Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 28, 1993 TAG: 9302280121
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHRIS BACHELDER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
MARLINS GO FROM ODAC WORST TO 1ST
Virginia Wesleyan coach Terry Butterfield has a keen memory."My first year - our first year in the conference - we went 8-18," Butterfield said. "I remember like yesterday facing my team after the media day where we were picked to finish dead last."
Four years and a few lumps later, Butterfield's Marlins are champions of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament.
"What a great adventure," Butterfield said.
Tournament MVP Rick Chalk scored 23 points Saturday as Virginia Wesleyan outplayed Randolph-Macon 70-61 at the Salem Civic Center in a battle for an NCAA Division III tournament bid. As the ODAC champions, the Marlins will advance to the national tournament for the first time since 1980-81.
Asked if he expected to receive a bye in the 40-team tournament, Butterfield said: "I'm so happy to be one of the teams, it doesn't make any difference. It's been a long drought for the program, and this is an exciting thing."
After a 34-34 tie early in the second half, the Marlins took control with a 7-0 run. Marshawn Love scored four straight points and Shannon Sweeney hit a 3-pointer as Virginia Wesleyan quickly took a 41-34 lead.
The lead fluctuated between three and seven points before Walt Lassiter, an all-tournament selection, sank a 3-pointer to give the Marlins a 56-48 lead with 5:42 left.
Randolph-Macon made a final run as Dan Prescott's 3-pointer and layup cut the deficit to 56-53 with 3:58 to go. Then the Yellow Jackets missed three straight shots - two from 3-point range - and Virginia Wesleyan regrouped during a timeout.
"When they came off the floor, I noticed some furrowed brows," Butterfield said. "I said, `Hey, that's a good club out there. Let's just stem the tide and rebuild that lead.' "
A 9-2 run, with four points each by Chalk and Lassiter, gave the Marlins a 65-55 lead with 57 seconds left.
Lassiter finished with 15 points and 18 rebounds. John DeCandido had nine big points with three 3-pointers in a span of 2:55 in the first half. Love, the point guard, had six points and no turnovers and was selected all-tournament.
"A lot of my success is due to every other guy stepping it up," said Chalk, a 6-foot-7 junior.
Prescott led Randolph-Macon with 20 points, and all-tournament pick Troy Smith added 19. Point guard Kurt Axe also made the tournament team. \
see microfilm for box score