Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 9, 1992 TAG: 9202090231
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
HIGHLANDERS WIN A SNOOZER
Take your pick of the toughest job in town Saturday night.Police officer? Emergency room nurse? Hot-line counselor?
How about cheerleader at the Radford University-Youngstown State basketball game? Those poor young women and men worked themselves to exhaustion trying to get a peep out of a Dedmon Center audience of 1,800, but couldn't do it.
There wasn't much to holler about in the Highlanders' 70-58 pay-you-back victory over the Penguins.
"I went over and sat on the bench a couple of times and almost went to sleep," said Radford guard Doug Day, who led his team with 20 points.
These Penguins must have felt right at home. Everybody was cold in the Dedmon Center, which did its usual imitation of a giant igloo. Especially chilled were those trying to shoot a basketball.
Radford warmed up in the second half from 38.7 percent accuracy from the floor to 39.3 and finished at 39 percent (23-of-59) for the game. That was just short of sizzling, though, compared with the clang gang from Youngstown (5-16), which lost its 11th straight game while making 20 of 65 field-goal attempts (30.8 percent).
Radford, of course, had a lot to do with the Penguins' problems. The Highlanders contested every shot and also forced 18 turnovers, nine more than they committed.
"Defense was what did it for us," Radford point guard Chris Hawkins said.
Radford was defeated 75-70 at Youngstown in December; since then, the Penguins have lost 11 of 12. That game has been a consistent source of middle-of-the-night cold sweats for the Highlanders.
"It wasn't pretty [this time], but they kind of make it that way," Radford coach Ron Bradley said. "The game at Youngstown was even uglier than this."
The one point of beauty Saturday for Radford was that it climbed on top early and stayed there. Nine times this season, including last Monday's 80-75 victory over Campbell, Radford has fought back from a second-half deficit. "It was good that we got on top first," said Radford forward Don Burgess, who had 14 points. "We're getting tired of coming back."
Hawkins and Stephen Barber scored 11 points each. Barber, who is playing with a bum wrist, had a lot to do with the low team shooting percentage by going 4-of-15.
Surprisingly, Radford wasn't hurt worse by being outrebounded 52-37. Youngstown's Jerome Sims set a Dedmon Center record with 22 rebounds. Radford is used to this by now, though. It was the 15th time in 21 games the Highlanders have been beaten on the backboards.
Radford (14-7) is finished with its non-conference schedule and takes to the road for Big South Conference games at Charleston Southern on Monday and Davidson next Saturday.
"Not a real exciting game tonight," Hawkins said. "This is one where you take the win and go play Charleston Southern." \
see microfilm for box score