College Basketball Roundup : Polynice Has a Big Night, Leads Virginia Past Houston, 92-77

Olden Polynice scored 25 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, both career highs, to lead Virginia to a 92-77 victory over Houston Saturday in the season opener for both teams at Landover, Md.

“We knew beating a team like Houston would give us the recognition and lift the burden we had on us last year of not being a good team,” said guard Tom Calloway, who contributed a career high 18 points.

“Virginia’s got a fine basketball team, and today they looked like champions,” said Guy Lewis, opening his 30th season as Houston’s head coach.

The 6-11 Polynice scored 19 of his points in the first half as the Cavaliers battled back from a 12-point deficit.

“Without Olden it wouldn’t have been a game in the first half and then Tom Calloway did a good job of controlling the ball in the second half,” said Virginia Coach Terry Holland.

Virginia’s point total was its highest since the Ralph Sampson era ended in 1983.

Holland, looking to improve on last year’s 17-16 record, has said his team will drop its deliberate style of play for an up-tempo attack this year.

“We did a lot of running but didn’t score that many points off it in the first half,” Holland said. “We know we have good front-line players but we still have to prove that we can play consistently in the backcourt.”

Houston was led by Greg Anderson’s 26 points. Rickie Winslow added 21 and Alvin Franklin 20 for the Cougars.

Joining Polynice and Calloway in double figures for Virginia was Tom Sheehey with 15 points and Mike Kennedy with 13.

Maryland 84, Northeastern 72--All-American Len Bias scored 23 points before fouling out with five minutes left and Keith Gatlin added 20 points for the Terrapins at College Park, Md. With the Terps clinging to a 68-66 lead and Byas on the bench, Gatlin took charge by hitting a jumper with 3:33 remaining and added four straight free throws to seal the victory. Northeastern’s Reggie Lewis led all scorers with 30 points.

Wake Forest 58, Rollins 55--Rod Watson sank both ends of a one-and-one with 16 seconds left to give the Deacons the win at Winston-Salem, N.C. Rollins overcame a 16-point deficit to take a 56-55 lead with 22 seconds left. Tyrone Bogues, 5-3 Wake Forest guard, led all scorers with 18 points.

Syracuse 102, Utica 55--Rafael Addison scored 25 points, hitting 12 of 15 shots, to lead the Orangemen at Syracuse, N.Y.

Nebraska 71, Wisconsin Stout 53--Dave Hoppen, 6-11 center, led the Cornhuskers with 29 points at Lincoln, Neb. Nebraska shot only 44% against the NAIA school and Coach Moe Iba said, “It was mostly a nightmare all night long. I never dreamed we’d go out and play like that.”

Weber State 76, Tennessee State 59--Darryle McDaniel had 14 points and 12 rebounds at Ogden, Utah as Weber State won its second game in two starts under new Coach Larry Farmer.

DePaul 82, Yugoslavia 59--Kevin Holmes had 22 points for the Blue Demons against Smelt Ilimplja of Yugoslavia. DePaul broke it open with a 17-3 run in the first half.

Florida State 86, Tampa 62--Pee Wee Barber scored 24 points and Tat Hunter added 22 for the Seminoles who outscored the Spartans, 28-10, midway in the first half at Tallahassee, Fla.