ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, January 5, 1997 basketball TAG: 9701060115
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE, N.C.
SOURCE: From Associated Press and staff reports
THE KEYDETS fall behind 21-2 and never recover in a 96-76 loss to the North Carolina-Charlotte 49ers.
DeMarco Johnson scored 19 points and Sean Colson added 16 points and eight assists Saturday to lead North Carolina-Charlotte to a 96-76 victory over VMI.
UNCC (8-3) bolted to a 21-2 lead while the Keydets missed 10 of their first 11 field-goal attempts.
VMI (4-6) cut its deficit to 15 points twice before the 49ers pulled away on the strength of 57 percent shooting from the floor for the half. UNCC went to the locker room leading 58-27.
``We were almost trying to execute too well in the first half,'' said Bart Bellairs, the Keydets' coach. ``We have to remember if you have a shot, go ahead and take it. We were too mechanical early in the game.''
The 49ers scored the first five points of the second half to open their largest advantage, 63-27 with 18:55 left.
Darryl Faulkner's 17 points led the Keydets, who converted 37 percent from the floor for the game. Maurice Spencer added 13 of his 15 points in the second half, and Brent Conley scored 12 of his 14 points during the second 20 minutes.
Eric Mann came off the bench to score nine points, grab eight rebounds and block five shots in 25 minutes of play for VMI.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Short : 38 lines KEYWORDS: BASKETBALLby CNB