Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 1, 1991 TAG: 9103010225
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: ANDERSON, S.C. LENGTH: Medium
The upstart Buccaneers did a commendable job of trying to keep the prophets in business before falling to second-seeded Radford 75-70 Thursday at the Civic Center of Anderson.
Charleston Southern (9-19) had sliced and diced a 17-point lead to two with more than two minutes left before Radford found health and happiness at the free-throw line.
Point guard Chris Hawkins rescued the Highlanders (22-6) by scoring nine of their last 11 points - all on free throws - and earning his seventh assist on the other two points, a Stephen Barber dunk. All this in the last 1:31.
Radford plays a semifinal tonight at 8 against Augusta, a 62-53 winner over North Carolina-Asheville.
"We know that people are going to be coming after us, so we have to concentrate on making the free throws," said Hawkins, who had two 3-point field goals among his 15 points. He had one turnover in a stint limited to 28 minutes because of fouls. Hawkins added seven rebounds.
"I don't think he usually shoots free throws like that," Bucs coach Gary Edwards said. "He had a pretty good night at the line."
Hawkins shoots 70.1 percent on free throws.
It was not a game that will go down in tournament lore. Both teams went through extended agonies offensively.
"We went through a couple of offensive droughts and that almost cost us," Radford coach Oliver Purnell said.
Radford, which led 10-9 after 10 minutes, shot 40 percent (10-of-25) in the second half and 41 percent for the game. Strangely, the Highlanders were more accurate the farther from the basket they ventured, making six of 12 3-point attempts.
Guard Doug Day went 3-for-5 from long range and scored 15 to go with six rebounds. Despite the 13 rebounds from the backcourt, Radford was edged 51-46 by the league's best rebounding team.
Charleston Southern's problem was shooting. The Bucs were 27 percent from the floor in the first half and ended shooting 37.8 percent (17-of-45) for the game.
"We obviously lost the game in the first half," Edwards said. "We were doing a good job defensively, but then we let our offensive problems affect us. We were getting the basketball right where we wanted it, but then couldn't buy a basket."
The Bucs were paced by Harvey Minor with 20 points and 12 rebounds.
Radford's other two double-figure scorers were Tyrone Travis with 14 and Ron Shelburne with 10. Shelburne moved into the top spot on the school scoring list, passing David Smith, and now has 1,316.
see microfilm for box score
by CNB