University of Virginia Library

George Washington Offense Destroys Cavaliers

Tallent Brothers Pace Colonial Attack;
Virginia Tumbles, With Case Sidelined

By Bruce Franzel
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Photos By Rich Wright

Cavalier Forward John Gidding Goes Up For Shot Against GW; He Scored 24 Points

Gidding Led Virginia Attack Which Could Not Overcome Hot Shooting Tallent Brothers

The sweet taste of an
undefeated record went sour in the
mouths of the Cavaliers Saturday
night with a 98-84 loss to George
Washington University before 5,000
fans in University Hall. The
Cavaliers came into the game with
an opening game win over Richmond
Thursday night, and GW
entered with a 2-0 record with wins
over Richmond and The Citadel.

For George Washington the big
guns were the aptly named Tallent
brothers, Bob and Mike. The
Tallents were one-two in scoring
and assists, with brother Bob, a
senior, leading sophomore brother
Mike in each category.

Bob Tallent, a transfer student
from the University of Kentucky
and a starter for them two years
hit for 14 of 30 from the floor and
five of six from the foul line for a
33 point total. Mike sank 12 field
goals and two free throws for 26
points.

For Virginia, the big man on the
court was John Gidding, a 6-6½,
210 pound senior, who led the
Cavaliers in field goals, free throws,
rebounds, total points and assists.
Gidding was tied for the scoring
lead with Bob Tallent at the end of
the half with 17 points, but could
only find seven more in the second
half, in part due to a lengthy stay
on the bench.

Norm Carmichael was the
second high scorer for the Cavaliers
followed by Mike Wilkes and Tony
Kinn who had apiece.

Gidding's rebounding performance
was just as successful as his
scoring, picking 22 off of the
boards, 19 of which came in the
first half. GW's Harold Rhyne
followed Gidding in this category
with 13 points.

Virginia was hurt badly on the
free throw line, hitting on only six
of 19 attempts. In the first half
they sank but four of 14 for a 29
per cent free throw percentage.
Mike Wilkes hit on only one of
seven attempts.

Through the first half it was a
hard fought give and take battle.
The teams were never separated by
more than three points, except for
a two minute period with 10:56
left in the half. George Washington,
leading 18-17, hit a hot streak as
Roger Strong drove in for a layup,
Bob Tallent hit on a twenty footer
and brother Mike took a layup,
giving the Colonials a seven point
lead. Following a time out by.
Virginia, Gidding pumped in two in
a row to put the Cavaliers back
within three points of GW. The
margin of difference was never
larger throughout the remainder of
the half, which ended with GW
leading, 45-44.

A tough blow for the Cavaliers
came with only 44 seconds gone in
the game when Chip Case was
carried off the with an injured
knee. Case was sidelined for most
of last season with an injury to the
other knee and underwent surgery
for it last winter. The team co-captain
was high scorer Thursday
night for the Cavaliers against Richmond
with 25 points.

The game remained close for
two and a half minutes into the
second half, but a 15 footer and
two layups by Mike Tallent with
eighteen minutes to go put the
Colonials ahead to stay, 56-48.

The Cavaliers cut the lead as
close as 65-63 with 10:35 remaining,
but the Colonials offense got
hot and surged to an 84-68 lead
with about six minutes to go. The
closest the Cavaliers came to George
Washington after that was 93-84
with 49 seconds left in the game.

With 33 seconds remaining in
the game, GW's 96 points inspired
the small Colonial contingency to a
chant of "One-hundred". It was a
small consolation to the Cavaliers
to thwart the Colonials in this goal.