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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, December 15, 1993                   TAG: 9312150095
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-6   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

TECH WOMEN NOT SURE OF IDENTITY AS BASKETBALL TEAM

Two easy victories, including a 59-point romp over Western Carolina, coupled with a 78-66 loss at nationally ranked Virginia has Tech's record at 2-1 as the Hokies play in the Pepperdine Tournament beginning Saturday against Mississippi State.

That game, Tech coach Carol Alfano said, will put another piece of Tech's personality in place. The Bulldogs were 14-13 last year, but were 11-5 outside the Southeastern Conference, which houses premier women's programs Vanderbilt and Tennessee, among others.

"If we can beat them on a neutral court, we'll feel good about our program," Alfano said.

Tech's other game in the tournament will be against Pepperdine or Colorado State on Sunday. The Hokies have nine players averaging in double-figure minutes but will go to California without junior guard Judy Fowler, a reserve who had arthroscopic knee surgery performed on Tuesday and is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

Cynthia Lee, Sherry Banks, Terri Garland and Stephanie Carter are Tech's main reserves; Lee and Garland are averaging 16 and 18 minutes per game, respectively. Garland leads the Hokies in assists (18) and Lee is averaging 5.3 rebounds.

"Terri Garland has been fantastic off the bench. She's like another starter," Alfano said.

Garland has a team-high six steals, symbolic of a defense that has held opponents to 37.2 percent field-goal shooting and has forced more than 25 turnovers per game.

Alfano even praised the Hokies' defense against Virginia - at least, the half-court defense. Alfano said UVa scored 28 transition points off Tech turnovers or bad shots.

Though the Hokies got rattled, Alfano said they weren't scared as in last year's game, when UVa won 93-59 in Blacksburg.

"Last year, it was a lay-up drill," Alfano said. "This year, they had to work for their baskets."

After this weekend's work at Pepperdine, Tech will stay an extra day in Malibu and tour Universal Studios, Rodeo Drive and other California tourist spots.

"We wanted to reward our kids," Alfano said.

\ UPCOMING IN BLACKSBURG: Women's basketball - Diamond Club Classic, 5 and 7 p.m. Dec. 29-30 (Tech, Appalachian St., Colgate, William and Mary); Morehead State, 7 p.m. Jan. 5; Tennessee-Chattanooga, 7 p.m. Jan. 8; South Florida, 7 p.m. Jan. 10; Bradley, 7 p.m. Jan. 12.