Cavailers hold off High Point
UVa improves to 3-0 with victory
By Kris Wright / Daily Progress staff writer
December 1, 2003
 

Unspectacular, but satisfactory.

That’s probably the best way to describe the Virginia men’s basketball team’s 79-64 victory over High Point University on Sunday. The Cavaliers weren’t dominant and didn’t make very many flashy or breathtaking plays, but they were effective enough to win in a scarcely populated University Hall. UVa improved to 3-0 on the young season.

“That was a dangerous game and it probably wasn’t the smartest scheduling on my part, playing so shortly after the Virginia Tech game, but scheduling is a tough thing,” Cavs coach Pete Gillen said. “I was pleased for the most part. We made a lot of mistakes, but there were some positives too. We’ll take it.”

“I think Virginia did a great job pressuring us and forcing us out of our offensive sets,” said HPU coach Bart Lundy, who spent part of his time growing up near Galax. His wife, Lori, and her family still call Galax home. “Their size hurt us inside. We got to the rim, but shot 21 percent in the second half and they did a good job of not putting us on the free-throw line as much as they could have.”

Virginia failed to put away the Panthers (1-3) for a large portion of the game as the visitors kept the game close through the first media timeout of the second half. At that point, UVa’s largest lead had been 36-25 late in the first half and High Point had closed a 42-34 halftime deficit to 46-40 when the officials called for the under 16-minute timeout.

Over the next 11 minutes, however, the Cavaliers turned up the intensity and defensive pressure to all but put the Panthers away. During that stretch, Virginia produced a 23-7 run to lead 69-47 with 5:44 to play.

Derrick Byars started the key spurt with a layup at 15:18 when Elton Brown dove to the floor to retrieve a loose ball. Brown gathered the ball and passed from the floor to Byars for an uncontested score. Brown added a layup a few moments later and J.R. Reynolds drained a 3-pointer at the top of the key at 13:26 and the Cavs continued on their run from there.

“We knew we had to focus and start picking things up because if we let them hang around, then it could become an upset,” Virginia freshman Donte Minter said. “That’s not to say they’re a bad team or anything, but they could have beaten us [if we let them hang around] so we needed to pick it up and we did.”

Indeed, UVa did pick things up after High Point had closed to within six points early in the second half. The Cavaliers’ ball pressure was better and the defense as a whole was more active than it had been in the entire game.

The increased defensive effort led to decreased Panther production. The visitors did not score a field goal for a stretch of 9:02, which included three separate scoreless droughts of more than two minutes. The only High Point offense in the nearly 10-minute span came from center Jerry Echenique, who converted 3 of 4 free throws.

A pair of Zione White jumpers served as bookends around HPU’s field goal drought, but the most telling play was a missed dunk by John Stonehocker. The reserve center shot through a passing lane to get a steal and an open path to the basket, but he pinned the ball on the front of the rim and the Panthers never fully recovered.

“We had a lot of plays in there that we didn’t finish. We missed a layup right before that and then we had that play,” Lundy said. “In order for us to compete on this level, we have to take advantage of our opportunities and in that stretch, we didn’t finish plays. That deflated us overall, deflated us defensively and we just didn’t take advantage of our opportunities in that stretch.”

In total, Virginia had five players score in double figures for the second time this season in the victory. Minter led the way with 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the floor and a 5-of-5 outing at the free-throw line. Byars added 12 points to go with a team-high and career-high nine rebounds. Also, Brown, Devin Smith and Gary Forbes scored 10 points each -Forbes has scored in double figures in every game of his young career.

UVa senior guard Todd Billet struggled to get things going offensively, shooting just 2 of 6 for the game. Billet did hit his 100th 3-pointer in a Virginia uniform as part of his seven points.

“The biggest positives to me were that we played pretty good defense, holding them to 31 percent for the game,” Gillen said. “We had five guys in double figures and I think we shared the ball pretty well with 16 assists. So I’m pleased, but we have a ton of work to do. I think we’ll continue to get better.”

The Cavaliers continue a tough stretch in their scheduling with their third game in six days on Wednesday in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Virginia hosts Minnesota at 9:30 p.m. in what is expected to be the toughest test thus far for the young Cavaliers. UVa is 1-2 all-time in the Challenge.

“We look at every game as an important game. Like High Point today, we looked at it as a chance to increase our intensity because we didn’t want the Virginia Tech game to beat us today,” Brown said. “So we’re not as worried about Minnesota as with what we’ve got to do. … We’ll come in Monday and Tuesday, practice hard and get ready to go.”
 

Where confidence like this comes from is anybody’s guess. Al Groh’s team didn’t exactly enter Saturday’s game on a roll.
Since when does losing four of your last six games put a team in the proper frame of mind to upend an opponent it hasn’t beaten in four years?

“Sometimes,” Groh said, “you have to lay it all out there and see what happens.” Virginia did, time after time, in its surprisingly convincing 35-21 victory.
The Cavaliers got into the end zone on a pair of fourth-and-1 plays in the second half, a pass and a run. In the final quarter, the Cavaliers broke open the game when Matt Schaub connected with Heath Miller off a fake field goal.

The Cavaliers were not bashful.

“We’re here to win,” said Groh, “and we were going to let it all go. You have to trust and believe in the players. Sometime you just have to coach by the heart.”

Lack of heart didn’t beat Virginia Tech, U.Va.’s aggressiveness did.

With the Cavaliers trailing 14-7, Schaub dropped back on U.Va.’s first play of the second half and hit wide receiver Art Thomas down the middle for 49 yards, setting up the tying touchdown that came moments later on a quick pass to Wali Lundy in the flat on fourth and goal.

Later in the third quarter, Schaub, playing in his final game at Scott Stadium, dropped a perfect pass to the streaking Alvin Pearman on third and 15, catching the tailback in stride down the right sideline for a 49-yard touchdown play.

A Cavaliers offense noted for its dink and dunk passing game was hurling caution to the wind in the second half.

“Offensively, in the first half,” Miller said, “we thought we were on the verge. Just a missed block here and there kept us from putting it together.”

Nothing, though, could slow Miller, the sophomore tight end known to his teammates as “Big Money.” Miller, who came into the game tied with Pearman for the team lead in receptions, tormented the Hokie defense with 13 catches for 145 yards.

“You can’t miss a guy like that,” said Schaub, who completed 32 of 46 for 358 yards and two touchdowns.

At 6-foot-5, 254 pounds, Miller is everything to an offense that attempted 15 more passes than rushes. To Schaub, Miller is a safety valve, a third-down savior, a weapon with Velcro mitts who has a knack for getting open.

“He’s got size, speed, hands, intelligence,” Schaub said.

Big Money usually has very little to say. Saturday was no exception. Miller lets others — and his performance — speak for him. Asked about the part he played in U.Va.’s victory, he changed the subject to Schaub’s passing and leadership.

“He’s the profile of everything we want this program to be,” Groh said of Miller. “He’s a gamer. A model student. I wouldn’t trade him for anyone.”

The play of Miller, Schaub and a resourceful defense helps Virginia and its fans forget the frustrations of a year that started with promise. If the Cavaliers didn’t fulfill the potential others saw in this team, finally beating Tech leaves them happier than a lot of 7-5 teams.

“I think,” Groh said in a masterstroke of understatement, “this means a lot for a lot of Virginia people.”

For the first time since Groh, Miller or Schaub joined the U.Va. football program, the Commonwealth Cup is in the possession of the Cavaliers.

Miller touched the cup before retreating to his locker. But Schaub cradled the entire prize, marble base and all. “That thing,” he said, “is heavy. It must weigh about 200 pounds.”

Multiply that by 10 and you get some idea how much weight this victory lifted from the backs of the Cavaliers.
 

Here’s a question for Hokies: How did you ever beat Miami?
By TOM ROBINSON, The Virginian-Pilot
© November 30, 2003

CHARLOTTESVILLE They wouldn’t want to brag about this, but Virginia Tech’s defense actually did one thing it set out to do Saturday against Virginia.

“Our main goal was to stop the run pretty much and make them a one-dimensional team,’’ said Nathaniel Adibi, a senior defensive end. “I think for the most part we did that.’’

Here’s the problem with that: Virginia already is a one-dimensional team. The Cavaliers pass the ball — surprise. They arrive armed with a confident Matt Schaub at quarterback, an unstoppable Heath Miller at tight end and a relentless can-do attitude evident in coach Al Groh’s play-calling.

This was not the best of times for the Hokies’ defenders to be tangling with stuff like this, considering the fog they’ve been in basically since the first leaf fell in Blacksburg.

With its defense leading the plunge, Tech has lost three of its last four and four of its last six and played well only once — that 31-7 domination of Miami a month ago that grows more inexplicable by the week.

Running only to give Schaub and Miller a blow, U.Va. passed Tech to smithereens in Saturday’s second half, scored on its first four possessions and turned a seven-point halftime deficit into a resounding 35-21 spanking.

Miller caught 13 balls, and you got the idea he could’ve named his total. This helped Virginia run up more total yards, more passing yards, more completions and more points than Tech has allowed this season.

Check the boxscore for those numbers.

Telling as they are for the Hokies — Boston College set previous highs for yards and points just last week — they can’t describe well enough Tech’s confusion and despair as its awaits its third-tier bowl fate, a poor consolation for a soured season.

“This is not the defense we’re accustomed to at Virginia Tech,’’ said Frank Beamer, Tech’s coach. “I’m not blaming. I’m just saying we do things, sometimes it’s just, 'Where did that come from?’ ”

Like jump offside before blocking a third-quarter punt that would have snapped a 14-14 tie. Like fall for a fake field goal — Schaub to guess who? — deep into the fourth quarter that led to Virginia’s final touchdown.

Like giving up the tiebreaking points, with the Cavaliers facing third and 15 from Tech’s 49, on a sideline route by running back Alvin Pearman.

“They did a great job of coaching up these plays,’’ said Tech’s cornerback Eric Green. “We knew what they were going to do but couldn’t stop them.’’

Green had an interesting day; he was burned on Pearman’s catch, blocked the punt and scored on the play nullified when Vinnie Fuller jumped the snap count, and, sprinting in off the corner, had the best look at the fateful fake field goal.

“I was like, 'I’m gonna block it!’ because I came free,’’ Green said. “I went to jump, but (Schaub) jumped up and I said, 'Oh, man.’ I looked back and the tight end’s catching the ball. Gone.’’

No such luck for Tech’s season. After some time off, the Hokies will resurface in a couple of weeks to the same questions, asked the same way, that have marked their collapse.

“Two totally different teams,’’ Green said of the Hokies who trounced Miami compared to what they have become. “I think, at that moment, we felt like we had something to play for. We still had hopes of a national championship, the Big East championship.

“When those things started fading away, I think we felt we pretty much don’t have anything to play for. I just don’t think we want it as much as we did when we played Miami.’’

More than once, Beamer said he is looking hard for reasons.

He can probably start right there.
 

Minter a big aid to Brown in the post
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
December 1, 2003

When Donte Minter signed with Virginia, there was little fanfare for the North Carolina product who honed his skills for Fletcher Arritt at Fork Union Military Academy last season.
Some solid basketball programs, such as Marquette, were in pursuit of the 6-foot-8 power forward. But his commitment to the Cavaliers was somewhat overshadowed by UVa landing scorers like Gary Forbes and J.R. Reynolds.
This columnist believed that Minter was the sleeper of the class, a player who could contribute significantly without making a big splash. So far, Minter has done just that.

Picking up the slack
When teammate Elton Brown struggled in the opening halves against Virginia Tech and High Point, Minter took up the slack. Against High Point on Sunday, Minter turned in a strong performance with 13 points and six rebounds, three blocked shots and three steals.
In the last two games, the freshman has connected on 7 of 10 field goal attempts and all six of his free throw attempts. More importantly, he has given the Cavs another presence in the paint, while Brown gets himself together.
“This was the second game in a row where I couldn’t seem to buy a basket,” said Brown. “Donte relieves a lot of stress off me and vice versa. He told me that he has my back and I told him likewise.”
Brown’s shooting hasn’t been that bad (9 of 17 in the last two games), but his rebounding and post defense hasn’t been what Coach Pete Gillen expected.
One media veteran cracked after UVa’s win over Tech last Friday night that Brown’s mere two rebounds were “only two more than a dead man.” In the first half of that game, Brown, the Cavs’ biggest player and most capable rebounder, had no rebounds.
The junior from Newport News stepped it up against High Point with seven rebounds - all defensive boards - to show progress. But it’s a far cry from what even Brown expected in the preseason when he showed off a new, improved Brown.
He had shed the burgers and fries body that had slowed him a year ago and showed off a new, positive attitude as well. Brown even said, “If we get out-rebounded, I want fans to blame Elton Brown.”
Tech outrebounded the Cavs and High Point battled UVa even on the boards
(39-39).

No explanation
Gillen can’t explain why Brown is struggling so much. Neither can Brown. But at least Minter is there to help.
“We try to pick each other up,” Minter said. “It’s easy to get down on yourself and pout a little when things aren’t going well in the post. It takes a lot of work to do well in there. If a guy scores on you once or twice in there and then you miss a couple of layups, it can really get you down.”
Brown said most of the teams have double-teamed him so far this season and that he was getting frustrated.
Guess what? That’s the way
it’s going to be most of the season. Because Brown is one of the few wide bodies on UVa’s roster, teams are going to do everything possible to shut him down and make the Cavalier jump shooters earn their keep.
“Elton just has to be more aggressive,” Gillen said after the Cavs improved to 3-0 Sunday with the 79-64 win over High Point. “He’s going to get banged every game. He’s one of the strongest guys in the building.”
And if you think you’ve seen banging thus far, just wait until Minnesota hits town on Wednesday night for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Golden Golphers hail from a conference that’s famous for physical play.
“Minnesota will try to knock us out onto I-64,” Gillen said.
So far, the Cavs haven’t played Brown and Minter together very much but that may change by Wednesday. Minter doesn’t know how to play the four spot (power forward) yet, so Gillen has been putting him in at center to spell Brown.
Brown, who knows both positions, said he could even move out of his comfort zone at center and play some power forward if that will help the team against the Big Ten guests.
In fact, Brown is hoping that because Minnesota plays physical basketball, the officiating might be a little loose for the game.
“I’m getting a lot of touch fouls called, stuff like that,” Brown said.
Meanwhile, Minter will continue to learn the Virginia system.
“I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Minter,” Gillen said. “He’s like a Rec League guy. I mean that as a compliment because he knows how to play. He has real good hands. He’s not going to dazzle you but he’s effective.”
Minter changed his body from high school (265 pounds) because of the rigid routines at Fork Union where he had to run something called “The Crossroads,” a three-mile run up and down hills and around curves. He’s now a sleek 234.
It was at FUMA where he learned there was a great advantage to beating an opponent to both ends of the floor.
With a lack of size, the Cavaliers knew they would struggle with rebounding and perhaps post defense this season. So far, those weaknesses have not beaten them. Gillen is banking on Brown getting tougher and Minter getting wiser.
The clock is ticking.
 

Cavs return to Tire Bowl
UVa will play Pitt on Dec. 27 in the Continental Tire Bowl in Charlotte.
By Doug Doughty

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Virginia athletic director Craig Littlepage was mulling a question about projected UVa ticket sales for the Continental Tire Bowl when football coach Al Groh quickly took the offensive Sunday.

"Thirty," Groh said.

The Cavaliers were credited with selling 22,000 tickets to their 2002 Tire Bowl game with West Virginia "and as things continue to move onward and upward," Groh said, "I think 30,000 is a very realistic goal."

The Cavaliers (7-5) will play Pittsburgh (8-4) at 11 a.m. on Dec.27 at Ericcson Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. The game will be on ESPN2.

Virginia is encouraging its fans to purchase tickets through the UVa ticket office starting at 9 a.m. today at 1-800-542-8821 or 1-434-924-8821. Ticket prices range from $27.50 to $67.50.

"I think every aspect of support for the team has been intensified," Groh said. "A lot of these matchups aren't very compelling and don't seem to mean much. This is a good game. It's a good matchup. It's going to mean something. It's got some marquee players involved."

Littlepage said he spoke with Tire Bowl officials between 10 and 10:30 p.m. Saturday, by which time Miami was in the process of polishing off Pittsburgh 28-14.

"I thought it would be to our advantage if they did well," said Groh, conceding that he rooted for the Hurricanes. "Want to keep it all in the conference, right?"

That was a reference to Miami's move to the ACC next season.

The Hurricanes received the Big East bid to the Bowl Championship Series, the Gator Bowl took West Virginia with its second choice of Big East teams, and the Insight Bowl, which had the third choice, declined the opportunity to pick Pittsburgh for the second year in a row and third time in four years.

The Insight Bowl took Virginia Tech, leaving Pittsburgh for the Tire Bowl, which had the fourth choice of Big East teams and fifth choice of ACC teams.

Littlepage said he had not given up on Virginia going to the Tire Bowl, even if Pittsburgh had beaten Miami.

"In that case, the Tire Bowl would have been looking at two teams that had both just lost to Virginia, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech," Littlepage said. "We had won two games in a row and those teams had each lost two games in a row."

West Virginia sold a majority of the tickets that were made available to the teams last year, but Pittsburgh's fans do not have a similar track record for traveling.

"This year, I'd like to see us in the lead position," Littlepage said.

 

Backup Minter chips in for Cavs
Donte Minter scores a team-high 13 points off the bench to help UVa cope with center Elton Brown's slow start. Virginia 79 High Point 64 NEXT GAME Minnesota at Virginia Wednesday 9:30 p.m., ESPN2
By Doug Doughty

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Virginia center Elton Brown is so impressed with his backup, Donte Minter, that he can't wait until they're on the floor at the same time.

For now, Minter has been getting the job done until Brown gets his usual wake-up call at halftime.

"If I'm not having a good game, he'll have my back, and I told him, if he's not having a good game, I'll have his back," Brown said after the Cavaliers defeated High Point 79-64 for their third victory in as many games."

Minter, a 6-foot-7 1/2 , 244-pound freshman who grew up close to High Point in Salisbury, N.C., came off the bench to score a team-high 13 points and collect six rebounds in 21 minutes.

"He's playing better defense and has real good hands," UVa coach Pete Gillen said. "He's not the guy who's going to dazzle you, but he's effective. He doesn't run real fast or jump real high, but he's an 'old-school' basketball player. That's a compliment.

"He's like a rec-league player. His team wins. He doesn't say much. He just plays."

It remains to be seen if the Cavaliers will be a big winner, but Minter's team at West Rowan High School was 109-11, including 30-0 in 2001-2002, when it won the North Carolina state championship in Class AA.

"Donte is a terrific scorer," said first-year High Point coach Bart Lundy, a native of Galax, where both his family and his wife's family continue to make their homes. "When he catches it down there, he's awful hard to stop because he's so skilled. Once he figures out how physical to play and how hard to play, he's going to be really good."

Minter made four of five shots from the field and is hitting 75 percent from the field (12-of-16). He also went 5-for-5 from the free-throw line and is 8-for-9 from the stripe overall.

The Cavaliers committed 19 turnovers and failed to outrebound the opposition for the third game in a row, but it might have been their best game of three defensively.

High Point shot only 31.3 percent from the field (21-of-67) in dropping to 1-3, with the losses to Clemson (88-81), Michigan (84-49) and UVa, all in a six-day span.

Lundy, a Winthrop graduate who coached previously at Queens University in Charlotte, N.C., will not see a Division I opponent at home until the Panthers have played seven Division I foes on the road.

Virginia, on the other hand, plays its first four games at home, but "that was a dangerous game for us," Gillen said. "Not the smartest move on my part, playing [so soon] after the Virginia Tech game, which is a very emotional game and shortly before the Minnesota game."

The Cavaliers entertain the Gophers on Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.

Gillen was heartened Sunday to get 21 minutes and 10 points out of junior Devin Smith, who has a herniated disk that prevented him from playing or practicing for 10 days before he made his debut Friday night against the Hokies.

"I'm holding my breath," Gillen said. "I don't know anything about [disks]. The doctors say that a third of the time it gets better on its own, a third of the time you can play but not practice a lot, and a third of the time you can't do anything but have surgery."

Gillen is also waiting for the day when Brown can provide more than the two points and one rebound he generated in the first half Sunday. That followed a zero-point, zero-rebound first half Friday night.

"Sooner or later, I know I've got to start playing the same way in the first half that I do in the second half," said Brown, who finished with 10 points.

 

Minter helps U.Va. avoid Brown-out
Freshman comes up big after senior has lackluster first half
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Dec 1, 2003

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Once again, junior center Elton Brown struggled in the first half. Once again, Brown's replacement helped Virginia survive Brown's slow start.

Donte Minter, a 6-8, 234-pound freshman, came off VIRGINIA 79 H. POINT 65the bench yesterday to spark unbeaten U.Va. in its 79-65 victory over High Point before about 2,750 fans at University Hall.

"I told him today he really helped me out," Brown said, "because the first half, I couldn't buy a bucket, and he really stepped up."

A Salisbury, N.C., resident who spent a postgraduate year at Fork Union Military Academy, Minter totaled 13 points, six rebounds, three blocked shots and three steals in 21 minutes against the Panthers (1-3).

"He's kind of the silent assasin," Cavaliers coach Pete Gillen said. "You don't know he's in the game, but his numbers are pretty decent."

Minter made four of five shots from the floor and five of five from the line. Through three games, he's averaging 10.7 points, 5 rebounds and 17.3 minutes. He's shooting 75 percent from the floor, 88.9 from the free throw line.

Brown, who scored only two of his 16 points in the first half against Virginia Tech on Friday night, had two at the break yesterday, too. Minter had eight, and Virginia (3-0) led 42-34 at halftime. The Cavaliers pulled away after intermission and led 69-47 with 5:35 left.

The 6-9, 250-pound Brown finished with 10 points and a season-high seven rebounds. For the season, he's averaging 12 points, 4.3 rebounds and 23.3 minutes. Brown is shooting only 44 percent from the field and 60.9 from the line.

"I'd just like to see him be a little more physical, a little more aggresive," Gillen said. "He's one of the strongest guys in the building. He bench-presses 310 pounds, 320 pounds."

Minter, who signed with U.Va. in April, wasn't a heralded recruit. He's made an amazingly smooth transition to Division I hoops, though the Cavaliers haven't faced a team the caliber of Minnesota, which visits University Hall on Wednesday night for an ACC/Big Ten Challenge game.

"He's got real good hands. He's not the guy that's going to dazzle you, but he's effective," Gillen said. "He doesn't run real fast, jump real high, but he's kind of an old-school basketball player. He's a rec-league guy."

Junior forward Danny Gathings, who began his college career at Virginia Tech, had 15 points, 10 rebounds and two steals for High Point. Junior guard Zione White led the Panthers with 16 points. High Point shot only 31.3 percent from the floor.

"Their size really hurt us inside," said High Point coach Bart Lundy, a native of Galax in Southwest Virginia.

Five players scored in double figures for U.Va.: Minter, Brown, sophomore forward Derrick Byars (12), freshman swingman Gary Forbes (10) and junior forward Devin Smith (10). Byars, who fouled out in each of the first two games, picked up only one personal yesterday and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds in 30 minutes.
 

Coach wants a Tire blowout
Groh wants 30,000 fans to make trip to support team in Charlotte, N.C.
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Dec 1, 2003

CHARLOTTESVILLE - The sellout crowd of 73,535 at last year's inaugural Continental Tire Bowl included about 22,000 University of Virginia fans.

The Cavaliers (7-5) are headed back to Charlotte, N.C., where they'll meet Big East representative Pittsburgh (8-4) in the second Continental Tire Bowl. Third-year coach Al Groh, while appreciative of the support shown his team at last year's game, hopes to see more U.Va. fans Dec. 27 at Ericsson Stadium. His goal?

"Thirty," Groh said yesterday, some 22 hours after his team closed the regular season by beating Virginia Tech 35-21 at Scott Stadium.

In last year's Continental Tire, Virginia thrashed West Virginia 48-22.

"Every aspect of support for the team this year - whether it's student-body support, alumni support, fans in general - has been intensified," Groh said. "That was demonstrated in the first game of the season and quite apparent yesterday. So in keeping with that, and given the great time everybody had in Charlotte last year, if everything's continued to move onward and upward, then I think 30,000 is a very realistic goal to achieve."

U.Va. and Pitt have met twice in football. The Panthers won 18-7 in 1955 and 26-0 in'53.

Continental Tire officials invited the Cavaliers late Saturday night, shortly after Miami beat Pitt 28-14. Had the Panthers won, Virginia would be bound for the Jan. 3 Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho.

Boise in January is always enticing, of course, but Groh preferred a return trip to Charlotte. And so Saturday night found him pulling for the Hurricanes, who'll join the ACC next summer.

"I thought it would be to our advantage if they did well. We just want to keep it all in the conference, right?" Groh said with a smile.

Two of U.Va.'s standouts, junior defensive end Chris Canty and junior tailback Alvin Pearman, are from Charlotte. Injuries kept both from playing against West Virginia last year. Canty, a second-team all-ACC pick, had eight tackles Saturday against the then-No. 21 Hokies. Pearman caught a 49-yard touchdown pass from Matt Schaub to put U.Va. ahead to stay in the third quarter.

"One of the first things I thought about this morning was how nice it was for them that they'd get a chance to play prominent roles in this year's game," Groh said.

West Virginia entered last year's Continental Tire ranked No. 15 nationally. Pitt has been ranked as high as No. 9 this season. The Panthers' formidable offense features wideout Larry Fitzgerald, quarterback Rod Rutherford and tight end Kris Wilson. Fitzgerald, a Heisman Trophy candidate, has 87 catches for 1,595 yards and 22 touchdowns this season.

"This is just like last year," Groh said. "A lot of these matchups aren't very compelling and don't seem to mean much. I think this is another where it's a good game, it's a good matchup, it's going to mean something to the teams involved. It's got some marquee players involved."

Virginia officials encourage fans to buy their tickets through the school. U.Va.'s athletic ticket office will accept orders starting today at 9 a.m. Call (800) 542-8821 or (434) 924-8821 for ticket information. Prices range from $27.50 to $67.50 based on seat location.

 

Va. Tech again runs fade pattern
Another late collapse has Virginia Tech coaches in search of answers
BY MIKE HARRIS
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Dec 1, 2003

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Another regular season has ended in disappointment for Virginia Tech.

The Hokies lost their regular-season finale for the third straight time. Virginia, which had lost its previous four against Tech, whipped the Hokies 35-21 on Saturday at Scott Stadium.

The Hokies followed a strong start with a dismal finish for the third straight time. Tech started 6-0 and climbed as high as third in the national polls. It finished 8-4 and unranked.

Frank Beamer, who has been head coach at his alma mater for 17 seasons, promised a thorough study of everything the program is doing. But he stopped short of promising any changes in the Hokies' approach. In fact, he took umbrage at the suggestion that some might be necessary.

"We went to the national championship [after the 1999 season] doing it about the same way," Beamer said. "Times do change. But I still think if you are a solid program, which I think we are, and if you have solid coaches, which I think we do, and you have good players, which I think we do . . . I think we have to look further.

"We're going to go back and look at this video, go back and study the last few games, find out is there a central theme here, is there a central person? Is it the defenses called, should we have been able to play it? Should we be ready for a 'will' route that we've practiced all week?

"When things go like this, I'm not looking for blame. I'm looking for reasons. And let's get them corrected and get back to being a good football team."

Tech will have plenty to study. It started 6-0 in 2001 and finished the regular season 8-3. Last year it was 8-0 and 9-3. Fading is not a new phenomenon in Blacksburg.

"Last year, our personnel was the deal," Beamer said. "I'm not sure we were good enough last year when we dropped some, and I was proud of the fact that we won two of our last three. Right now, this is disappointing. We have some good players. We're not in a rhythm as a football team."

Tech learned yesterday that it will play in the Insight Bowl on Dec. 26 in Phoenix, probably against California. It will be Tech's 11th straight season with a bowl bid. The team will meet this afternoon and then get the rest of the week off.

Coaches will not take the week off. It figures to be an interesting week as the Hokies try to dissect their latest collapse.

"We're going to be in a bowl. There are some good things for our program," Beamer said. "Right now, I want to go back and put this team on the field again, too. I want to get out of this funk that we're in.

"I want some more time with this football team to see if we can't get a rhythm back and go play a great football game in a bowl right now. I'm disappointed that we haven't performed better, more consistently."

Given that Tech hasn't been able to snap out of its late-season funk for three seasons now, it might seem that the Hokies would be willing to pack up and try again next season. No chance, quarterback Bryan Randall said.

"We need to go to a bowl," he said. "I don't want to end the season like this. It's been tough, but I don't want to tuck my tail and run. I'm not running from adversity. I don't think it's any good for us to tuck our tail and go into next season. That's like giving up to me."