
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, December 30, 1994                   TAG: 9412300123
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: FROM STAFF AND ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

TECH WOMEN TO FACE UNC

Senior center Jenny Root scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to help the Virginia Tech women's basketball team win its 27th consecutive regular-season home game, a 73-61 victory over Furman on Thursday in the first round of the fifth annual Diamond Club Classic.

The Hokies (7-3), who have never lost a first-round game in the tournament, will face No.4 North Carolina (11-0) at 4 p.m. today at Cassell Coliseum in the championship game.

Root, who recorded her fifth double-double of the season, also had two blocked shots to pass Michelle Bain and move into second place on Tech's all-time list with 111.

The Hokies led 18-12 with seven minutes left in the first half before going on a 17-5 run to build an 18-point lead and take command. Tech led by 14 at halftime and extended its advantage to as many as 25 points in the second half.

Tech also got 10 points and six assists from former Pulaski County High School star Terri Garland.

Furman (2-6) will meet Rhode Island (5-3) in the consolation game at 2 p.m. today.

In the first game Thursday, Tracy Reid scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds as North Carolina, the 1994 NCAA champion, beat Rhode Island 80-68.

Marion Jones added 18 points and Tonya Jackson scored 14 for the Tar Heels (11-0). Rhode Islands is 5-3.

Rhode Island (5-3) led 39-34 at halftime, but shot 11-for-36 from the field in the second half. North Carolina was 19-for-36 after intermission.

Dayna Smith scored 18 points and had six assists for Rhode Island. Tasha King added 16 points, and Kerry Giroux grabbed 10 rebounds.

For North Carolina, Gwen Gillingham had eight rebounds and Jackson had seven. Jones contributed nine assists.

FURMAN(61)

Nate.Jackson 0-3 0-0 0, Creamer 1-8 3-3 5, Levesque 4-6 1-2 9, Sims 3-19 0-2 8, Stanley 5-13 4-4 17, Noethling 4-10 0-0 8, Bristow 1-4 1-2 3, Nata.Jackson 4-11 3-3 11. Totals 22-74 12-16 61.

VIRGINIA TECH (73)

Osborne 4-8 0-0 8, Donnell 1-3 2-4 4, Root 8-15 0-1 16, Garland 2-6 6-6 10, Leftwich 1-5 4-4 6, Lee 1-6 2-6 4, Nolley 1-6 4-6 7, Carter 4-4 0-2 8, Hollister 3-5 0-0 6, Maitland 0-0 2-3 2, Gray 0-0 2-3 2, Melton 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-58 22-35 73.

Halftime-Virginia Tech 37, Furman 23. Three-point goals-Furman 5-17 (Stanley 3-7, Sims 2-10), Virginia Tech 1-4 (Nolley 1-2, Hollister 0-1, Osborne 0-1). Rebounds-Furman 42 (Bristow 9), Virginia Tech 48 (Root 12). Assists-Furman 9 (Creamer 3), Virginia Tech 13 (Garland 6). Total fouls-Furman 26, Virginia Tech 20. Fouled out-Noethling. A-500.

RHODE ISLAND(68) Byrd 7-15 0-0 14, King 7-18 2-2 16, Bright 5-13 2-4 12, Smith 7-17 2-2 18, Giroux 2-10 2-2 6, Yarger 0-2 0-0 0, Nelson 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 28-76 10-12 68.

NORTH CAROLINA(80)

Smith 4-7 2-5 10, Lawrence 1-6 0-0 3, Gillingham 4-9 0-0 8, Jones 6-13 5-6 18, Gear 3-11 0-0 6, Jackson 6-10 2-6 14, Reid 9-12 1-2 19, McKee 0-0 0-0 0, Walker 0-1 0-0 0, Cooper 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 34-72 10-19 80.

Halftime-Rhode Island 39, North Carolina 34. Three-point goals-Rhode Island 2-15 (Byrd 0-1, King 0-1, Bright 0-1, Smith 2-8, Giroux 0-4) ), North Carolina 2-14 (Lawrence 1-6, Jones 1-3, Gear 0-4, Reid 0-1). Fouled out-Smith. Rebounds-Rhode Island 37 (Giroux 10), North Carolina 47 (Gillingham, Reid 8). Assists-Rhode Island 13 (Smith 6), North Carolina 14 (Jones 9). Total fouls-Rhode Island 16, North Carolina 13. A-350.

by CNB