Story Links
March 2, 2000
By HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Darius Songaila scored 22 points, including14-for-14 shooting from the foul line, and Wake Forest dealt Virginia’s NCAAtournament hopes a blow with an 80-75 victory Thursday night.
Wake Forest (16-13, 7-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) lost the lead only oncein the first half after a 7-0 Virginia run in a span of 18 seconds. ButSongaila started a 5-0 burst by Wake Forest with two free throws and the DemonDeacons never trailed again.
Virginia (18-10, 8-7), battling for third in the ACC and hoping for itsfirst NCAA tournament berth in three years, lost its second straight. TheCavaliers lost at Florida State on Feb. 26. They finish against No. 17 Marylandon Saturday.
Virginia trailed 61-55 with 7:21 to play before Donald Hand scored on adrive. The Cavaliers then turned a steal by Adam Hall into a 5-point trip.
Hall first fed Stephane Dondon for a fastbreak layup, Craig Dawson foulinghim in the process. Dondon missed the free throw, but Hall got inside to grabthe rebound, laid it in, was fouled by Rafael Vidaurreta and made the shot.
That sent Vidaurreta to the sidelines with five fouls.
The mini-run gave Virginia its first lead of the half at 62-61 with 6:52left, but Songaila ended the burst shortly thereafter and Josh Howard added afree throw with 6:31 left and a baseline jumper 33 seconds later to push thelead to four.
Virginia got to within two twice, but Songaila hit two more free throws with4:25 left to make it 68-64, and Howard had a free throw with 3:17 to play and adriving score 32 seconds later to make it 71-66. Virginia couldn’t catch up.
Howard added 14 points for Wake Forest and Dawson and Josh Shoemaker had 11each.
Chris Williams paced Virginia with 23 points and Hall had 16, 14 in thesecond half. Hand scored 11 points, but missed 12 of 17 shots.
Songaila and Dawson scored 6 points each during a 19-9 run late in the firsthalf that gave the Demon Deacons a 40-27 lead, but Virginia scored the last sixpoints of the half – five by Williams – to make it 40-33 at the break.