Billet hits another winner
Guard lifts Virginia past No. 12 UNC
By Andrew Joyner / Daily Progress staff writer
February 25, 2004

UVa coach Pete Gillen quipped recently that he wanted to avoid “being thrown in the river.” Apparently, someone tossed him Todd Billet as a paddle.

A Billet 3-pointer with 13.6 seconds remaining, his third winning shot in the past four games, lifted Virginia to a 74-72 victory over No. 12 North Carolina on Tuesday night at University Hall.

“Todd hit another big, big shot,” said Gillen, whose team has now beaten the Tar Heels five straight times at University Hall. “I’ve never had a kid do something like this. I don’t want to wake up.”

Billet, who hit game-winning treys against Georgia Tech a week-and-a-half ago and then did it again Saturday at Clemson, came off a screen by Elton Brown and then dribbled to just right of the key. He then nailed the shot over North Carolina guard Raymond Felton.

“I just wanted to throw it up there and give us a chance to win,” said Billet, who finished with 12 points. “I knew I was going to get the look. … I got the separation and was able to get a clean look.”

After Billet’s shot, the game turned a little odd. The Tar Heels quickly sped into the frontcourt and called a timeout with just under 10 seconds showing on the clock. The officials then spent over five minutes determining how much time was remaining. After settling on 9.8 seconds left, the game finally ended with a desperation heave by Felton from the right corner that missed the mark and led to a storm-the-court celebration by the UVa students.

Amid that frenzied mob, UNC coach Roy Williams made attempt to find Billet and finally did.

“Even though I’m the coach at North Carolina, it’s hard not to feel happy for him,” Williams said. “It’s a thrilling time in his life and it’s something he’s going to remember forever.”

Devin Smith, playing 23 minutes despite continual pain in his back that kept him out of two of the last four games, led Virginia (15-10, 5-9 ACC) with 20 points. J.R. Reynolds added 14 for the Cavaliers, who have now won three of their last four including wins over two teams ranked in the top 15.

Sean May led North Carolina (16-8, 6-7 ACC) with 20 points while Felton added 16.

Billet’s shot culminated a 15-4 UVa run to end the game that erased a nine-point deficit with just over six minutes to play.

After leading 40-37 at halftime, the Tar Heels surged to a 54-45 lead on a three-point play by Sean May with 13:38 to play. The Tar Heels would maintain a similar sized advantage over the next few minutes and still led by nine, 68-59, with 6:39 to play.

It was at that point, the Cavaliers clawed themselves back into the game, thanks in part to what proved to be a pivotal UNC miscue.

Holding that nine-point lead, Felton stole and errant pass and sped down the court. Felton stopped and shoveled a pass to a charging May. May, however, fumbled the ball and Billet scooped it up and fed Smith for a dunk at the other end that made it 68-61 with just over six minutes remaining. That play not only kept the Cavaliers from a double-digit deficit but also ignited the Virginia run.

“That was a big play, a big play. Felton is a great point guard and Carolina is great on the fast break. That’s kind of their signature and we broke up their break. That took a little zing out of them and gave us some life,” Gillen said.

Feeding off that, the Cavaliers outscored the Tar Heels 10-2 over the next four minutes and when Smith connected on a trey with 2:20 left, Virginia had gained a 71-70 lead.

Smith, who didn’t play at Clemson on Saturday, connected on two of his five 3-point attempts and has six of 10 from the floor.

“I can’t believe the play of Devin Smith. He gets 20 points in 23 minutes. He hasn’t practiced in six weeks. He’s in too much pain to practice,” Gillen said. “Somehow he gets ready for the games.”

The boisterous U-Hall crowd was tempered slightly when a May dunk 20 seconds later put the Tar Heels back up.

After missing on its ensuing possession, Virginia got the ball back with a minute to play after a UNC turnover.

First, an offensive rebound by Smith kept the ball in Virginia’s hands and the Cavaliers kept possession of the ball when a just-beat-the-shot clock 3-point attempt by Gary Forbes was knocked out-of-bounds by the Tar Heels.

That setup the final sequence that has become almost redundant at this point for the Virginia fans.

“Todd’s been clutch. I don’t know what it is. I don’t care what it is but I hope he keeps doing it,” Brown said.

Virginia, killed on the boards at Clemson, outrebounded the Tar Heels by a 41-35 margin, including an 18-11 differential on the offensive glass.

“Our rebounding was a matter of will and determination. We are getting more confidence and more desire to get the ball. We wanted the ball a little more tonight. It’s like two kids on the playground. One wants the ball and the other has to have the ball. We were the kid that had to have the ball tonight,” Gillen said.

Virginia returns to action when it hosts Wake Forest next Tuesday.
 

Billet's shot another one for the ages
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
February 25, 2004
 

Memories. The ancient walls of University Hall is full of them over its nearly four decades of Cavalier basketball.

Who could forget Ralph Sampson’s rebound of his own missed free throw and basket to pull out a miracle against Lefty’s Terrapins in the big man’s last hurrah in the joint. How about Richard Morgan’s incredible 39-point night to knock off Dean and the boys, the personable Morgan racing down the court pretending to blow out his six guns. Barry Parkhill’s record 51, and his incredible performance in stunning Frank McGuire’s No. 2-ranked Gamecocks.

U-Hall may pass in another year, but those memories and countless others will never die.

Another 3-point display

Todd Billet made sure of that Tuesday night as the gritty senior guard revived Virginia’s season with his third miracle within 10 days.

With the Cavaliers on the verge of cheating the reaper against 12th-ranked North Carolina, Billet stepped up with his third game-winning basket in Virginia’s last four games. Down 72-71 with 23 seconds to play, Billet came off an Elton Brown screen and drilled a 3-pointer with 13 seconds to play to lift UVa to a 74-70 upset over the Tar Heels.

It was Virginia’s fifth straight win over Carolina in U-Hall and gave the soaring Wahoos their third win in their last four games ... all on Billet’s lethal launches from bonusphere. After knocking off the No. 12 and No. 15 teams in the nation at home and beating Clemson on the road, the Cavaliers stand 15-10 overall and 5-9 in the ACC, with No. 11 Wake Forest coming to town next Tuesday.

Mesmerized

Basketball aficionados who have coached, reported or enjoyed the sport for decades admitted afterward they had never witnessed such magic as Billet has delivered in such a short span.

“No ... no ... never,” said Pete Gillen, who has watched his team steam toward success rather than the usual landslide that has plagued his program the previous two years. “I don’t want to wake up.”

As soon as the Cavs pulled off the stunner, Virginia fans rushed the floor, bringing back memories of happier times.

Even North Carolina coach Roy Williams, hurting from the loss, showed tremendous class by sticking around and seeking out Billet to congratulate him after the game.

“If I wasn’t the coach at North Carolina, I would be very happy for Billet,” Williams said later. “To have what’s happened to him at the end of his senior year is fantastic. You look at the youngster and you know he’s got to be the player he is because he put in a lot of time and effort.”

Billet nailed a similar trey with less than three seconds to beat Georgia Tech here 10 days prior. Then, he came off a Donte Minter screen and nailed the game-winning three to beat Clemson with 16 seconds showing on Saturday.

This time he came off a different play call, Atlanta X, where Billet had the option to shoot it or swing it inside to Brown, who had set the screen.

Are you kiddin’?

On the roll he’s on, no way Billet’s giving it up. He has been on fire in practice the past week and was the last guy to leave the gym on Monday in preparing for Carolina.

Take that stroke and put it in a bottle.

“It’s lucky and at the same time, it’s stepping up,” Billet said of his mind-boggling feat. “I wanted to take those shots. I didn’t want to defer. I didn’t want a freshman to have to have the burden of stepping up.

“But I’ve put time in to practicing those shots and I deserved for a couple of them to go in,” Billet said. “As long as we win, that’s all that matters.”

A modest kid, who is the consummate team player, Billet preferred not to talk about himself, but the fact his teammates gutted out a comeback from nine points down with 13:38 to play. He praised his teammates, particularly the freshmen, who he said were doing “un-freshmen like things” to ignite a spark in Virginia’s season.

He was comfortable allowing his teammates to do all the bragging for him.

“Todd’s a clutch player, a senior who only wants to win,” said freshman J.R. Reynolds.

“Right now he’s just clutch,” added center Elton Brown. “Right now, he’s playing like one of the top players in the league.”

Etch another memory into your mind. Close your eyes and see Todd Billet breaking free and firing.

Swish!

The thunder of the crowd, the ensuing celebration. What happened in the span of less than half a minute in those three wins are now Wahoo legend for eternity.

Like Gillen said, don’t wake us up. We might be dreaming.

 

Good news comes in 3s for U.Va.
By ED MILLER, The Virginian-Pilot
© February 25, 2004

CHARLOTTESVILLE — One was nice. Two, noteworthy.

But three game-winning shots in a span of 10 days?

Todd Billet did it again. For the third time in the last four games, Virginia’s senior guard hit a late 3-pointer to lift the suddenly resurgent Cavaliers to an improbable win.

This one came with 13.6 seconds left, and gave Virginia a 74-72 upset victory over No. 12 North Carolina Tuesday night at University Hall.

With Virginia trailing 72-71, Billet canned a 3-pointer from the right wing. Just four days before, he made a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left to beat Clemson. On Feb. 14, he canned a trey with 2.4 seconds remaining to beat Georgia Tech.

“I’m a senior,” Billet said. “I don’t want the season to end. I want to make it a special year for everyone.”

For Virginia, the year is looking markedly better than it did just 10 days ago. After dropping five straight to fall into the ACC basement , the Cavaliers have won three of four to improve to 15-10, 5-9 in the conference.

“Our players are gaining confidence,” coach Pete Gillen said.

Billet’s late shot put an exclamation point on a gutsy Virginia performance — none gutsier than the one turned in by Devin Smith, who finished with 20 points in 23 minutes. Smith, who has a herniated disc in his back, has not practiced in six weeks.

“Somehow he gets ready for the games, mentally, blocks out the pain and then he plays,” Gillen said.

After Billet’s shot fell, the game was delayed about 10 minutes while officials watched video replays to determine how many seconds to put on the clock following a North Carolina timeout. At first, the clock read 13.6 seconds, then it was changed to 9.8, then back to 13.6. Finally, officials settled on 10.1 seconds.

Players, meanwhile, headed to the floor at least three times to resume play, only to be called back. Finally, Rashad McCants threw the ball in to Raymond Felton, who was fouled by Billet.

The foul was just the fifth team foul for Virginia. North Carolina set up a final play with 7.3 seconds left. Felton’s pass to McCants was deflected by Jason Clark.

Felton picked up the loose ball and heaved a long 3-pointer that missed as time ran down.

Fans rushed the floor.

Virginia played from behind all night and rallied from nine down with 6:42 remaining. Defense and rebounding carried Virginia down the stretch. The Cavaliers grabbed 41 boards to North Carolina’s 35, and held the Tar Heels (16-8, 6-7) to 41 percent shooting in the second half, after allowing 52 percent in the first.

Job one was to defend McCants. The Cavaliers signaled their intentions early by playing a box-and-one defense on him, with J.R. Reynolds drawing the job of shadowing the 6-foot-4 forward.

Mission accomplished. McCants finished with eight points, 12 below his average.

Containing Felton and center Sean May was another matter. May finished with 20 points. Felton had 16, but just three in the second half.

Virginia steadily trimmed the lead until it finally pulled ahead on a Smith 3-pointer with 2:23 left. A May dunk gave Carolina the lead back, 72-71, with 1:58 left.

The final two minutes were frantic. Billet missed a runner with about 25 seconds left, then Gary Forbes missed a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired. The ball went out of bounds to Virginia, but officials stopped the game to see if Forbes’ shot had actually beaten the shot clock.

It had. That gave Billet a final chance, a play called “Atlanta X.” Elton Brown set a screen for him. May popped out on Billet for a second, then went back to cover Brown, giving Billet the sliver of an opening he needed.

“I just wanted to put it up there,” Billet said. “I had good fortune the last two times. I just put it up there, and watched it go in.”

North Carolina coach Roy Williams tipped his hat to Billet.

“If I wasn’t the basketball coach at North Carolina I’d be very happy for Billet,” he said. “To have what has happened to him at the end of his senior year is fantastic.”

 

Suddenly, Gillen’s tight collar looks a bit looser
By BOB MOLINARO, The Virginian-Pilot
© February 25, 2004

CHARLOTTESVILLE — Virginia wins! Pete Gillen lives!!! As headlines go, how does that sound? Is Gillen’s job saved on the strength of U.Va.’s come-from-behind victory Tuesday night over a North Carolina team that now has seven losses in the ACC?

That sounds too melodramatic. But sure.

Why not?

Firing Gillen would seem to be a more rash and desperate decision in light of U.Va.’s recent resurgence, three victories out of four games, all won on the strength of Todd Billet 3-point shots.

It’s a fact that the Cavaliers’ mid season troubles have lowered expectations to the point where U.Va.’s rebound feels like real progress, though an eighth-place finish is still a possibility.

U.Va. would deserve that, too. In too many games, especially on the road, the Cavaliers have not been competitive. Now they are. Gillen’s team is fighting.

His players have not given up on the season or their beleaguered coach. That’s something.

Still, this is a long way from Virginia’s lofty aspirations, voiced the other day by athletic director Craig Littlepage, ”to be moving toward a consistent performance at the top-10 or top-20 level, with a chance of going to the NCAA tournament every year.”

When six of the ACC’s nine teams this season are given a good chance of reaching the tournament, maybe hoping for an NCAA invitation is not exactly reaching for the moon.

On the other hand, since when did the U.Va. braintrust begin to mistake this program for Syracuse or Kentucky?

Historically, U.Va. faithful have looked at the concept of consistent performance differently than at some schools. Terry Holland became a Cavaliers icon when he led U.Va. to the school’s only ACC tournament title in 1976.

Later came the Ralph Sampson Years, a winning habit and the first of Holland’s two Final Four visits.

But most years, the ACC has been a tough nut for U.Va. to crack — under any coach. In 16 seasons, Holland’s teams played better than .500 basketball against ACC opposition six times. Only three seasons without Sampson.

Holland, as respected as anybody who has ever coached at U.Va., was 111-103 in the ACC.

The point is, U.Va. takes its successes where it can find them. Tuesday night, for example, marked the Cavaliers’ fifth consecutive home victory over the Tar Heels. Holland never accomplished that; Gillen has.

Sure, you can say that Holland’s teams often faced Tar Heel juggernauts, whereas Gillen has caught Carolina in a rebuilding stage. So noted.

After U.Va. escaped with its 74-72 victory, Gillen praised his team, especially Devin Smith, who scored 20 points in only 23 minutes, playing through a bad back that limits his practice.

Like Billet, who was in a slump before his recent heroics, Smith and the other Cavaliers have found a reason not to quit trying.

Amid all the criticism of Gillen — much of it deserved — disgruntled boosters may have lost sight of who and what U.Va. is. It is not Duke. Or North Carolina.

Expectations should be tailored accordingly.

For what it’s worth, this latest victory gives Gillen’s team 15 victories and a likely pass into the NIT.

The NIT is no great prize. But 15 or more victories should allow Gillen to escape the gallows this time.

As for how Littlepage handles the next few weeks, note that before he was dismissed as Rutgers head coach several years ago, he was allowed to slowly twist in the wind.

U.Va. is trying to raise money to pay for a new arena. But Littlepage and others should know better than to allow deep-pocketed donors to dictate Gillen’s fate this year.

This latest victory, as dramatic as any, may not turn around the Cavaliers’ season. But it should help bring U.Va. officials to their senses.
 

Connecticut judge dismisses all claims in ACC lawsuit
By DONNA TOMMELLEO, AP Sports Writer
February 24, 2004
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- The Atlantic Coast Conference defeated the Big East in court for the third time in four months.

A Connecticut judge has dismissed all claims against the ACC and its officers in a lawsuit filed by four Big East schools over the ACC's expansion.

The decision was made public Tuesday, a day after Judge Samuel Sferrazza dismissed the lawsuit against ACC commissioner John Swofford and three league officers. The judge determined neither the conference nor the ACC officers had sufficient ties in Connecticut to be sued in the state.

Under the ruling, the Big East schools' lawsuit against Boston College, its athletic director and Miami can move forward.

Boston College and Miami, as well as Virginia Tech, have accepted invitations to join the ACC. Miami and Virginia Tech join this year; Boston College comes aboard next year.

The Big East plaintiff schools -- Connecticut, Rutgers, Pittsburgh and West Virginia -- allege that the ACC conspired with Miami and Boston College to weaken the Big East by luring away some of its biggest football powers.

The plaintiffs say they spent millions of dollars to upgrade their football programs based on the presumed loyalties of the departing schools. The schools originally sued in June 2003 and refiled in October to add Swofford and the officers as defendants immediately after Sferrazza dismissed claims against the ACC.

Sferrazza ruled two weeks ago that the ACC had no legal standing to be sued in Connecticut. On Monday, all claims were dismissed against Swofford, ACC president Carolyn Callahan, vice president Donn Ward and treasurer Cecil Huey.

``The ACC now calls upon the presidents at the plaintiff schools to accept that this lawsuit should never have been filed and to re-establish a positive working relationship with their counterparts in the ACC,'' ACC attorney D. Erik Albright said Tuesday.

The Big East has rebuilt it ranks with Cincinnati, Louisville, South Florida, Marquette and DePaul. The new members will begin competing in the 2005-06 academic year.
 

Billet with a bullet
For the third time in 10 days, guard hits game-winner
By Dave Johnson
Daily Press
Published February 25, 2004

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Ralph Sampson, Bryant Stith, Barry Parkhill ... none of them can touch what Todd Billet has done in the past week and a half.

Quiet since the early moments of the game, Billet nailed a 3-point jumper with 13.6 seconds remaining to lift Virginia to a 74-72 victory over 12th-ranked North Carolina on Tuesday night in University Hall.

It was Billet's third game-winning basket in 10 days, all coming on 3-pointers.

Now officially on a roll, the Cavaliers (15-10, 5-9 ACC) won for the third time in four games. If was Virginia's fifth consecutive victory over the Tar Heels in U-Hall, its longest home winning streak in this series since the early 1900s.

Billet's latest heroics capped a night on which Virginia trailed by nine points at the game's 61/2-minute mark. After a couple of Cavaliers misses and a lengthy delay while the officiating crew observed the replay, Billet dribbled to the right of the key as his defender, Raymond Felton, ran into Carolina center Sean May.

Billet, scoreless since hitting a free throw late in the first half, knocked it down. Just as he did on Feb. 14 in an 82-80 victory over Georgia Tech, just as he did a week later in a 58-55 win at Clemson.

"If I wasn't the coach at North Carolina, I'd be happy for Billet," Roy Williams said. "This is a thrilling time in his life, something he's going to remember forever. As a coach, you have to admire people like that."

Billet's basket followed one confusing period and preceded another. With Virginia trailing 72-71, he missed a runner in the lane. Devin Smith rebounded but apparently forgot that - since Billet's shot didn't touch the rim - the shot clock was about to expire. He passed to Gary Forbes, whose rushed 3-point shot missed. The rebound went out of bounds to Virginia with 23.8 seconds left.

Williams argued that Forbes' shot came after the shot clock had expired, and the officials met at the scorer's table to study the television monitors. But the replay showed Forbes' shot just beat the clock.

The game clock is supposed to stop after made baskets in the final minute, but after Billet's 3-pointer a full two seconds ticked off. Carolina dribbled to midcourt and called time with 9.8 seconds left. The officials met again and, after a five-minute delay, decided to add three-tenths of a second.

Carolina never got a good look. Felton's pass to Rashad McCants on the wing was knocked away by Jason Clark and was loose in front of the UNC bench. Felton picked up the ball and heaved it toward the basket, but it wasn't close.

"I don't want to wake up," Gillen said.

After missing Saturday's win at Clemson with his ongoing back problems, Devin Smith scored 20 points in 23 gutty minutes.

"I can't believe Devin Smith," Gillen said.

Virginia trailed 40-37 at the break, despite shooting 37.5 percent from the floor, and with a quick surge in the second period took a 45-44 lead on a Majestic Mapp 3-pointer with 16:19 left. But Carolina answered almost immediately with a 3-pointer by Felton.

Consecutive follows by David Noel and May put Carolina ahead 51-45.

May's 3-point play then capped a 10-0 run and gave the Tar Heels a nine-point lead at 13:38.
 

Virginia knocks off Tar Heels, 74-72
HANK KURZ Jr.
Associated Press
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Todd Billet did it again.

Billet hit his third decisive 3-pointer in four games, connecting with 13 seconds left for his only field goal of the second half Tuesday night and giving Virginia a 74-72 victory over No. 12 North Carolina.

Billet, though, wasn't inclined to crow about his lucky run.

"I've been fortunate enough to get some great situations where we executed perfectly and I've gotten great looks and fortunately they've been able to go down for me," the senior tri-captain said.

Billet beat No. 18 Georgia Tech on Feb. 14 on a 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left, then hit another with 16 seconds left at Clemson on Saturday, lifting the Cavaliers to a badly needed 58-55 victory.

This time, Virginia inbounded the ball with 23.8 seconds left, ran time off the clock and then Billet made his move, coming around a screen that got him loose from Raymond Felton and rattling the shot in.

"I just wanted to give it a shot," Billet said.

Coach Pete Gillen, whose job might have been saved by three victories in four games, said he's never seen a player win three games with late shots, and that Billet never seemed to consider any other offensive options.

"There was no doubt in his mind he was going to shoot it," Gillen said. "He didn't even look at the other guy. ... I don't want to wake up."

The Cavaliers (15-10, 5-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) led briefly only twice in the second half before Billet's heroics, and even North Carolina coach Roy Williams admitted some appreciation for Billet's dramatics.

"It's a thrilling time in his life, something he's going to remember forever," he said. "As a coach you have to admire a player like that."

Williams didn't blame Felton for getting screened off the play.

"I thought Raymond was close enough to bother him," Williams said.

When the ball rattled in, and when Felton's desperate heave at the buzzer was not even close, University Hall erupted in hysteria with hundreds of students storming the court from both end zones.

It was Virginia's seventh victory in 10 games against the Tar Heels and was much needed if the Cavaliers are to avoid the ACC play-in game.

Virginia kept pace with Maryland in the win column after the Terrapins beat Clemson. Maryland still must play Wake Forest and North Carolina State while Virginia also plays Wake Forest. The Cavaliers and Terrapins then close their regular season in College Park, Md., on March 7.

North Carolina (16-8, 6-7), which had won two in a row to get back to even in the league, started its last chance at midcourt with 9.8 seconds left. The Cavaliers had two fouls to give, and Billet fouled Felton with 7.3 seconds left, restarting the possession. Jason Clark knocked the ball free on the next inbound, forcing Felton's off-balance try from the right.

Devin Smith scored 12 of his 20 points in the second half for Virginia and J.R. Reynolds scored 14. Billet finished with 12 on 3-for-8 shooting.

Sean May led North Carolina with 20 points and Felton had 16.

Virginia trimmed a nine-point deficit to two twice in the last five minutes and finally got over the hump when Smith scored on a drive into traffic and then hit a 3-pointer from the left corner with 2:20 left.

But May, who had hurt the Cavaliers inside throughout the second half, did it again with a dunk with 1:58 left, giving the Tar Heels the lead.

Both teams missed on their next possessions, and Virginia called timeout with just under a minute left. Billet missed on a drive, but Virginia came away with the ball and Gary Forbes tried a 3-pointer. That missed, but the officials said the ball had gone out off North Carolina.

After a long timeout with 23.8 seconds left that included a review of the video of the play by the officials, Billet came through again.

North Carolina led 66-57 with 8:00 left, but Virginia rallied as Smith sandwiched a driving basket and a dunk around a basket by David Noel.

Forbes' three-point play and two free throws by Elton Brown capped a 9-2 run that pulled the Cavaliers to 68-66 with 4:32 remaining.
 

Billet wound
By NEIL AMATO : The Herald-Sun
namato@heraldsun.com
Feb 24, 2004 : 11:48 pm ET

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Whatever the play was in the final 10 seconds, North Carolina didn't run it Tuesday night.

Raymond Felton was supposed to take the ball to the basket, with Virginia leading No. 12 UNC 74-72, but he instead passed to Rashad McCants.

"I really didn't hear [the play call], Felton said. "That's my fault."

Said McCants: "The ball never got to me."

That's because Virginia big man Jason Clark got his hand on the pass, causing Felton to chase it down and attempt an off-balance baseline 3-pointer that was well short.

Plays such as those were UNC's undoing at University Hall, where the Cavaliers beat the Tar Heels (16-8, 6-7 ACC) for the fifth straight time. UNC had a nine-point lead with the clock under seven minutes, seemingly on its way to a cherished ACC road win.

But casual play on offense and an inability to grab key rebounds opened the door for Virginia (15-10, 5-9 ACC). Senior Todd Billet again stepped into that opening, making his third come-from-behind 3-pointer in the final 20 seconds in the last four games to produce a win.

On Feb. 14, he hit a last-second shot for an 82-80 victory over Georgia Tech. On Saturday, his three with 16 seconds gave Virginia the winning margin at Clemson. Tuesday, he came off a screen from Elton Brown and fired over Felton, turning 72-71 UNC into 74-72 with 13.5 seconds left.

"We knew he was their go-to guy," said Felton, who added that he "mighta coulda been" in better defensive position against Billet's shot.

Though everyone in the gym knew Billet would get the shot, Billet hit it, giving the Rutgers transfer 9 of 18 3-pointers in consecutive home games against the Heels. He hit 6 of 11 last season.

"For him to get that shot off, it's just heart-breaking," said McCants, who was held to eight points, 14 below his average in the previous 12 ACC games.

McCants was limited by foul trouble in the second half and by a variety of defenses in the first half. Billet and J.R. Reynolds took turns on McCants in a box-and-one, and the sophomore swingman was held to six first-half points on 2-of-5 shooting in the first half. He took four shots in the second. "But Rashad McCants can't be all of our offense," UNC coach Roy Williams said.

The Tar Heels haven't won here since 1999. Pete Gillen was in his first year at Virginia then, when his one-liners won over fans eager for a winner. Gillen's name is not so golden these days, with just one NCAA bid and an 0-5 in the ACC Tournament.

But Virginia has at least solidified NIT qualification with a three-game winning streak. The Tar Heels were hoping to get closer to NCAA Tournament-worthiness, but they fell short, losing for the 21st time in their last 24 ACC road games.

Though UNC held Virginia to 39.1 percent shooting, the Cavaliers grabbed 18 offensive rebounds, including one very important one with the game clock under 30 seconds and UNC ahead 72-71.

"If we don't get that rebound, it's probably over," said forward Devin Smith, who grabbed said board and contributed 20 points.

Smith's grab enabled Virginia to extend the possession that eventually led to Billet's winning shot.

"The bottom line is we've gotta be able to get a rebound," Williams said.

Sean May got nine for the Tar Heels, including four on offense on the way to a 20-point night. Other than David Noel's nine rebounds off the bench, the other eight Tar Heels who played grabbed a total of 17.

Felton hit three first-half 3-pointers to help the Tar Heels to a 40-37 halftime lead. He finished 4 of 7 from long range, but he was just 1 of 5 in the second half. Felton, who made 5 of 6 shots for 13 first-half points, had made three 3-pointers in a game just one other time this season, Jan. 28 against N.C. State.

With 1:30 to go before halftime, Billet closely guarded McCants off the ball and McCants tried to separate himself from Billet with his hands. Instead of getting open, he was called for a foul, his first. But he had three fouls in the first eight minutes of the second half and went to the bench for an extended period.

UNC led 68-59 when Felton forced a turnover and had the choice of three teammates to feed on a fast break. However, his pass went off the hands of two Tar Heel, and Virginia got a fast-break dunk by Smith. Then came another UNC turnover and a three-point play by Gary Forbes: 68-64 with 5:47 to go.

Smith missed a 3-pointer with a chance to cut the lead to one, but Elton Brown poked the carom to a teammate and got the ball back inside.

Brown hit both free throws, cutting the lead to two. The margin remained there until Smith hit a baseline 3-pointer with 2:20 left, giving Virginia the lead.

May quieted the crowd with a dunk off a Felton assist, putting the Tar Heels back in front 72-71. Virginia missed two 3-pointers on its next possession, but UNC couldn't add to the lead when May misjudged Jackie Manuel's cut and threw a pass out of bounds with 1:02 left.

Virginia ran the clock down, and Billet threw up a runner that failed to draw iron. Smith rebounded but was unaware the shot clock was ticking under five seconds. He passed to Forbes, whose 3-pointer bonked off the rim. The rebound was contested and went out of bounds off the hands of UNC's Manuel. So Virginia had possession with 23.8 seconds left and the shot clock off. Virginia ran a play for Billet, who cut right and swished a 3-pointer in front of Felton with 13.5 seconds to go for the lead.

The Tar Heels crossed halfcourt and called timeout with 9.8 seconds left -- apparently. The officials -- who had huddled with the video monitor to see if Forbes' shot beat the shot clock -- looked at the monitor again and put 13.6 seconds on, with UNC still at halfcourt.

This took nearly eight minutes of real time, causing Williams to wander over to Gillen and chat and causing McCants to lightly run a full-court sprint. Then, after another video review, the teams went back and stood around their benches as fans booed and the Virginia band exhausted its repertoire.

Refs Karl Hess, Ted Valentine and Bernard Clinton finally agreed the time should be set to 10.1 seconds, and finally the ball came in. Virginia fouled because UNC wasn't in the bonus. And then Felton ran a play that the other players weren't expecting. He grabbed the carom, but his shot was off the mark, setting off a wild celebration on the court.

 

Clutch Cavalier
For the third time in four games, Billet lifts U.Va. to a win with a 3-pointer
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Feb 25, 2004

CHARLOTTESVILLE - It was easy to lose sight of Todd Billet - all 5-10 of him - when the final horn sounded and students swarmed onto the court to celebrate Virginia's 74-72 win over 12th-ranked North Carolina last night.

When the game was on the line, though, no one stood taller than Billet.

"He's at a magical moment right now," UNC coach Roy Williams said.

For the third time in the past four games, Billet hit a 3-pointer to lift U.Va. to victory. First it was then-No. 15 Georgia Tech, then Clemson and, now, North Carolina.

On a possession that started with 23.8 seconds left, the senior guard dribbled off a pick set by center Elton Brown, momentarily losing UNC guard Raymond Felton. Billet pulled up from right of the key and let a shot fly. It dropped through with 13.9 seconds remaining to put the Cavaliers up 74-72 and drew a deafening roar from the crowd of 7,429.

"If I wasn't the basketball coach at North Carolina," Williams said, "I'd be happy for Billet."

After a seemingly interminable delay during which officials checked and re-checked the videotape to reset the clock, Carolina (6-7, 16-8) had a chance to force overtime or win on a 3-pointer. But U.Va. forward Jason Clark deflected Felton's pass to the ACC's leading scorer, Rashad McCants. Felton came up with the loose ball, but with time running out, he had to attempt an off-balance 3-pointer a moment before the buzzer.

It missed, and Virginia (5-9, 15-10) had beaten the Tar Heels for the fifth straight year at University Hall.

"I think we might have been a twitch more desperate than them," U.Va. coach Pete Gillen said.

The Cavaliers were fortunate to have had the ball on their decisive possession. With about 30 seconds left, Billet missed a floater that failed to hit the rim. Junior forward Devin Smith rebounded for Virginia but didn't realize the shot clock was winding down. The home fans frantically reminded Smith, though, and he passed to freshman swingman Gary Forbes, whose 3-point attempt barely beat the shot clock.

Forbes' shot missed, but freshman guard J.R. Reynolds battled for the rebound, and the ball went out of bounds, off Carolina, with 23.8 seconds left.

Smith, whose bad back kept him from playing at Clemson, turned in a heroic performance. The team's best all-around player, Smith came off the bench to score 20 points and grab five rebounds. His second 3-pointer - with 2:19 left - put U.Va. ahead 71-70, its first lead in 14 minutes.

"My body wasn't really feeling any better," Smith said. "I just decided I couldn't watch two games in a row."

Gillen could only shake his head in wonder.

"I can't believe Devin Smith," the Cavs' sixth-year coach said. "He has not practiced in six weeks . . . I don't know how he does it."

U.Va. opened in a box-and-one, with Reynolds shadowing McCants. Virginia used a variety of defenses, and they proved surprisingly effective against the ACC's top-scoring team. Sophomore center Sean May scored 20 points, and Felton added 16, but McCants had only eight.

More impressive than Virginia's defense, though, was its rebounding. The Cavaliers, far and away the conference's worst team on the boards, outrebounded UNC 41-35. Brown led U.Va. with nine rebounds and had four of his team's 18 offensive boards.

"I just thought our kids really willed it," Gillen said. "We've been working on rebounding in practice, but it has nothing to do with our drills. It has everything to do with their heart and their determination. [The Heels] are bigger than us, but tonight I think we wanted the ball a little more."

Reynolds scored 11 of his 14 points in the first half to help U.Va. stay close. The Cavaliers trailed 40-37 at the break, but fifth-year senior Majestic Mapp came off the bench to hit a 3-pointer that put them ahead 45-44 with 16:20 remaining. Carolina answered with a 10-0 run. The Cavaliers battled back, only to see UNC pull away again.

With 6:20 left, the Heels led 68-59 and had the ball in Felton's hands on a fast break. He turned it over, though, and Billet passed to Smith for a dunk that started a 7-0 run for Virginia.

"We didn't play with much savvy tonight," Williams said.


 

U.Va.'s Billet knows how to finish foes
BOB LIPPER
POINT OF VIEW: Feb 25, 2004

CHARLOTTESVILLE Lewis and Noreen Billet have seen it before. They saw it with their No.1 son, Geoff. Now, they're seeing it with his kid brother Todd.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Good things come in threes for the Billet boys. Geoff nailed three buzzer-beaters in his college days at Rutgers. Todd tied him for the family lead in that department last night. The difference is it took Geoff a career. Todd has cemented his imprint in Virginia Cavaliers lore in the span of 11 days.

He whipped 15th-ranked Georgia Tech with a 3-pointer Feb. 14. He trumped Clemson on the road with another trey a week later. And last night, with 13˝ seconds to go and No.12 North Carolina ripe for the taking, he nailed - yes! - yet another 3 to lift the Cavs to a 74-72 win that unleashed a little bit of pandemonium in University Hall.

Up in Section 4, the Billets watched the decisive possession and postgame celebration unfold. They'd be the first to tell you it'll never get old.

"It's definitely magical," Noreen said. "And it couldn't happen to a nicer kid."

She's right. Todd Billet followed his brother to Rutgers, spent two years there, and is winding down his college experience as we speak. He's your basic solid-citizen hoopster. Good student. Good teammate. Good kid. He was dressed in earth tones when he emerged from the dressing room - pants, shirt, jacket. Nothing flashy, just like his game.

"It's a great feeling to have the opportunity to hit some big shots," he said. "I'm a senior. I don't want the season to end. I want to make it a special year for everyone."

He's saving this season for U.Va. and up-against-it coach Pete Gillen. Without Billet's heroics - his marksmanship, his moxie - the Cavs are 12-13 and toast. Instead, they're 15-10 and a revival in progress. Three shots and one 6-0 guard made it all possible. UNC coach Roy Williams said it was a time in Billet's life "he's going to remember forever." He could've been speaking for the entire Billet clan.

"In my opinion, he's always had the guts to take the last shot," Lewis Billet said. "He hates to lose. And he's getting open looks. That's the biased opinion of the old man. To me, if he gets open looks, he'll make 40 percent of'em."

He's had a dicey season - his numbers down across the board from his junior year. Forced to shuttle between the point and off guard in ever-shifting lineups, he's gotten fewer openings and opportunities to find a rhythm. Before his 21-point outburst at Clemson and his 12 against UNC, he'd gone eight consecutive games in single digits. He was 6 for 20 beyond the arc in the six outings before he beat Georgia Tech. Now, he's got this he-shoots/he-scores/game-over bit down pat.

"As a senior, as one of the leaders on the team, that's what I feel you have to do," he said. "You have to make big plays. You have to step up when the team needs you."

The Cavs needed him last night. They also needed UNC to go soft on the glass and to blow a nine-point cushion in the closing 6˝ minutes, and the Tar Heels were nice enough to oblige. They're sub-.500 in the ACC now and haven't won more than two consecutive starts since mid-December. Todd Billet is walking on air and hasn't missed a game-winner in what seems like a million years.

"He wants to end up his senior year big-time," said his dad. "This is his last hurrah."

Hurrahs. He meant hurrahs.

 

Cavaliers stun Heels
Billet's late 3-pointer gives Virginia 74-72 victory over North Carolina
By Bill Cole
JOURNAL REPORTER
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.

Todd Billet was Mr. Big Shot for Virginia once again last night, hitting a tough 3-point shot with 13.5 seconds left for a 74-72 win over North Carolina at University Hall.

Billet nailed his third game-winning shot in the past four games and 11 days, coming off a pick at the top of the key that defender Raymond Felton couldn't get through fast enough. Billet's shot gave Virginia its third lead of the second half and only its sixth of the game. It brought a crowd of 7,429 to its feet in delirium.

Billet and the Cavaliers handed the Tar Heels another distressing loss. The Tar Heels led 68-59 with 6:41 left but couldn't hold on because of missed shots and critical turnovers. The Tar Heels saw their last play fall apart.

"It was a pretty good screen," Felton said. "I tried to get back and contest the shot. I could have been in better position, but you've got to hand it to him. He just knocked down a great shot."

Billet hit a 3-point shot with 16 seconds left at Clemson last Saturday for the go-ahead basket in a 58-55 win and hit a layup in the final seconds. On Feb. 14 he nailed a 3-point shot from the top of the key with 2.4 seconds left for an 82-80 win at home against Georgia Tech.

"It's lucky and at the same time it's stepping up," Billet said. "I wanted to take those shots. I didn't want to defer. I didn't want a freshman to have to step up."

North Carolina fell to 16-8 overall and to 6-7 in the ACC and suffered its fifth consecutive loss at Virginia, its longest losing streak in Charlottesville since losing six consecutive from the 1911 season through the 1920 season. The Cavaliers improved to 15-10 and 5-9.

Rashad McCants said that the Tar Heels were well aware of Billet's shooting ability and recent heroics and still couldn't prevent him from getting the ball or taking the shot.

"We knew he was going to take it; he was hunting for it for the last three possessions," McCants said.

"For him to get it off ... it's just heartbreaking."

North Carolina rushed the ball to midcourt after Billet's shot and called a timeout. Confusion reigned among officials Ted Valentine, Karl Hess and Bernard Clinton about the time remaining. The officials viewed replays on monitors at the scorer's table repeatedly, conferred among themselves and talked to coaches Roy Williams of the Tar Heels and Pete Gillen of the Cavaliers.

At one point the officials put 13.6 seconds on the clock, which was more time than was left when Billet made his shot. The time was set to 10.1 seconds on the officials' third attempt. McCants passed the ball to Felton on the inbound play but Virginia had a big advantage by having only four fouls, allowing it to foul twice before putting North Carolina in a one-on-one situation.

Felton was fouled with 7.3 seconds left. The foul came when Felton had moved to the right of the court and North Carolina took the ball out of bounds near its bench on its second try. Felton caught another pass, headed to the left toward the top of the key, stopped and turned to the right and tried to pass to McCants.

Jason Clark stuck in his right arm and knocked the ball free. Felton beat everyone to the ball in front of the North Carolina bench and heaved a desperation 3-point attempt as time expired that fell short of the basket.

Williams said that he wanted Felton to penetrate on the Tar Heels' last play, but Felton said that he didn't receive the message.

"To be honest I really didn't hear him on that play," Felton said. "I thought we were running the same thing, so that's my fault, not hearing what he said."

Felton was asked if crowd noise was the problem.

"I don't know; I just didn't hear him," Felton said. "That's my fault."

Sean May led North Carolina with 20 points and Felton added 16. McCants, the ACC's leading scorer, was held to eight points by a box-and-one defense, his lowest output in 14 games and 11 points under his average.

Devin Smith led Virginia with 20 points coming off the bench and playing with a bad back. Billet added 12 points.

One Virginia defender, usually J.R. Reynolds, guarded McCants one-on-one while the other four players formed a 2-2 zone around the lane. Three other players shared defending McCants in the box.

The versions of how McCants attacked the defense varied. Williams said that McCants was not patient. McCants said that he was patient.

"I don't think it was the defense that did anything to bother me personally," McCants said. "I still got the shots I wanted and the shots the coach wanted me to take.

"I think they did a good job of getting the ball out of my hands and making my other teammates step up."

UNC forged a nine-point lead in the first six minutes of the second half after leading 40-37 at halftime. It led by nine points three more times before Virginia charged back for what McCants called one of the his team's toughest losses of the season.

"It's very frustrating," McCants said. "We're trying to make a run here for the last part of the season. We should have totally blew out a team that stayed close to us. It's just unimaginable how this keeps happening over and over and over and over again."
 

Threepeat: Billet drains late trey again
Fans rush court as Virginia triumphs over No. 12 North Carolina, 74-72, senior guard sinks winning three-pointer, Cavaliers win third in-conference game in last four contests
Clayton O'toole
Cavalier Daily Associate Editor

For the first time this season, the U-Hall crowd had a reason to rush the court. Its name was Todd Billet.

With 13.6 seconds left and the Cavaliers down by one, senior Todd Billet nailed his third game-winning three-pointer in the last four games to lift Virginia (15-10, 5-9 ACC) over North Carolina (16-8, 6-7), 74-72, last night.

Bringing the ball up court with under 25 seconds to play, Virginia was faced with the decision of taking the first available opportunity or waiting for the last shot. The play called for Elton Brown to set a high pick, with Billet curling around for the shot or passing to an open teammate. Despite his options, Billet knew the shot was his. Brown picked, Billet curled, and with UNC guard Raymond Felton's hand in his face, Billet drained yet another astonishing bucket.

"I just wanted to give it a shot and put it up there," Billet said regarding the game-winner. "I had good fortune the last two times, so I thought: I could give us a chance to win."

The momentum shifted back and forth throughout most of the first half. After trailing by as many as eight, Virginia battled back with a combination of three-point shooting and excellent defense. Using the same box-and-one defense that held Florida State's Tim Pickett to only nine points last week, the Cavaliers were especially effective at defending the ACC's leading scorer Rashad McCants, who was held to single-digit scoring for only the second time this season. After struggling in the first half, McCants was even less effective following halftime due to early foul trouble.

Despite being without their most potent scorer, UNC held strong in the second behind the play of the sophomore point guard Felton. With sixteen points and six assists, Felton was able to push the pace of the game in typical North Carolina fashion.

UNC's up-tempo style of play wound up hurting them significantly with seven minutes to play. Up nine points, North Carolina stole the ball and flew down court for an easy bucket that could have sealed their victory. But Billet picked off a fumbled pass between Felton and sophomore forward David Noel and dished it to junior Devin Smith who threw down a thunderous dunk, sending U-Hall into a frenzy.

"That was a big play," Virginia coach Pete Gillen said. "Felton is a great player. He does a great job of pushing the break. So for us to break up their break, which is kind of like their signature, that took a little zing out of them and gave us some life."

In addition to Billet's heroics, junior Devin Smith put in an incredible performance. Waking up each day with a herniated disc in his back, not knowing he will be able to play, Smith continues to provide the team with scoring, and more importantly, leadership.

"I say it once but I will say it again, I can't believe Devin Smith," Gillen said. "He gets 20 points and he is in too much pain to practice. But somehow, he mentally blocks off the pain and he plays. I don't know how he does it."

His players may be astounding him, but their current play does not. The Cavaliers will need all the confidence their coach can muster when they try to extend their home winning streak to three games next Tuesday against Wake Forest.
 

Billet solidifies clutch shooter status
Jonathan Evans
Cavalier Daily Associate Editor

I could think of some clever lead or I can just flat out say it: Todd Billet is the best clutch shooter that I have ever seen. For the third time in the last four games, the senior guard connected on a game winning three-point basket to propel Virginia to victory. This time, targeting North Carolina as the victim of his heroics, Billet connected from long range to give Virginia a 74-72 lead with 10 seconds left. With the bucket, Billet added another notch to his belt that already includes game winning shots against Georgia Tech and Clemson.

Down by one, the Cavaliers had the ball with 23 seconds left. Coming off an Elton Brown screen up top, Billet rolled right and squared up to the basket. Though the play that was run gave Billet several options, the 7,429 spectators in U-Hall all knew who was going to take that shot. Indeed, the thousands of Cavalier fans hoped that Billet could once again provide some magic. As the three-pointer hit nothing but the bottom of the net, their hopes were answered.

"There was no doubt that he was going to shoot it," Virginia coach Pete Gillen said. Seemingly stunned, Gillen acknowledged that the performance of Billet is something that he has not seen in his 19 years of coaching. "I've never had any player do anything like this."

Finishing with 12 points, six assists, three rebounds and only two turnovers, Billet made the only three points he scored in the second half count.

"That's what I have to do as a senior, step up and make big plays," Billet said after the game. "I just wanted to keep an aggressive mindset, I knew I was going to get a good look at it."

As the desperation fade away jumper from Raymond Felton fell short, Cavalier faithful stormed onto the court. Billet ran circles around the court. A smile stretched across his face as he celebrated with one finger raised in the air. Enjoying the moment. Enjoying his moment.

Even the opponents had to tip their cap to Todd Billet on this day. Customarily, opponents quickly flee when a storm of students swarm the floor. However, Tar Heel coach Roy Williams made it a point to seek out Todd Billet and congratulate him.

"I congratulated him, I told him he was a special kid," Williams said. "He's got big time guts and is willing to make big time plays. As a coach you have to admire people like that, and I admire him."

First the Yellow Jackets, then the Tigers and now the Tar Heels. It is almost unfathomable to put into perspective what Billet has done for the Cavaliers as the conference season winds down. To put it bluntly, these shots from Billet have meant the difference between a 2-12 conference record and a 5-9 conference record. These shots from Billet have also meant the difference between a Cavalier team stumbling in to the play in game of the ACC tournament, and a Cavalier team that boasts a confidence and even dreams of meaningful post-season games.

"It's a great feeling," Billet said. "I don't want the season to end."

Elton Brown echoed his teammate's sentiments.

"[Todd] said that 'the tunnel's getting smaller for him and he can see the end.'" Brown said. "Todd said 'theres nothing like college basketball,' so he's playing to the fullest in his last few games."

Behind clutch performances like this one from Todd Billet, the Cavaliers will have a good chance of making that tunnel a little bit longer.