Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 24, 1993 TAG: 9301240181
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
RADFORD ENDS 3-GAME SLIDE
The gag going around the Dedmon Center on Saturday night went something like this:Q: Why did Radford University blow a 15-point lead to North Carolina Asheville and lose Monday night?
A: The Highlanders were looking ahead to their next opponent.
If Radford was looking past UNCA, then the penalty was not only a pass-the-seltzer-water loss but also another game against UNCA. This time, though, Radford had a better handle on its affairs and beat the Bulldogs 81-62 to gain a split in this highly unusual six-day home-and-away Big South Conference twinbill.
"Don't let the score Monday [72-69 UNCA] fool you," Radford forward Tyrone Travis said. "We drilled them that time too, before it got away."
This time, Radford (9-9 overall, 3-2 in the conference) didn't let up on the Bulldogs, who shot 32.8 percent from the floor (21 of 64) after warming up with a 35.7 percent second half. Radford forced 24 turnovers and controlled the backboards 43-40.
"That was the best defense I've seen them play in quite some time," Asheville coach Don Doucette said.
Radford snapped a three-game skid, the last two at Campbell and Asheville.
"Those were two that we really thought we let get away," Radford coach Ron Bradley said.
The Highlanders won their eighth home game with no defeats as four players scored in double figures. Sophomore forward Chris Harvey led the assault with a career-high 15 points and five rebounds in 16 minutes, prompting somebody to ask where he'd been all this time.
"On the bench," he said. "I don't feel like much of a contributor when I'm only in there for a couple of minutes at a time. Being in there longer helped my confidence."
Doug Day and Travis each scored 13 points, but both struggled mightily with their shooting, putting up matching 4-for-13s. Travis eased the pain a little by blocking three shots and collecting a team-high eight rebounds.
After sitting out last year to attend to his schoolwork, Travis seemed to relish the extra time this week to recover from a three-game road trip on a vast triangle from Knoxville, Tenn., to Buies Creek, N.C., to Asheville.
"Spell it T-I-R-E-D," he said.
That's the way the 'Dogs (3-10, 1-5) looked after Radford got done with them. Burt Jenkins, Eric Evans, and Robert Thompson each scored 11 as Asheville fell to 0-8 on the road. \
see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
BASKETBALL