Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 21, 1993 TAG: 9301210094
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
TECH WOMEN TOP RADFORD
For the Virginia Tech women's basketball team, there was but a slight pause Wednesday night in its season-long brushoff of opponents.The Hokies had little offensive wealth against Radford but cashed in on their defense, holding the Highlanders scoreless from the field for about nine minutes in the first half en route to an 81-68 non-conference victory over their neighbors to the south.
Tech (12-3) led by 19 in the second half and was in trouble only when Radford's press rattled Tech's reserves late in the game and the Highlanders pulled to 74-68 with 1:42 left.
But the Hokies' regulars came back in and preserved the victory before 467 spectators.
"I don't think we played great, and we still scored 81 points," Tech coach Carol Alfano said. "We lacked a little intensity; we were sloppy. [But we're] preaching rebounding and defense."
Radford outrebounded Tech 39-33 but shot just 29 percent from the field, the 11th straight game a Tech opponent failed to reach 50 percent.
Christi Osborne led Tech with 16 points and Lisa Griffith had 15. Tammi Crown led Radford (4-7) with 17.
Tech took a 12-11 lead in the all-time series by winning for the 10th time in its past 12 tries against Radford. The Hokies have won eight straight at Cassell Coliseum, tying a school record, and 10 of their past 11 games overall.
The victory pushed Hokies coach Carol Alfano's career record at Tech to a game short of .500 (203-204).
Radford had won two straight entering Wednesday's game.
The Hokies, however, raced to a 14-2 lead with 14:16 left. Radford's Jennifer Goode had tied the score 2-2 with a jumper with about 19 minutes left, but Radford didn't make another field goal until Samantha Gilbert's all-alone layup with 10:40 to go.
By that time, Tech led 20-7.
Radford got it to 22-16 with 5:30 remaining before Tech's Osborne appeared. She made a 17-foot jumper to make it 24-16, and after a Cynthia Lee post shot, Osborne hit another jumper to put Tech ahead 28-17.
On Tech's next possession, Osborne dribbled out to the right corner, stopped and swished a 15-footer for a 30-17 Hokie lead.
And with 1:49 left, Osborne was left open on the fast break and scored again on a jumper for a 32-19 Tech lead. \
see microfilm for box score