Virginia To Recognize 1984 Final Four Team

Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Jimmy Miller celebrates Virginia's 50-48 victory over Indiana in the 1984 NCAA Eastern Regional championship game.

CHARLOTTESVILLE—Virginia’s 1984 Final Four men’s basketball team will be recognized at halftime of the UVa-Wake Forest game on Feb. 28. The recognition on the 25th anniversary of the team’s run to the Final Four is part of Virginia’s annual Men’s Basketball Reunion activities. All Virginia men’s basketball alumni are invited to attend the annual reunion that features a 2 p.m. game between the Cavaliers and the Demon Deacons.

Several members of the 1984 team, which made a magical run in the NCAA Tournament, are expected to be in attendance on Feb. 28. The members of that team include Rick Carlisle, Kenton Edelin, Kenny Johnson, Ken Lambiotte, Dan Merrifield, Jim Miller, Tim Mullen, Olden Polynice, Tom Sheehey, Anthony Solomon, Ricky Stokes and Othell Wilson. The coaching staff was comprised of head coach Terry Holland, assistant coaches Jim Larranaga and Dave Odom, and graduate assistant coaches Seth Greenberg, Jeff Jones and Tom Perrin.

The 1984 UVa team finished the season with an overall record of 21-12 and reached the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament before losing to Houston 49-47 in overtime at the Kingdome in Seattle, Wash.

Virginia was the seventh seed in the NCAA Tournament’s Eastern Regional and won the regional championship with victories over Iona (58-57), Arkansas (53-51 in overtime), Syracuse (63-55) and Indiana (50-48). In East Rutherford, N.J., a leaning jumper in the lane by Wilson with six seconds remaining provided the Cavaliers with their victory over Iona and Carlisle hit a 10-foot baseline jumper with four seconds remaining in overtime in the win against Arkansas. In Atlanta, Ga., Wilson scored 17 points and Edelin had a career-high 14 rebounds in the regional semifinal victory over Syracuse. Virginia defeated Indiana for the Eastern Regional Championship behind 19 points from Miller, and five points and two key rebounds from Edelin in the game’s final 1:27. Miller was named the regional’s Most Outstanding Player.

The Cavaliers rallied from six points down in the final 3:03 to tie the national semifinal game with Houston 43-43 before losing in overtime. Miller and Wilson each scored 12 points for Virginia.

Reserved seat tickets for the Wake Forest-Virginia game are available at a cost of $30 each and Feb. 28 is also a Family Day at John Paul Jones Arena. Family Day packages that include four tickets, four hot dogs, four 22-ounce sodas and four popcorns are available for $96. Additional tickets may be added at $24 each.