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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 7, 1993                   TAG: 9303070091
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: HATTIESBURG, MISS.                                LENGTH: Short

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LOSS TO SOUTHERN MISS HURTS VCU'S NCAA BID

Reserve Sam Shelton Jones scored five points in the final 1:30 Saturday as Southern Mississippi beat Virginia Commonwealth 71-65 and hurt the Rams' chances of earning a bid to the NCAA basketball tournament.

Southern Mississippi (10-16 overall, 6-6 Metro Conference) trailed 60-59 with 3:16 remaining, but Jones scored all but two of his seven points to seal the game.

Virginia Commonwealth, which improved its chances of an NCAA at-large bid with a 77-65 upset of Tulane on Thursday, is 18-8, 7-5 in the Metro.

Bernard Haslett led the Eagles with 17 points. Glen Whisby added 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Southern Mississippi led 32-27 at halftime, but the Rams went on a 7-2 run to start the second half and tie it at 34. Whisby, after scoring two points in the first half, had seven of the Golden Eagles' next 16 and Southern Mississippi led 50-44 with 10:32 left.

The Rams went on a 12-5 run over the next five minutes and led 56-55 with 5:40 to play, then led for the last time at 60-59. \

see microfilm for box score

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