ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, February 6, 1997 TAG: 9702060045
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: COLLEGE BASKETBALL
SOURCE: FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS AND STAFF REPORTS
Laron Profit rebounded from a two-game slump and so did seventh-ranked Maryland, which ended its first losing streak of the season by defeating North Carolina State 66-55 on Wednesday night in an ACC game in College Park, Md.
Profit scored 20 points for the Terrapins (18-4 overall, 7-3 conference), who were coming off losses to Florida State and Wake Forest. Profit had a combined 14 points in those games, missing eight of 13 shots from the field. The sophomore forward made eight of 13 against the Wolfpack, including three alley-oop dunks and two 3-pointers.
Danny Strong scored 19 points for N.C. State (9-10, 1-9). Keith Booth scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half for the Terps, who have won six in a row and 11 of 12 against N.C. State.
In other games:
No. 4 Minnesota 85, Penn State 70: Sam Jacobson scored 22 points, and the Golden Gophers (20-2, 9-1) forced 18 first-half turnovers and built a 21-point lead before fighting off the Nittany Lions (8-11, 1-9) in a Big Ten Conference game in Minneapolis. It is the eighth 20-victory season in school history for Minnesota, and the 20-2 record matches its best start ever, equalling the 1972-73 and 1976-77 teams.
Penn State lost for the ninth time in 10 games, but not before whittling a 20-point halftime deficit to seven, at 71-64 with 7:35 remaining. The Nittany Lions shot 14-of-17 in the second half to that point, but then made only two more baskets the rest of the way.
No. 6 Iowa State 61, Baylor 52: Kenny Pratt scored 16 points, including a key basket late, and Dedric Willoughby added 14 as the Cyclones (16-3, 7-2) overcame a sluggish performance to beat the Bears (14-8, 3-7) in a Big 12 Conference game in Ames, Iowa.
Brian Skinner led Baylor with 16 points and Patrick Hunter scored 10.
No.14 Arizona 87, Arizona State 71: Miles Simon scored 11 of his 22 points during the first nine minutes of the second half to lead the Wildcats (14-5, 7-3) to a Pacific-10 Conference victory over the Sun Devils (10-12, 2-8) in Tucson.
Arizona State shot 59 percent in the first half and led 36-30, but was doomed when its top scorer and floor leader, Jeremy Veal, picked up his fourth foul 1:21 into the second half. With Veal, who had 19 points at halftime, on the bench, the Sun Devils committed turnovers on nine of their next 10 possessions.
Nebraska 77, No.15 Colorado 69: Tyronn Lue scored 22 points, and the Cornhuskers (12-9, 4-5) took an early lead and held on to stun the Buffaloes (16-5, 7-2) in a Big 12 game in Lincoln, Neb.
Nebraska used a 14-3 run in the first half to pull away from Colorado, which got a career-high 35 points from Chauncey Billups. Billups made seven 3-pointers, including two in the final minute as Colorado tried to rally.
Virginia Wesleyan 88, Washington and Lee 62: Jason Nickerson and James MacLeod scored 16 points each to lead the Dolphins past the Generals and into second place in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference with a victory in Lexington.
Virginia Wesleyan (13-7, 10-4) trails only Roanoke in the standings. Freshman Rich Peterson led W&L (2-16, 1-11) with 15 points and eight rebounds.
Averett 94, Ferrum 83: Ed Gwynn and Jay Tate scored 23 points each and Demarcus Morrison added 20 points and 15 rebounds as the Cougars defeated the Panthers in a Dixie Conference game in Danville. Averett shot 62 percent from the field.
Michael Hunter (Alleghany) scored 17 points and Marcus Toney (Magna Vista) and Patrick Brooks added 16 each for Ferrum.
Richmond 86, George Mason 69: Jarod Stevenson had 16 points and 10 rebounds as the Spiders handed the Patriots their fourth consecutive loss, winning a Colonial Athletic Association game in Richmond.
It was the second consecutive game George Mason (9-12, 3-9) was held to fewer than 70 points. The Patriots entered the game averaging 82.8, 10th in NCAA Division I. Richmond (8-11, 4-6) controlled the Patriots by limiting Nate Langley to 15 points with a zone defense. The conference's leading scorer had been averaging 22.7 points a game.
Virginia Commonwealth 72, James Madison 60: Marcus Reed scored a career-high 18 points as the Rams (11-10, 6-5) rolled to their fifth consecutive victory, beating the Dukes (12-8, 6-4) in a CAA game in Richmond.
William and Mary 80, Old Dominion 52: David Grabuloff scored 21 points and Terence Jennings added 20 as the Tribe (7-13, 4-6) knocked off the cold-shooting Monarchs (15-8, 6-5) in a CAA game in Williamsburg. ODU shot 26 percent from the floor, while William and Mary shot 48 percent. Odell Hodge (Laurel Park High School) and Brandon Jones each scored 10 points to lead the Monarchs.
Florida A&M 89, Hampton 78: Senior guard Sean Black scored 26 points as the Rattlers (4-14, 4-7) snapped a five-game skid with a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory over the Pirates (5-15, 4-7) in Tallahassee, Fla.
Emory & Henry 85, Lynchburg 81: R.J. Spelsberg scored 18 points and Donald Childress (William Byrd) had 15 to lead the Wasps past the Hornets in an ODAC game in Emory.
Justin Porterfield (Northside) added 12 points and five rebounds for Emory & Henry (6-13, 6-7). Otis Tucker had 21 points for Lynchburg (10-9, 7-6), which was coming off an upset of ODAC-leading Roanoke.
Women
Roanoke 82, Guilford 65: Amy Athey (Cave Spring) dominated inside with 21 points and 13 rebounds as the Maroons (16-1, 13-0) beat the Quakers (11-7, 10-4) in an ODAC game in Greensboro, N.C.
Suzanne Moore (Blacksburg) scored 16 points, Ashley McCallum (William Byrd) had 11 and Cheryl Rhodes (Cave Spring) and Alexis Riseman added 10 each for the conference leaders. Laura Haynes (21 points) and Marija Preimats (20) provided most of the offense for Guilford.
Averett 63, Ferrum 57: Marlo Ferguson (Magna Vista) and Melisa Buchanan scored 18 points apiece in a losing cause as the Panthers fell to the Cougars in a Dixie Conference game in Ferrum.
Shannon Yopp (Northside) scored 19 for Averett (9-7, 5-2). The Panthers are 9-10, 3-4.
Note
ONE FOR THE BOOKS: Texas College was so unprepared to play East Texas Baptist on Tuesday that the Lady Steers were assessed a technical foul before the game began for not having their players listed in the official game book.
Things got worse.
East Texas Baptist hit both free throws for the technical and sprinted to a 26-0 lead, was ahead 78-18 at halftime and won 154-35.
LENGTH: Long : 118 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Maryland's Keith Booth (22) drives past N.C. State'sby CNBDanny Strong (center) and Damon Thornton on Wednesday in College
Park, Md. Booth scored 21 points to lead the Terps.