ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, January 19, 1997 TAG: 9701200132
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
Virginia Tech withstood a furious Dayton rally and survived two overtimes, but the Hokies finally put an end to a five-game losing streak and picked up their first Atlantic 10 win with a 102-98 victory over the Flyers at Dayton.
Junior guard Renee Maitland scored a career-high 26 points for Tech (6-10, 1-4), which shot 73.1 percent (19-of-26) in the opening period.
Dayton,which trailed 45-32 at the intermission, took a 76-73 lead with 59 seconds to play after Kara Johnson converted a pair of free throws.
Lynette Nolley (Floyd County) made a pair of free throws with 43 seconds left to cut the lead to one, and made the second end of a two-shot foul with 5.8 seconds to play to tie the score at 76 and send the game into overtime.
The teams battled to a 90-90 standoff after the first overtime. With Tech leading 99-98 in the second extra period, senior Sherry Banks (William Byrd) hit a pair of free throws to give the Hokies a 101-98 lead.
Banks and Kim Seaver each had 20 points as Tech placed five players in double figures. Dayton's Christi Hester led all scorers with 35 points.
Radford 75, Coastal Carolina 58: Radford opened the second half with a 22-10 run and pulled away for a victory over Coastal Carolina in a Big South Conference matchup in Conway, S.C.
Nakia Bridges scored six points in the first five minutes of the second stanza for the Highlanders (7-9, 3-1).
Jennifer Grant led the Highlanders with 18 points, while Bridges added 14 and Kim Cruise (Pulaski County) 12. Kim Hairston (Bassett) had 11 assists for the Highlanders.
Roanoke 72, Lynchburg 56: The Maroons held the Hornets scoreless in the final three minutes to remain unbeaten in ODAC play with a victory in Lynchburg.
Roanoke (8-1, 6-0) hit seven of 11 free throws in the final 2:55 and was 19-of-28 from the line in the game.
Cheryl Rhodes scored 16 points on six of nine shooting for the Maroons, while former Blacksburg standout Suzanne Moore had 15 points.
Kelly Fackler (Fieldale-Collinsville) led Lynchburg (3-8, 2-7) with 17 points and 15 rebounds.
Ferrum 60, Methodist 59: The Panthers snapped a five game losing streak as Ferrum held on for the Dixie Conference victory in Fayetteville, N.C. Melisa Buchanan and Marilea Hale (Glenvar) each had 13 points to lead the Panthers (6-6, 1-1).
Virginia Wesleyan 66, Hollins 56: Leaeanna Lillefloren scored 23 points and Amy Shindle added 18 to lead the Marlins to an ODAC victory in Norfolk. Hollins received a phenomenal performance by former Blacksburg High standout Amy Worley, who had 23 points and 20 rebounds.
Longwood 85, High Point 79: Nikki Hall (Glenvar) led the way with 23 points as the Lancers (14-1, 9-0) won their 27th straight Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference game in Farmville.
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines KEYWORDS: BASKETBALLby CNB