Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 14, 1992 TAG: 9203140245
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LOUISVILLE, KY. LENGTH: Medium
On Friday, his team got some respect.
Fifth-seeded Virginia Commonwealth rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit to beat fourth-seeded Louisville 74-65 in a first-round game at Freedom Hall.
VCU (14-14) plays top-seeded Tulane (20-7) in one semifinal today at 9:30 p.m..
The Cardinals (18-10) hadn't lost their first game in a Metro tournament since 1979, when Virginia Tech beat them. Louisville, 25-9 all-time in this tournament, is 8-4 in tournament games on its home floor.
VCU survived missing six of eight free throws in one stretch late in the game. The Rams recovered to make their last 13.
"I was thinking, `Just like it always is; we do this all the time,' " said Smith, a former Virginia Tech assistant coach who has seen his team lose seven games this year by two points or fewer.
Simply, Louisville couldn't shave the Rams' lead. VCU led 60-52 before struggling at the line and, when Carl Weldon made two free throws with 1:08 left, VCU led 64-55.
"I don't think we played bad," Louisville coach Denny Crum said. "But every time we took a shot it seemed like we missed."
Chris Brower's 3-pointer pulled VCU to 39-38 with 14:15 to go. After Louisville's Dwayne Morton missed a jumper, the Rams' Kendrick Warren scored on a goal-tending call. Louisville took a 41-40 lead and led again 44-42 with 11:12 left, but that was the last time the Rams trailed.
Eric Atkins' turnaround shot with 10:45 left tied it at 44, Louisville's Everick Sullivan missed, and Warren scored inside for a 46-44 VCU lead. There were two more ties before the Rams' Tyron McCoy scored on a tip-in with 5:33 left to put VCU ahead for good.
Warren left the game with four fouls with 8:25 left and the Rams ahead 48-45. He returned with 4:12 to go and VCU up 56-50.
Virginia Commonwealth broke a four-game losing streak. The Rams never have lost five straight games. \
Associated Press supplied some information for this roundup.
\ see microfilm for box score
by CNB