ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 10, 1996 TAG: 9603110108
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: RADFORD
SOURCE: STAFF REPORTS
MEMO: NOTE: Shorter version ran in Metro edition<.
For the sixth straight season, Radford won the conference tournament under coach Lubomyr Lichonczak, beating Winthrop 85-83 on Saturday at the Dedmon Center. The Highlanders, who have won seven titles in a row overall, also gave Lichonczak his 100th career coaching victory. His six-year record at Radford is 100-75.
Dede Logemann paced the Highlanders (17-11) with 28 points, leading Radford back to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year.
``We're going to the dance!'' Lichonczak said. ``Dede Logemann was incredible. She made big play after big play, and that really gave us a boost. We hung in there when things weren't going well.''
Things definitely weren't going well for the Highlanders at the start of the game. Winthrop, which upset top-seeded UNC Greensboro on Friday, grabbed a 9-0 lead before Radford responded.
``Winthrop was a team on a mission,'' Lichonczak said. ``They played so well down the stretch and had a marvelous season.''
Patti Fisher's fast-break layup with 6:32 remaining gave Radford a 71-69 lead, and the Highlanders never trailed again.
Radford built a 79-73 lead with 3:01 to play when Kim Hairston scored on a driving layup, but the Eagles rattled off five consecutive points and pulled to within one at 79-78 with 2:10 to play on two free throws by Jennifer Churchill.
Nakia Bridges, who scored 12 points, hit a short jumper at the 1:40 mark to put Radford up 81-78. Tournament MVP Anne Cox scored the final of her 23 points to pull Winthrop back to 81-80 with 1:23 left.
Logemann then canned a free throw with 1:01 to play, and Lisa Howard connected on two more free throws with 34 seconds left to seal the victory.
Howard finished with 16 points and five assists. Logemann had a game-high 10 rebounds.
Misty Mooring had 13 points for Winthrop, including three 3-pointers and Jennifer Castle had 12 points. Churchill and Stacey Milton each added 11.
The Highlanders shot 53.1 percent (17-of-32) from the floor in the first half but led only 42-41 at the break.
Winthrop kept it close by canning 14 of 18 free throws in the first half.
After the Eagles jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the first 1:50 of the game, Radford went on a 15-5 run to take a 15-14 lead at the 14:02 mark on Logemann's layup. Logemann pumped in 17 first-half points, hitting seven of nine shots.
Lichonczak is 17-0 in Big South tournament games.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 57 linesby CNB