The Cavalier daily :: Friday, March 2, 1973 :: University of Virginia Library

IT'S BEEN A FRUSTRATING YEAR FOR THE
WAHOOS and Wednesday right's loss to Virginia Tech at
Blacksburg just added to the frustration. The Cavaliers have
lost six games by five points or less, and in the last five
minutes of only two games, Maryland and Duke, has a Virginia
defeat been assured.

"The team has got to believe that things are going to get
better. That's what I'm going to tell them before practice this
afternoon," said Coach Bill Gibson prior to yesterday
afternoon's practice at University Hall. Not only does Mr.
Gibson think things are going to get better, but, after a
three-hour session with his staff, Mr. Gibson felt assured that
his club could come out as the champion at the ACC
Tournament next weekend at Greensboro.

"SURE THE MARYLAND GAME IS IMPORTANT, we're
not looking past it, but this afternoon we're going to start
working toward the ACCs. I'm going to start going head to
head with my players."

Taken in the light of recent developments within the
league, the Maryland game is not nearly as important as made
out to be. Maryland has sewn up a second-or-third place finish
and their season-ending status will be little affected by a win
or a loss. The Cavaliers could gain the fourth spot in the league
standings with a win. In that case they would probably play
the winner of a Sunday coin toss between Clemson and Duke.
A Virginia loss would probably result in a three-way toss in
which the winners would play each other, and the loser
Maryland.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO PLAY MARYLAND NOW:
Not only have the Terps lost Len Elmore but another loss, the
Terps' 62-60 setback at Wake Forest, has added to Lefty
Driesell's vulnerability. Maryland is hurting. Not only is Tom
Roy suspect as an "ACC center," but if the Terrapins don't get
any better than the 5-15 performance from the field from
Tom McMillen that they did against Wake Forest, Wednesday,
their offense will be in real bad shape.

The Maryland game is still the most emotional game of the
year for the Cavaliers. Barry Parkhill, Jim Hobgood and Larry
Gerry will see their last action in Cavalier uniforms. Parkhill's
and Hobgood's contributions to the Virginia program have
been highly-publicized but there is no question that Gerry will
be honored alongside them at pre-game ceremonies: "What a
pleasure it's been to have him on the team. No one has a better
attitude than the Streak," says Mr. Gibson of his unsung
guard.

WHILE THE WHOLE TEAM has been saying for some
time that it wants to beat Maryland "for Barry," no one wants
to bust the Terrapins more than the Cavaliers' All-American.
As frustrating a year as it has been for the team, it's been twice
as frustrating for Parkhill. One of his sadder moments came
when he fouled out and scored only two points against
Maryland the first meeting between the two clubs. A lot of
talk has been made about the defensive talents of Bob Bodell,
who covers BP in the Terps' man-to-man. When it counts
Saturday night Parkhill should silence Bodell's supporters once
and for all.

CLOSE GAMES ARE WHAT MAKE A BASKETBALL
SEASON, but there is no doubt that Virginia has just not had
the breaks this season. "If I could create just one situation in
certain games, I could be sitting at this desk 16-5 instead of
12-10; Give us four seconds at St. Louis (Hobgood's last
second shot was disallowed); have Stevie Morris make his free
throws at Clemson, or have Barry make his 14-foot jumper or
Butch the rebound; we had the game won here against
Clemson with 12 seconds left, and I'd just love to play
Princeton ten more times."

"Nobody played N.C. State the way we did. Down there
we were behind by one with six minutes to play, here we were
down by one with three minutes to play. We can play with
anybody, I wouldn't mind playing State in the tournament,"
added Mr. Gibson.

MISFORTUNE MIGHT CONTINUE SATURDAY NIGHT
BUT the fact remains that youth and inexperience have
pointed the 'Hoos toward the ACC championships all year.
The dedication of Mr. Gibson and his staff toward the ACC
title should make the tournament all the more exciting.