Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 17, 1992 TAG: 9201170191
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
DAY HAS A BIG NIGHT IN RADFORD VICTORY
There are comebacks that are beyond Radford University's basketball capabilities. The rally Thursday night against Liberty University wasn't one of them.Continuing to be as hard to slay as Dracula, the Highlanders vaporized first a 14-point deficit then a 12-point one - both those runs coming in the second half - and rallied to beat Liberty 76-74 in a Big South Conference thriller at the Dedmon Center.
Radford led only twice, both times by two points. Triumph was not secure until Keith Ferguson's desperation heave at the horn went awry for the Flames.
Antoine Dalton, a 6-foot-8 freshman, preserved the lead seconds before when he blocked then rebounded Ferguson's driving attempt.
"It's funny, but even when we were so far down, there wasn't a guy on this team who didn't think we weren't going to win," Radford guard Brian Schmall said. "Being down just doesn't seem to faze us. It's a habit I don't want to get into, though."
It may be too late for that now. Radford (8-6 overall, 2-0 Big South) rallied from nine back in the second half to beat Charleston Southern 69-64 Monday and seven of Radford's past nine games have been decided in the final minute, with the Highlanders winning four of those.
"Never say die," Radford guard Doug Day said.
Day most certainly didn't, shattering Liberty's first second-half lead almost by himself. Day scored 12 straight points in less than two minutes. Before the Flames could gather their thoughts, they had gone from being up 55-43 to down 60-58.
But then the Flames (9-3, 1-2) scored the next 14 points, capped by Ferguson's hoop with 5:17 remaining to make it 72-60. Fueling the surge was a four-point play resulting from a technical foul on Day, who reacted too strongly to a personal foul call.
Surely Radford, which has trailed in all but three of its victories, was done.
Absolutely not.
Day hit a 3-pointer with 5:03 left - the sixth of seven he would put down Thursday - and another rally was in progress. Among other recent rallies were from 10 back to beat VCU 72-71, and from 19 back in a 81-78 loss to Western Kentucky.
While Liberty was being held without a field goal for the last 5:17, Stephen Barber was scoring seven of his 13 and Day nailing yet another trey.
"We try to press 40 minutes a game and try to wear people down," Radford coach Ron Bradley said. "Liberty was tired."
The Flames shot 64 percent in the first half en route to a 45-31 lead. They shot 39.1 percent in the second and went 0-for-5 beyond the 3-point arc. Julius Nwosu, a 6-10 center, and Mike Coleman, a 6-8 forward, were held to 10 points and six shots in the second half.
"I tell you what motivated us," Barber said. "They came into our gym laughing and smiling and acting like we were nothing, like we were some pushover."
Day finished with 34 points (7-for-13 from 3-point range), Barber added 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocks, and Don Burgess chipped in 11 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals.
Liberty and Radford have not played since 1984. It would seem they can't wait to have at each other again Jan. 27.
"We definitely renewed the rivalry tonight," Liberty coach Jeff Meyer said.
\ see microfilm for box score