Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 18, 1994 TAG: 9411180117
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JUSTIN McMILLIN SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: SPRINGFIELD, MO. LENGTH: Medium
Virginia Tech found out why Thursday night.
The Bears grabbed a lead late in the first half and used their tenacious defensive pressure to hold off the Hokies 61-45 before a crowd of 6,454 at Hammons Student Center in the second round of the women's Preseason NIT basketball tournament.
``They are a very, very good defensive ballclub,'' said Carol Alfano, Tech's coach. ``The crowd is big, but that was not the problem. Our offensive miscues were the problem.''
Quite a big problem. Twelve of the Hokies' 15 turnovers in the first half led to 27 of the hosts' points.
The first half was quite a defensive struggle. Tech made only six of 25 shots and did not score until the 14-minute, 50-second mark.
Southwest Missouri State was only 2-of-10 from the field when coach Cheryl Burnett inserted forward Marsha Burton. The 5-foot-10 sophomore hit three 3-pointers and scored 11 points in a four-minute span to lead the Bears (2-0) on a 10-2 run to a 28-12 lead.
``The key to the game was Marsha Burton's 3-pointers in the first half,'' Burnett said. ``Our defense was playing well, but we could not get going offensively against [Tech's] zone.
``Every day in practice, Marsha just drills shots left and right. So I told here to go in there and shoot, and if she quit, she was coming out.''
When Burton did come out with one minute remaining in the half, Southwest Missouri State held a 31-20 lead.
``We knew she could shoot, but we were kind of playing the odds,'' Alfano said. ``The main reason for the zone defense was to conserve energy, because they are a very aggressive defense and they make you work very hard.''
Christi Osborne tried to put some life in the Hokies (1-1) early in the second half by scoring three consecutive baskets to cut the lead to 39-34. Another basket by Sherry Banks pulled Tech to 39-37, but it could draw no closer.
Osborne, who was held to 5-for-22 shooting, finished with 10 points. Jenny Root added 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Hokies.
Charitee Longstreth led the Bears with 13 points.
Southwest Missouri State plays host to the Washington-Seton Hall winner in a semifinal Sunday.
by CNB