Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 9, 1994 TAG: 9403090078
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But such was the case for Radford University's Tyrone Travis before the 1993-94 campaign.
"I can remember before the year started that we were playing some pickup games with some of the new guys and Tyrone was getting more and more frustrated," said Don Burgess, Travis' fellow senior. "Finally, he said that he didn't think we'd win five games this year."
Burgess, one of the most even-tempered gentleman imaginable, became quite agitated at that point.
"I had to have a talk with Tyrone," Burgess said. "With him being one of the old guys, there was no way he could show the young guys how frustrated he was. It's the trickle-down effect, you know."
To condense a lengthy story, Travis calmed down and the Highlanders turned out to be better than expected.
In the end, Radford finished 20-8 and was a Big South Conference tournament semifinalist.
For the fifth straight year, Radford was a tournament semifinalist. For the fifth straight year, it was left to muse about what the delicious experience of playing for the league title might be like.
Campbell 72, Radford 61. Never mind that the Camels were an almost unbelievable 14-for-27 from 3-point range or that Campbell forward Scott Neely went into a Zen-like state, making seven of nine triples.
With Liberty's subsequent 76-62 victory over Campbell in the final leaving the Flames looking forward to their first NCAA Tournament berth, Radford and William and Mary are the last of the state's Division I schools never to have played in the tournament.
This one really hurt.
"It's almost like we reach a psychological barrier," Highlanders coach Ron Bradley said.
Which is too bad because as the Buffalo Bills can attest, it's not what you do to get there but what you do at the big show that is remembered.
Radford had a good year, make no mistake about that. The Highlanders were undefeated at home for the first time. They beat everybody in the conference at least once. They erased a 21-point deficit and beat Charleston Southern 83-78. They won 72-71 at LSU. They were in first place in the league for a while.
The defense - a focal point of the preseason - turned around from being a joke the season before to the pride of the team.
Burgess capped a spectacular four-year career by averaging 15.8 points en route to 1,417 for his career, second on the all-time list. Burgess was in the university's top-10 for a career in all five major statistical categories - points, rebounds (701), assists (230), steals (157), and blocked shots (81).
"Basically, he did everything," Bradley said.
Travis shook off a preseason weight problem (he lost 40 pounds) and a four-year battle of wills with Bradley to be a dominant figure in the low post. Travis averaged 15.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, blocked 62 shots, and made 43 steals. For his career, on Radford's all-time list, he was fifth in scoring (1,263), third in rebounds (701), eighth in steals (135), and first in blocks (210).
Travis was fierce in the tournament, too, scoring 50 points and hauling in 18 rebounds in two games.
Radford also got a lot out of newcomer Anthony Walker, who was voted the conference rookie of the year, and junior college transfer Damian Ingram.
Chris Harvey, a forward, gave Radford a lot of quality minutes, particularly on defense. Off the bench, Radford had a sort of two-man sixth man (Bradley's words) in Johnny Watkins and Jason Lansdown. Watkins was the team's designated stopper and Lansdown was more of an offensive player. Guard Shane Weddle was good for a few 3-point bombs off the bench.
Looking ahead, Burgess and Travis will be impossible to replace. Radford ought to be good next year, though.
Walker, Ingram, Harvey, Lansdown, Weddle, and 6-foot-8 Antoine Dalton will form the core of a veteran team. Back after a medical redshirt year will be Eric Bowens, at 6-6, the most physically-gifted of the current big men.
Recruits Eric Parker, a 6-9 post player from Tucker, Ga., and 6-7 Kevin Robinson out of Matoaca High in Ettrick are expected to contend for starting roles. Bradley has two more scholarships to give and he'd like to find a small forward. Jon Hunter, a 6-10 transfer out of James Madison, is a project.
by CNB