Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 26, 1992 TAG: 9202260062
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
HOKIES HAVEN'T SEEN LAST OF LIBERTY
You might think Virginia Tech said hello and goodbye - permanently - to Liberty University's Vines Center after Monday night's escape.Not necessarily.
"I wouldn't mind going back, but we can't do it on an even-steven basis," Tech coach Bill Foster said. "It would have to be something that makes business sense."
That means Liberty visiting Tech twice for each time Tech visits Liberty, or Tech paying the Flames a guarantee to play in Blacksburg without the Hokies playing in Lynchburg. Foster said he and Liberty coach Jeff Meyer will talk after the season.
Monday was Tech's second trip to Lynchburg to play Liberty; the other was in 1982 when Liberty was an NAIA team.
One Big South team, North Carolina-Asheville, is on Tech's 1992-93 schedule as a no-return visitor to Blacksburg, and Foster said he's working on a couple more.
Odds aren't great, however,for the Hokies to play Radford.
"I don't have anything to gain by going over there, and I'm not sure they'd want one [in Blacksburg] and no return," Foster said.
Non-conference opponents for Tech next year include Virginia, West Virginia, Old Dominion, VMI, Western Carolina and Maryland-Eastern Shore.
\ One of the two assistant football coaches fired by Tech coach Frank Beamer refused to discuss the situation on Tuesday.
Former defensive tackle coach Larry Creekmore wouldn't comment on what led to his dismissal or what his future plans are.
"I've got a 2 through a pitching wedge, three woods and a putter, and I've been working on them pretty good," Creekmore said. "My golf cart's full of gas, and if it wasn't raining, I'd be out there right now."
He said he didn't know anything about rumors that Hokies athletic director Dave Braine heavily influenced Beamer's staff changes. Braine has denied tellingBeamer what to do or even suggesting he make changes.
\ After Erik Wilson fouled out of Tech's basketball game at Liberty on Monday, the Hokies played the last 1:13 with no true center - despite Liberty still having 6-foot-10 Julius Nwosu and 6-8 Mike Coleman on the floor. Tech forwards Thomas Elliott, John Rivers and Corey Jackson were joined by guards Jay Purcell and Steve Hall.
"They were in a zone, and it's tough for us to get anything going with [6-10] Jimmy [Carruth] against a zone," Tech coach Bill Foster said. "He's not going to shoot the free-throw line jumper or baseline jumper, so they can guard four guys with five."
\ Foster said Liberty's 9,000-capacity Vines Center ranked close to Tulane's claustrophobic Fogelman Arena for tough road gyms "and I don't know which one's [No.] 1."
Liberty might get the nod - if only for its mascot.
With 1:46 left, Tech's Hall went to the line for two free throws. But Liberty's mascot, an eagle, was jumping up and down on the base of the basket - causing the rim to shake enough that it was noticeable from midcourt.
Hall, who missed both shots, said after the game he didn't notice the shaking. Neither did Tech's bench, which didn't argue, nor the officials, who didn't call a violation.