Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 16, 1994 TAG: 9402160157
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The Hokies, at odds with their offense lately, had to keep it up. Against the nation's Division I leader in field-goal percentage (35.8) defense to boot.
Form held. After cutting its deficit from two touchdowns to a single digit, Tech went 0-for-8 from the field and committed three turnovers in the last 5 minutes, 53 seconds as the Warriors won 55-48 in a college basketball game.
Tech's losing streak hit six games before 5,132 spectators in the Hokies' 400th outing at 33-year-old Cassell Coliseum. The Hokies' record dropped to 13-8.
Marquette improved to 17-6 by gilding its defensive numbers against struggling Tech. The Hokies shot 29.9 percent from the field - their lowest mark since Feb. 4, 1991, when they made 27.8 percent in a 61-56 loss to Richmond in Blacksburg.
And the Hokies, led by Jay Purcell's nine points, failed to finish with a double-figure scorer for the first time since a 1983 loss at Tulane - a span of 333 games.
"I'm just hoping we can find someone to step up [offensively]," said Shawn Smith, who followed a career-high 27-point game at Virginia Commonwealth with 1-for-10 field-goal shooting.
Bill Foster, Tech's coach, has seen this before.
"When you get late in a game with these guys, the [opponent's] big guy guards the hole and the other four glove you up," Foster said. "It's kind of tough."
Smith's fate was a common one for Warriors opponents.
"All our emphasis is on contesting shots," said Kevin O'Neill, Marquette's coach.
The Warriors got 18 points, nine rebounds and five blocks from 7-footer Jim McIlvaine, who was 7-for-10 from the field.
After Tech closed to 47-46, McIlvaine's jump hook on a set play after a timeout with 5:53 left gave Marquette a three-point lead. It was the kind of execution Tech couldn't muster in the last five minutes.
"It's nice," McIlvaine said. "Even a one-point cushion is nice in a situation like that."
Tech had missed its share of open shots - including some in the first half that ended with the Warriors on top by six. O'Neill berated his team at halftime.
"I'm always upset," he said afterward, praising Tech's preparation and defense. "I get concerned when we play in spurts."
McIlvaine said the tirade, which began in the hallway outside Marquette's locker room, wasn't unusual.
"He talks a little louder than other coaches," McIlvaine said. "We can't let the ranting and raving get in the way of that message. For the most part I think the guys handled it pretty well."
Tech might agree. The Hokies began the second half with an 0-for-9 stretch as Marquette took a 43-29 lead with 16:36 left.
Then the Hokies went on a 17-4 run, getting eight of those points in less than two minutes to close to 47-46 with 5:56 left. Reserve guard Damon Watlington had a 3-pointer and a driving layup under 6-foot-9 Amal McCaskill during the run.
After McIlvaine's hook, Watlington missed a 3-pointer, Corey Jackson was jostled as he missed a baseline jumper, and Smith missed inside before Tech's Jimmy Carruth was fouled and made one of two free throws with 3:38 left.
"When we got a little closer, they seemed to lock up a little more," Jackson said.
by CNB