second half of their
game Tuesday night in Blacksburg. color.