University of Virginia Library

Minus Case, Kennelly

Cagers Upset Blue Devils, 61-57

By Hugh Antrim
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Sophomore Tim Rash Sparked Cavaliers, Taking Care Of Ball-Handling Duties, Scoring 19 Points

Defensively Rash Teamed With Chip Miller To Give Blue Devils, Notably Dick DiVenzio, Trouble

Behind a brilliant team
effort from four second-year
men and one third-year man,
the Virginia Cavaliers surprised
nearly everyone but
themselves, nailing the Duke
Blue Devils with a 61-57
decision last night in University
Hall.

Without the services of Chip
Case, Virginia went with Chip
Miller and Tim Rash in the
backcourt, Scott McCandlish
underneath, and big Bill Gerry
with Frank DeWitt at the
forwards - a lineup that went
the entire game without a
substitution.

A foul shot by DeWitt with
4:41 left in the game put the
Cavaliers ahead to stay, 52-51.
Two field goals from Duke's
backcourt ace Dick DiVenzio
kept the Blue Devils threatening,
pulling up to within a point at
56-55.

Virginia never connected from
the field after a DeWitt bucket at
the 2:39 mark, but the Cavaliers
wasted precious few opportunities
from the foul scoring their last
five points on fouls.

With 40 seconds left Duke again
challenged Virginia's bid for an
upset, cutting the deficit to two
points on Ray Kulhmeier's 15-foot
jumper; but the Cavaliers were not
to be denied their hard-fought win.
Bill Gerry went to the line and put
Virginia up 60-57; and seconds later
Tim Rash made on of two to ice
the game, 61-57. And Virginia was
in possession of the ball when the
buzzer went off.

The Cavaliers played with such
poise and confidence down the
stretch that Duke never really had
the chance to come back. Indicative
of the quality of the Virginia attack
is the fact that the Cavaliers were
guilty of but five turnovers.
Virginia's steady 3-2 zone defense
cost the favored Blue Devils 13 lost
possessions.

Duke took an early lead 8-2
behind Randy Denton's offensive
handwork, but the Blue Devils
could not hold their advantage as
Virginia swept out in front 18-15,
sparked by Rash's outside shooting
and Gerry's tough inside game.
Only a scorching first half accuracy
of 55.2 per cent kept Duke even
through the first period.

Coach Bucky Waters had Duke
in a 1-3-1 zone defense, but the
Cavaliers found the patience and
finesse to take the good shots and
keep the pressure on the Devils.
Much of Duke's inside attack was
jeopardized when Randy Denton
picked up his third foul with 3:54
still to go in the first half.

The Cavaliers came close to
breaking the game wide open
midway through the first half,
ahead 26-23. But Virginia cooled
off just long enough to let Duke
edge in front 27-24, before finding
the range once again. Virginia
finished the first half, firing a 48.3
per cent from the floor; and the
Cavaliers, principally Bill Gerry and
Scott McCandlish, fended the big
Duke boys - 6-10 Denton, 6-9
Sanders, and 6-7 Katherman - off
the boards with a 15-14 rebounding
edge.

Virginia pulled out of a 35-34
half time deficit and plowed ahead
45-40, while the University Hall
crowd of 3350 roared and roared

some more. A Duke time out with
about 15 minutes left cooled off
Coach Gibson's squad a bit, but
Duke could only manage a three
point lead, 50-47, before the
Cavaliers were off and running
again.

Somewhere around the time
that Denton picked up his fourth
personal (with 4:41 left), some
adventurer in the stands offered
comment on the officiating by
lobbing a dead squirrel toward
referee Cooty Almond. Mr. Almond
was not particularly amused, but
the deceased animal did seem to
cast of spell of sorts on the faltering
Blue Devils.

In the final minutes Duke tried
to harass the Cavaliers with a
pressing defence downcourt, but
Virginia was not to be shaken. Crisp
passes around the court left Duke
with no choice but to foul if they
wanted the ball; and Virginia went
five for six at the foul line in the
last two minutes to wrap it up.

Scott McCandlish responded to
the win by tossing the basketball
high into the stands, before being
mobbed and mobbing anyone who
happened to be around the Virginia
bench.

Coach Gibson, whose team had
just extended their ACC win streak
to three games, was obviously
thrilled with the Cavaliers' win.
"We've been close so many times."
He praised his defense for
containing the Duke guards,
especially DiVenzio. Mr. Gibson
said that Virginia never thought
about stalling, instead he had his
team bring the Duke defense out to
draw the foul.

The Cavaliers put their ACC win
streak on the line Saturday night in
College Park against Maryland,
closing out the regular season there.

Bill Gerry led the Virginia
scoring again, dumping in 20
points, while Tim Rash followed
suit with 19.

One more comment from Coach
Gibson - "Let's have a party." Few
who were at U-Hall last night would
or could deny the cagers that
request.