University of Virginia Library

Cavaliers Win, Gain Conference Lead

Second Period Burst
Fells South Carolina

Photos By Rich Wright

Cavalier Forward Buddy Reams Goes Up For Shot Saturday Night Against Gamecocks

Reams, Along With Mike Wilkes, John Gidding Gave Cavaliers Needed Board Supremacy

Before a rather vociferous
congregation in University Hall,
estimated around 4,750 strong, the
Cavaliers engaged Frank McGuire's
Gamecocks in what was most of the
time a basketball game, some of the
time the Saturday Night Fight, and
all of the time a fine team effort
that put the Cavaliers atop the
Atlantic Coast Conference.

Down 32-29 at intermission, Bill
Gibson's cadets rallied for a second
half surge of 57 points and ran the
Gamecocks off the court, 86-70.
Playing without the talents of
Norm Carmichael, who was ejected
in the closing minutes of the first
period, the Cavaliers pulled away
from South Carolina much in the
same way as they disposed of Duke
earlier last week. A 2-0 ACC record
does indeed elevate Virginia to
number one in the conference

South Carolina opened in a tight
zone defense that kept the
Cavaliers shooting from outside,
but which enabled Buddy Reams,
Tony Kinn, and John English to
find the range. Midway through the
first half, McGuire changed to a
man to man defense, a defense that
bottled up everybody but Mike
Wilkes. Wilkes accounted for 11 of
the 14 points scored in the final 11
minutes and kept the Cavaliers in
the game.

With 3:58 on the clock, a
disputed call on an out of bounds
ball nearly started a riot. Norm
Carmichael and John Ribock came
to blows, and were subsequently
thrown out of the game. Coaches
Gibson and McGuire held a brief
but intense discussion over the
proceedings. And the Pep Band
tactfully played a soothing
rendition of Dixie.

The Cavaliers wasted little time
in exploding once the new period
began. Down 35-31 Virginia ran off
13 straight points on field goals by
Kinn, English, one more from Kinn,
two by Gidding, and a three-point
play by Mike Wilkes to put the
Cavaliers ahead to stay, 44-35.

Threatened ineffectively by a
South Carolina press, John Gidding
and Buddy Reams stied any
comeback hoes, continued to
pressure South Carolina on the
boards, and increased the Virginia
lead to 76-50, a lead not to be
challenged.

Virginia was given a big break

when 6-10 forward Tom Owens
went out on his fifth personal foul
with some seven minutes remaining.
Already having lost 6-8 Ribock
during the quixotic happenings of
the first half, the Gamecocks lost
much rebounding strength when
Owens fouled out.

John Roche was the shining
light for the Gamecocks. Finishing
with a game high 26 points. Roche
was the productive force that
enabled South Carolina to lead for
half the game. Roche often utilized
a double pick and drove to the
baseline for layups in picking up 16
points in the first half.

The Cavaliers took full
advantage of a team effort to
dump the highly touted
Gamecocks. Mike Wilkes (21 points
and 16 rebounds) was all over the
place in the first half and held the
Gamecocks in check personally.
John Gidding (14 points and seven
rebounds) was instrumental in the
Virginia charge in the opening
minutes of the second half. Buddy
Reams (15 points and 14 rebounds)
wrecked the last gasp Gamecock
press and was devastating on the
boards. Tony Kinn's 18 points
seemed to come at the most
opportune moments. John English
and Kevin Kennelly provided the
backcourt finesse and leadership to
pull the whole thing off.