Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, December 7, 1993 TAG: 9312070176
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
The rocket fuel they eat with their ravioli was of a reduced octane.
The nitroglycerine usually at their disposal didn't have much pop, either.
Instead, Radford University played its own version of run and stun Monday night. And while it didn't produce the 100-shots-attempted goal that Patriots coach Paul Westhead seeks from his guys, it did produce a 99-81 Highlanders victory.
"Not to discredit their program, but after all the publicity that George Mason has already gotten around the country, we figured we'd have a game in which we were pushed to the limit," Radford center Tyrone Travis said. "This was not the game that we expected."
Four Radford players recorded career-scoring highs, but the guy the Patriots couldn't control was freshman guard Anthony Walker, who set a Dedmon Center record with 39 points in 33 minutes. Walker made 16 of 22 shots, including four of seven from 3-point range. His 16 field goals were a school record.
"I was out there having fun, and the shots were just falling," Walker said.
Shots were falling frequently for other team members as well. The Highlanders (3-2) made 57.1 percent of their shots (36 of 63).
Travis had a career-high 23 points, but the big surprise was his 9-of-10 free-throw shooting. He entered the season shooting 59 percent but has made 19 of 23 this year.
Point guard Damian Ingram added 12 points and eight assists. Guard Johnny Watkins chipped in 11. Both point totals were career highs.
"They played smart tonight, " Radford coach Ron Bradley said of his team. "They attacked the pressure very well."
Allegedly, that sort of aggression is a specialty for Westhead's teams.
"We weren't in a groove with our offense," said Westhead, in his first year at George Mason after previous head coaching stints with the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Loyola Marymount University. "What you saw was a good display of offense from Radford and not very good display from us."
George Mason (2-2), which lost its second straight game, had season lows in shots attempted (70) and 3-pointers attempted (20). Led by Roanoker Troy Manns' 19 points, the Patriots shot 47.1 percent from the floor and outrebounded Radford 35-31. It was the fourth time in five games Radford has been outrebounded.
"It's early yet," Manns said. "We still have to get accustomed to the system, and we have to grow accustomed to each other.
George Mason trailed by 17 in the first half and 23 in the second and never mounted a serious run to get back into the game.
"With the two games on the road [GMU lost 108-87 at Northeastern Saturday], I think Mason was tired and having trouble running their system," Bradley said.
In the first half, the scorer's table had trouble keeping count as the teams pinballed up and down the floor. For more than seven minutes, officials debated the correct score, which ultimately was off by three points.
Radford appeared to be more distracted by the delay than did George Mason, which pulled to 46-38, its closest margin in more than 10 minutes.
Radford then scored the final eight points of the half, four of those coming from Walker. The freshman looked as though this sort of pace suited him fine. He scored 24 points in the first half, making 10 of 13 shots and hitting 3 of 5 3-pointers.
Walker was not prepared to pledge his love for George Mason's style, though.
"It's fun," he said, "but it just isn't me."
\ see microfilm for box score
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.