ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 17, 1996 TAG: 9603180065
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
MEMO: NOTE: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.
Illinois Wesleyan overcomes early foul trouble to win 89-57 in the Division III consolation.
Illinois Wesleyan coach Dennie Bridges played a few holes of golf Saturday morning with his good friend Mosey Thompson, about 12 hours after his Titans lost in the Division III men's basketball semifinals.
This morning, Titan teammates Bryan Crabtree and Brady Knight will leave for Hilton Head, S.C., for some sun, fun, and two college golf matches.
Illinois Wesleyan showed on Saturday afternoon, however, that basketball was still fresh in its mind with an 89-57 victory over Franklin & Marshall in the consolation game of the Final Four at the Salem Civic Center.
Rowan College won the championship game 100-93 over Hope College.
``We tried to think of all the reasons to play the game,'' Bridges said. ``We remembered something Bones McKinney said in the banquet the other night. He said `How can you ever admit that somebody wanted to play more than you did?' I reminded them of that before the game.''
Likewise, with their play, Bridges' players reminded him how they set a new record for victories in a single season (28). The Titans easily could have cashed it in when starting guards Brady Knight and T.J. Posey each committed three first-half fouls. The fact that starting power forward Jon Litwiller left his contact lenses in his sport coat back at the Sheraton could have told them maybe it just wasn't meant to be.
But they didn't let that happen. Reserve point guard Tony Pacetti lent a quick hand and quicker feet in Knight's and Posey's absence, actually pushing the Titans to their largest lead at 40-25 by halftime.
``He had a big part in this win today,'' Bridges said.
Illinois Wesleyan pulled away after that thanks to a series of driving layups from Knight and three patented jumpers by forward Chris Simich. It was the largest margin of defeat in F&M's tournament history as well as the most points the Diplomats have allowed in a tournament game.
``Ouch,'' said F&M coach Glenn Robinson.
``I think, tonight, our effort was pathetic,'' said Diplomat guard Jeremiah Henry.
F&M finished with a 29-3 record. Illinois Wesleyan is heading to the links with a 28-3 mark.
``Everybody had a tough time going through warm-ups,'' said Simich. ``It's tough taking third place instead of first, but we came away a winner anyway.''
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 53 linesby CNB