ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, December 7, 1996 TAG: 9612100024
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: RADFORD
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
History did its best to repeat itself at the Dedmon Center on Thursday night.
But with a charged-up gallery howling and the television cameras whirring, history was thwarted.
Radford University shook off years worth of bad basketball vibes and beat Richmond 67-62.
The Highlanders led wire to wire and had been up by as many as 15 points before the once-invincible - to Radford, at least - Spiders started to put the serious squeeze on their hosts as an audience of 2,600 fidgeted and fretted.
Starting when Jarod Stevenson dumped in the second of two free throws with 4:46 left, Richmond (1-3) went on a 12-4 charge to close to 63-62. Stevenson scored eight of his 18 points during that frantic sequence.
``I think we had a little sense of nervousness there,'' said Radford guard Anthony Walker.
Understandable, that. In 11 previous meetings with Richmond, Radford had zero victories. Some of the games, like last season's 73-67 setback, had been relatively close. In others, Richmond simply beat the stuffings out of the Highlanders.
This galled Radford people to no end, particularly because Richmond is in the Colonial Athletic Association, a league that has been cool to Radford's attempts to join it. No matter how you look at it, it was hard for Radford folks to take.
The joy in the victory was made manifest in the Highlanders locker room afterward.
``I'm the oldest one here,'' said Radford post player Eric Bowens, ``so it's particularly sweet for me.''
The Highlanders' third victory in five starts was nailed down at the free-throw line. First, Walker was sent to the stripe. He delivered with the free throw and the bonus with 30 seconds left. Shortly after, Chibi Johnson, a junior who plays a key reserve role, was fouled. Johnson had not played much in Monday's 73-71 victory over Virginia Commonwealth, but if there was rust, it didn't show.
Johnson strode to the line and sank both free throws.
``I knew if I hit them it would pretty much put the game out of reach for us,'' Johnson said.
The lost left Richmond with a 1-3 record, leaving a frown on the face of its coach, Bill Dooley.
``It all comes back to effort,'' Dooley said. ``We dug ourselves a big hole early. The effort was not there the first half like it was the second.''
Walker led Radford with 20 points on 7-for-11 field-goal shooting. He made all four of his free throws.
``Anthony and Marquiz Williamson willed us to that win,'' said Ron Bradley, Radford's coach.
There were unexpected contributions, as well. Eric Parker, who hasn't been all that much of a factor this season, scored 12 points and sparked Radford's first-half charge. Guard Corey Reed continued to play solidly and scored 11 points.
``They played more physical defense in the second half,'' Parker said of the Spiders. ``This is a different year. In the past, we might have let that lead and that game slip away.''
But not this time.
``A great win,'' Bradley said. ``Maybe in April we'll sit back and savor it.''
Richmond outrebounded the Highlanders 35-29, but Radford had much the better of the shooting. The Highlanders canned 24 of 47 shots from the floor (51.1 percent) compared with Richmond's 24 for 60 (40 percent).
Radford also made 13 of 17 free throws.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 73 linesby CNB