Men's Hoops Loses to Maryland

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Feb. 24, 1998

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) – Laron Profit scored six points and RodneyElliott four during a 13-0 run early in the second half Tuesday night, andMaryland spoiled Senior Night for Virginia, beating the Cavaliers 74-66.

Maryland (17-9, 10-6 Atlantic Coast Conference), which already had clinchedthird place in the league, also limited Curtis Staples to three 3-pointers,leaving him three shy of Keith Veney’s NCAA record of 409.

Virginia (11-17, 3-12) lost for the ninth time in 10 games and may haveplayed its last home game under coach Jeff Jones. Jones has two years left onhis contract, but speculation has been growing he won’t be back.

Trailing 36-30, Maryland got its run started when Terrell Stokes made athree-point play 3:02 into the second half. Profit added two baskets and twofree throws, and Elliott finished it with a basket and two from the line.

Virginia missed eight of its first nine shots in the second half.

The spurt gave Maryland a 43-36 lead, and Virginia got no closer than fivepoints the rest of the way. It was the Cavaliers’ first loss on Senior Night infour years. The last three years, they upset ranked teams.

Elliott led the Terrapins with 14 points, Profit had 13 and Obinna Ekezieand Sarunas Jasikevicius had 12 apiece. Jasikevicius’ all came after halftime.

Norman Nolan led Virginia with 26 points and 15 rebounds in his last homegame, and Staples, also a senior, had 12 of his 17 in the first half. Staplesfinished 3-for-14 from 3-point range, 1-for-9 in the second half. He has atleast two more games to hit four 3-pointers for the NCAA record.