Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 29, 1995 TAG: 9511290088
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LEXINGTON LENGTH: Medium
``Hey!'' they yelled. ``We're a second-half team.''
Those cadets know more than just how to chew Rat tails. They obviously know their team.
VMI used a 17-3 run to open the second half and turn back Division III W&L 100-62 before 4,140 patrons, the second-largest crowd in Cameron Hall history.
``The key was getting continuity,'' said VMI point guard Bobby Prince, the former Lord Botetourt High School standout. ``The whole first half we were a split-second off.''
Up seven at the break, VMI (1-1) pushed it to 62-38 with 13:33 to go by combining eight steals, 6-for-13 accuracy from 3-point distance and 15 assists.
``Their depth wore us down,'' said Kevin Moore, the Generals' coach. ``Until we get that kind of depth, we've got to slow it down.''
At 0-6, W&L is off to its worst start since it went 0-13 in 1964-65. But the Generals will get another chance next season. The two schools have agreed to resume the rivalry on the Monday after Thanksgiving 1996.
Both sides seem to be looking forward to it.
``I loved that big crowd,'' said Matt Matheny, a freshman Keydet from Cave Spring High School.
``For a guy like me, it's once in a lifetime that you get to play in that kind of atmosphere,'' said W&L guard Chris Couzen.
There was good will all around. When the W&L net broke during warmups, VMI coach Bart Bellairs walked down and asked the Generals if they'd like to shoot at the Keydets' bucket.
Two big runs kept the Generals close in the first half. B.J. Jamison hit a short jumper to start a 7-0 run that brought W&L to 24-19. The Keydets stretched it back out to 30-19, but the Generals came back again.
Couzen had to work against Stanford All-America point guard Brevin Knight during practice at Seton Hall Prep in New Jersey. The VMI press didn't seem any tougher for him. A 10-0 Generals run cut it to 30-29 when the Keydets called time out.
``We missed some chippies, too,'' Moore said. ``If we play as well as we played against every ODAC team, we'll be in good shape."
VMI pushed it to 42-35 by halftime, but the Generals had made their point.
``Nobody lost here,'' Bellairs said. ``They found out they can play with anybody, and we found out that if we don't play hard we'll get our butts kicked.''
by CNB