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

DATE: THURSDAY, February 11, 1993                   TAG: 9302110204
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: From Associated Press and staff reports
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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THORNTON SPARKS MAROONS 75-69

Mike Thornton scored 21 points and Roanoke used a 16-4 run in the second half to pull away to 75-69 victory over Eastern Mennonite in Old Dominion Athletic Conference men's basketball Wednesday.

Thornton, who earlier missed three games with an ankle injury, made a pair of 3-pointers as the Maroons (16-5 overall, 11-4 ODAC) pulled away from a 45-44 lead with its surge. Thornton also sank four straight free throws late in the game to preserve the win. The Maroons were 17-of-23 from the line in second half and 22-of-29 for the game.

"Mike hit some big 3-pointers to help give us some breathing room," Roanoke coach Page Moir said. "He also made some key free throws down the stretch. It's good to have Mike back healthy again."

Hilliary Scott added 15 points for the Maroons and Rick Becker had 12.

The Royals (6-15, 4-11) got 26 points from Vaughn Troyer, 20 from Todd Martin and 10 from David Ellison.

"We lost a couple of games this year because we couldn't hit our free throws," Thornton said. "The whole team has worked on concentrating more at the line. We all know how important free throws can be."

The Maroons took possession of second place in the ODAC with Virginia Wesleyan's 76-75 loss to Hampden-Sydney on Wednesday. \

see microfilm for box score

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