University of Virginia Library

Virginia Gives Strong Performance

Carolina Edges Cagers, 80-76

By Winston Wood
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Photos By Mike Gartian

Cavalier Playmaker Kevin Kennelly Drives Downcourt Against Carolina's Tom Gipple

By past performance of Virginia basketball teams, the show
that Bill Gibson's Cavaliers put on against South Carolina this
weekend would normally have been a hard act to follow.
However, much to the disbelief of everyone in University Hall last
night, Gibson's eagers came on strong for the second game in a
row, giving North Carolina its toughest win of the season.

The Tar Heels from Chapel Hill barely edged a scrappy,
psyched-up, impressive Virginia team, 80-76, in their opening
ACC game of 1969.

And the crowd loved it.

Emerging from pre-season criticism, Coach Gibson became one
the most popular men in Charlottesville overnight. For the first
time this year, the Virginia fans cheered for him.

For the first time this year,
Norm Carmichal's father was silent.
He didn't make a noise once the
game began. There was no hooting,
whistling or pounding on the
already badly battered door in
front of his seat. He was seemingly
stunned. Virginia looked really
good.

The game was played before a
fairly good crowd of some 5200,
which appeared to be mostly
comprised of students. It was the
smallest crowd ever to see a
Virginia-Carolina basketball game
since University Hall opened. It was
said that with the Cavaliers' 1-4
record going into this game that it
would have been hard to give
tickets away to the public.

This lack of faith was shown up,
however, as Gibson's tenacious
zone defense and the miraculous
shooting of Chip Case, Kevin
Kennelly, and Bill Gerry almost
proved too much for the heavily
favored Tar Heels.

Last year's game with Carolina
here in Charlottesville was marked
by a lesson in reverse racism as
All-American Charlie Scott picked a

Fight with fourth year forward John Gidding. Last night's rumble
was no less exciting, as Gibson and Carolina's Dean Smith almost
came to blows when center Lee Dedmon fouled out with 9:22
left to go in the game.

Fouling Gerry, Dedmon was credited with five fouls, but
apparently Coach Smith didn't agree with the call. Mr. Gibson
and he exchanged some heated words and it took both the
referees and a number of players from both teams to separate
them. At the time the Heels led 64-59.

The usually potent Scott was held for six points in the first
half, 2 for 13 from the floor, and Virginia was able to take a
40-39 advantage into the locker room at half time. Guarded by Cavalier-captain Case, the 6-6 forward was a stand out on an
already outstanding American Olympic team. Virginia's 6-3 guard
put a lot of slick moves on the New
York City import, and he was as
equally aggressive on defense.
However, the Carolina
All-American eventually was the
high scorer of the night with 23
points, scored mostly on free
throws in the second half.

It was foul trouble that finally
cost Virginia the game. With 4:19
left, second yearman Tim Rash
fouled out, and two minutes later,
Case followed him to the bench
after fouling guard Eddie Fogler. In
the last minute and a half UNC
scored all their points on foul shots.

Carolina had a team of excellent
shots, and the fact that Virginia lost
by only four points does them a
great deal of credit. Percentage
shooters like Fogler and the balding
Jim Deany scored with incredible
case from the outside once they got
warmed up. Yet the scrappy zone
defense which Virginia threw at
them made them make so many
mistakes that they never could
relax, despite their famous four
corner freeze, until the game was
over, and they were on the bus
back to Chapel Hill.

             

	FGA	FGM	TP
Case	17	8	19
Gerry	10	7	17
McCandlish	10	3	11
Rash	8	3	9
Kennelly	7	4	12
Hill	2	1	2