ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, February 29, 1996 TAG: 9602290057
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
Page Moir never has won an NCAA Division III Tournament game, and people all around him are talking Final Four. The Roanoke College men's basketball coach was dealing with great expectations Wednesday on the eve of the top-seeded Maroons' first-round matchup with No.8 Shenandoah University.
Moir sort of laughed and sighed at the same time when asked if he felt any stress because fans hope to see Roanoke in the Final Four on March 15-16 at the Salem Civic Center. ``There's a little bit of pressure,'' he said. ``Not a lot.''
Moir has coached in two tournament games during his tenure, a 95-80 loss to Hampden-Sydney in 1994 and a controversial 77-76 defeat last year to Maryville (Tenn.). Moir, however, concurs with his Old Dominion Athletic Conference coaching peers when he says this Maroons outfit might be the best-equipped of his three tournament teams - even if it lacks a bona-fide star such as Hilliary Scott or Bryant Lee.
``Even though we're not quite as talented, we're better-suited for NCAA play because we have a better inside game,'' said Moir, whose team is 50-4 at home in the past four seasons.
``You don't go 22-4 without being pretty good,'' said Dave Dutton, Shenandoah's coach. ``They're solid all the way from one through 10.''
Dutton has guided the Hornets to one NCAA Tournament victory in four tries. Two of the three losses came to ODAC teams - Hampden-Sydney in 1989 and Emory & Henry in 1991. He said he's felt the pressure to perform at tournament time, too.
``Coaches see the hype too much,'' Dutton said. ``If coaches relax like the kids relax, they'll do fine.''
Dutton relaxes on the bench when his two senior stars, Dixie Conference player of the year Phil Dixon and league first-teamer Al White, are cutting up the competition. Dixon, a point guard, averages 22.4 points and 9.5 assists per game, and White, a forward, scores at a 20.5 clip and grabs 9.5 rebounds a night. Shenandoah averages 92.1 points per game, fifth in Division III.
``What matters is whether Dixon is going to get 38 on you or 20,'' Moir said. ``Hopefully, they won't shoot a good percentage.''
``We've got to shoot a good percentage,'' Dutton said. ``We rely on those two guys, but the key is getting other guys to step up.''
The Maroons enter tonight's game on a 10-game winning streak. Roanoke is 10-1 all-time against the Hornets, with their last previous meeting coming in 1986.
Game time at the Bast Center is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for senior citizens and students. Roanoke College students are admitted free with a valid ID.
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