Wake Forest University
Virginia
Men's Hoops Squad Holds Off Virginia, 80-75
3/2/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 2, 2000
By HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Darius Songaila scored 22 points, including 14-for-14 shooting from the foul line, and Wake Forest dealt Virginia's NCAA tournament hopes a blow with an 80-75 victory Thursday night.
Wake Forest (16-13, 7-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) lost the lead only once in the first half after a 7-0 Virginia run in a span of 18 seconds. But Songaila started a 5-0 burst by Wake Forest with two free throws and the Demon Deacons never trailed again.
Virginia (18-10, 8-7), battling for third in the ACC and hoping for its first NCAA tournament berth in three years, lost its second straight. The Cavaliers lost at Florida State on Feb. 26. They finish against No. 17 Maryland on Saturday.
Virginia trailed 61-55 with 7:21 to play before Donald Hand scored on a drive. 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 fouling him in the process. Dondon missed the free throw, but Hall got inside to grab the 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 6:52 left, but Songaila ended the burst shortly thereafter and Josh Howard added a free throw with 6:31 left and a baseline jumper 33 seconds later to push the lead to four.
Virginia got to within two twice, but Songaila hit two more free throws with 4:25 left to make it 68-64, and Howard had a free throw with 3:17 to play and a driving 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 11 each.
Chris Williams paced Virginia with 23 points and Hall had 16, 14 in the second 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 first half that gave the Demon Deacons a 40-27 lead, but Virginia scored the last six points of the half - five by Williams - to make it 40-33 at the break.
