ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 2, 1996 TAG: 9603040099
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: GREENSBORO, N.C.
SOURCE: Landmark News Service
VMI played hide-and-seek with its shooting eye for the better part of its quarterfinal game in the Southern Conference basketball tournament Friday, but Bobby Prince found his at just the right time.
The former Lord Botetourt standout sank two free throws with 1.2 seconds remaining in overtime as the Keydets outlasted Furman 91-89 to advance to tonight's 9:30 semifinal against Western Carolina.
Prince, an 84 percent free-throw shooter, had missed the front end of a one-and-one with 21.4 seconds left in regulation that allowed the Paladins to get the game into overtime on Troy McCoy's 8-foot runner at the buzzer.
The game was tied at 89 when Prince tried to make a move down the baseline and drew contact from Jason Stewart. Prince made the first shot. Coach Bart Bellairs yelled from the bench just to hit the rim with the second since Furman had no timeouts left, but Prince made it anyway.
``I wasn't nervous,'' Prince said. ``I was mad at myself for missing the one that could have iced it. I don't plan on missing any free throws, but I tried to miss the last one. I hit the rim with all my free throws except the one I was trying to miss.''
Furman had a final chance, inbounding the ball to Andre Kerr, who wheeled and tried to make a move at midcourt, but he made contact with Maurice Spencer. Both tumbled to the floor, but no call was made.
VMI's shoot first, ask questions later offense appeared to be working to perfection, when Lawrence Gullette knocked down his third 3-pointer of the first half to give the Keydets a 27-11 lead.
But the running game works only when the shots go down, and over the last 11 minutes of the half and through three minutes of the second, the Keydets missed 19 of 24 shots and Furman grabbed a 47-45 lead. VMI hit eight of its next 15 shots to go ahead 65-59, before missing 13 of its last 18 to help send the game into overtime.
All five VMI starters scored in double figures, led by Brent Conley's 22 and Spencer's 21.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Short : 45 linesby CNB