Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 10, 1994 TAG: 9402100164
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
Make that 43 years and 50 career Highlanders victories.
That gag was provided by the tireless Radford press agents and was useful because there wasn't a whole lot else to talk about save for Radford's 78-64 Big South Conference victory over Winthrop. As a topic of conversation, even that had its limitations.
"That was a long game," Radford post player Chris Harvey said. "A l-o-o-o-ng game."
There were several reasons, starting with the defense the Eagles played for most of the game.
"I hate a zone," Radford guard Anthony Walker said.
So does backcourt mate Damian Ingram, who didn't start because he was too sleepy-headed to make the team breakfast Wednesday morning.
"I can't believe they played a zone for as long as they did," he said. "That's something you do in junior high school. It makes a game boring."
Radford (15-5 overall, 9-3 in the Big South) staggered yawning into town at 3 a.m. Tuesday morning after a 3-2 road trip, and some of the players were immediately dispatched to exams once the sun came up.
"I guess that type of performance is predictable but not acceptable," Bradley said of the game.
Stumped by the zone in the first half, the Highlanders shot 41.7 percent and settled for 46.2 accuracy overall, the fifth time in six games they've dipped below 50 percent despite the fact they were still leading the nation with a 53.8 average, according to the latest NCAA figures.
"A lot of teams would be happy with 46 percent," Winthrop coach Dan Kenney said. "We're one of them."
Winthrop shot 30 percent in the second half and 38.6 percent for the game as Radford pulled away behind Harvey and Don Burgess, who combined for 17 second-half points.
Radford outrebounded Winthrop 40-37 and blocked 11 shots, tying a team record. Tyrone Travis had five and Burgess four.
Winthrop (3-18, 2-11) has lost six straight.
"It seems like we play a good first half, then the other team makes a little run, and another game gets away from us," said Eagles guard Mike Fayed, a Roanoke native.
LaShawn Coulter scored 23 points and sank five of eight 3-pointers to lead Winthrop.
Kenney was under no illusions after this one was over.
"It isn't one of those games that you can take the credit for the way the other team played," he said. "I'm smart enough to know we didn't see a razor-sharp Radford team."
by CNB