ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, February 9, 1997 TAG: 9702110008
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-6 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: STATE
SOURCE: FROM STAFF AND ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS
Corey Reed scored 23 points, including seven 3-pointers, to lead Radford to an 87-79 upset of North Carolina-Asheville on Saturday in a Big South Conference game in Asheville, N.C.
The Highlanders (11-10 overall, 5-4 conference) were 8-of-12 from beyond the 3-point line in the first half to take a 42-31 lead.
UNC Asheville (7-3, 13-9) went on a 16-4 run to open the second half and take a 47-46 lead on a Kevin Martin layup with 14:41 left. But Reed sank four consecutive 3-pointers to push the Highlanders ahead 58-47 with 12:16 left.
Eric Bowens added 16 points for Radford, and Anthony Walker and Leslie Ballard each had 15. Walker also had 11 assists.
Josh Pittman hit 14 of 25 field-goal attempts to score a game-high 34 points for the Bulldogs.
In other games involving Virginia teams:
Eastern Mennonite 97, Washington and Lee 94, OT: Royals sophomore forward Mike McElroy, a Parry McCluer High School alumnus, hit a 3-pointer from the right corner with four seconds left to send the Generals to their second overtime loss in their past three Old Dominion Athletic Conference games.
Freshman center Rich Peterson led W&L (2-17, 1-12) with 19 points and 10 rebounds and freshman forward Scott Hudson had a career-high 17 points. Jay Taylor led Eastern Mennonite (8-11, 6-7) with 17.
William and Mary 57, Richmond 50: Bobby Fitzgibbons scored 18 points - 14 in the first half - and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Tribe won its third consecutive game, beating the Spiders in a Colonial Athletic Association matchup in Williamsburg.
Richmond (8-12, 4-7) pulled to 51-47 on two free throws by Khaleel Abdul-Malik with 4:49 left. Neither team scored again until the Spiders' Eric Poole hit one of two free throws with 41 second to play.
William and Mary (8-13, 5-6) pushed the lead to 53-48 when Randy Bracy hit two free throws with 37 seconds left. Rick Edwards then hit a jumper - the Spiders first basket in more than 8 1/2 minutes - to pull Richmond to 53-50 with 17 seconds left. The Tribe got two more free throws from Bracy, who had 11 points, and a layup by Terence Jennings in the final seconds.
Poole led the Spiders with 20 points and 15 rebounds, and Edwards added 12 points and 15 boards.
James Madison 67, George Mason 63: Chatney Howard scored 23 points, and the Dukes hit 22 of 32 free throws to edge the Patriots in a CAA game in Fairfax.
JMU (13-8, 7-4) snapped a two-game losing streak and stayed in the hunt for the CAA title. George Mason (9-13, 3-10) dropped its fifth consecutive game.
Liberty 66, Winthrop 63: Marcus White's steal in the closing moments and two free throws with four seconds left helped give the Flames (17-7, 7-2) a Big South Conference victory over the Eagles (10-11, 3-6) in Rock Hill, S.C.
Peter Aluma led Liberty with 22 points. Franklin Butts scored a career-high 20 points for the Eagles.
Virginia Commonwealth 72, American 61: Patrick Lee scored 18 points, eight in the game's final 4:51, and Marcus Reed hit six of eight free throws in the final minutes as the Rams defeated the Eagles in a CAA matchup in Richmond.
Reed had 14 points, and Torrance Archie added 13 for VCU (12-10, 7-5). Nathan Smith, Dave Small and Thomas Treadwell each scored 14 points for American (8-12, 5-6).
North Carolina-Wilmington 74, Old Dominion 73, OT: Keith Spencer hit a free throw with five seconds remaining in overtime, lifting the Seahawks (13-11, 8-4) over the Monarchs (15-9, 6-6) and into first place in the CAA.
Spencer and Stan Simmons each scored 17 points to pace UNC Wilmington. Odell Hodge (Laurel Park), Brion Dunlap and Mike Byers each had 18 points for ODU.
Hampton 88, Howard 68: Doug Belton scored 18 points, and Brent Johnson added 15 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Pirates (6-15, 5-7) past the Bison (4-15, 4-7) in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game in Hampton.
Emory & Henry 78, Bridgewater 69: The Wasps had four scorers in double figures as they upended the Eagles in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference game in Emory.
Ronald Thurston led the way for Emory & Henry (7-13, 7-7) with 20 points. Tyrone Hash (Pulaski County) and Justin Porterfield (Northside) each added 10.
Scott Powers paced Bridgewater (16-5, 10-5) with 20 points.
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