University of Virginia Library

Basketball Tourney Opens Today

Cavaliers To Play UNC

By Hugh Antrim
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Before most community
scholars had arisen to face a new
dawn, the Cavalier cagers were on
the road yesterday morning bound
for Charlotte and the ACC tournament.

Virginia challenges North Carolina
in the second game of the
tourney at 3:30 this afternoon. Not
since 1959 have the Cavaliers
gotten by their first-round opponents,
when the Virginians ambushed
Maryland, 66-65. For the
Tar Heels of Carolina this afternoon's
game is but another initial
step on an oft-repeated crusade to
the NCAA regionals.

Coach Bill Gibson is highly
respectful of a Tar Heel squad that
has indulged Virginia with thoughts
of upset before pulling out victory
- 80-76 in Charlottesville and
87-72 in Chapel Hill. "I think the
Cavaliers have drawn a real tough
assignment. They (UNC) are an
experienced tournament team."

The Cavaliers go into action this
afternoon with various players'
health a question mark. Chip Case,
ending a brilliant Virginia career, is
still hampered somewhat by a
severe muscle bruise sustained last
week. Chip Miller's sprained ankle
hopefully will be all right. The
second-year guard reinjured it
against Maryland last Saturday. Tim
Rash, who received a hip bruise
against the Turtles, should be back
in the thick of things. Kevin
Kennelly has completely recovered
from an elbow injury and will be
going 100 per cent. "By game time,
some way, some how, these boys
will - I hope - have gotten over
their injuries," commented Mr.
Gibson.

Certain starters for Virginia
include Bill Gerry, who should be
out to demonstrate that he is
indeed worthy of ACC recognition
and second-year man Scott McCandlish.

Dean Smith's Carolina Tar Heels
feature a devastating attack built
around All-Everything Charlie
Scott. Scott currently is shooting at
a 26.6 point averaging behind a
creditable 46.7 per cent accuracy,
Lee Dedmon will serve as foll to
Bill Gerry underneath, Dedmon
averaging just under ten rebounds a
game to Gerry's 11.1 clip.

Coach Gibson explains three
problems foremost in his game
strategy. "We're very much concerned
with their press. We're going
to have to show considerable poise.
The number two problem concerns
Scott; "Charlie Scott is a highly
explosive player," Coach Gibson
admits. In short, if the Cavaliers are
to win they must contain him. Mr.
Gibson also feels that his team will
need good accuracy from the field
to keep the pressure on the Tar
Heels, and thereby control the
tempo of the game.

There's certainly a lot of speculation
going on all sides about this
weekend's extravaganza in Charlotte,
and it may not be presumptuous
to include Virginia in
such speculation. That win over
Duke not too far back was not that
much of an accident.

Photos By F.O. Blechman

Chip Case Finishes Brilliant Career As Virginia Cager This Weekend In ACC Tournament

Coach Bill Gibson's Team Faces Second-Seeded North Carolina Tar Heels Today At 3:30