Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 2, 1994 TAG: 9403020063
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Why change? The Maroons are 23-4, have won 16 games in a row and are coming off their fourth consecutive Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship.
Roanoke couldn't be on more of a high going into tonight's game against North Carolina Wesleyan (19-7). Tip-off is 7:30 at the Bast Center.
"We're not going to change a thing because what we're doing seems to be working," said Kristie Workman, one of two seniors on the team.
"We're excited to play [tonight]. We were hoping to get a bye in the first round, but we're glad to be playing at home," she added. "It'll be nice to have a game to break up the week."
Workman has been the Maroons' floor leader all season. The 5-foot-2 guard averages 7.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 5.2 steals per game.
The Radford native has set school records this year for steals in a season (130), assists in a season (200) and assists in a game (13). Workman said she was pleased with the way her season has progressed, but wouldn't be satisfied with just making it to the NCAA Tournament.
A victory tonight would give the Maroons a chance Saturday to avenge their worst loss of the season. Maryville, Tenn., beat Roanoke 92-67 on Jan. 15, the Maroons' worst loss in the past eight years.
Roanoke is 1-6 against Maryville in the past four years.
"I'm not going to be satisfied until we get another shot at Maryville," Workman said. "We got crushed this year. They're not 30 points better than us."
But first, the Maroons must get past North Carolina Wesleyan, champion of the Dixie Conference. The Bishops have won nine consecutive games, led by Lisa Tyson, who averages 17.8 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.
Roanoke and North Carolina Wesleyan had several common opponents this season, including Ferrum and Christopher Newport. Wesleyan split two games with the Captains, and Roanoke won the teams' only meeting 83-74.
The Bishops beat the Panthers three times this season by an average of 10 points. The Maroons lost to Ferrum 69-62 in Salem.
"[N.C. Wesleyan] is a very talented team," Roanoke coach Susan Dunagan said. "They average 72 points, so we have to try and cut that down.
"They like to push the ball down the floor, and they play strong defensively. We know that we have to be able to get back on transition defense . . . but also play the perimeter because thy like to shoot the three.
"It's going to be a good game, a pretty even game. It'll be a fun one to watch."
by CNB