THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 30, 1994 TAG: 9411300602
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
Norfolk State coach Mike Bernard has had 10 days to think about the Spartans' 72-65 upset loss to UMass-Lowell in the New England Tip-Off Classic.
But he's hardly given it a thought. In fact, Bernard says he's just about forgotten it.
``We're not concerned about what happened at Lowell,'' Bernard said. ``You can't bring that back. Our concern is to execute better on both ends of the floor.''
Execution has been the key word in practice since the Lowell loss Nov. 20. Norfolk State was impatient on offense not only against Lowell, but also in the first half of a 97-70 victory over Merrimack in the tourney's first round.
``We played one good half of basketball,'' Bernard said. ``We have not played well yet.''
They'll need to tonight when they take on North Carolina Central (3-1) at McLendon-McDougal Gymnasium in Durham, N.C. The Eagles, picked to repeat as CIAA Southern Division champions this season, defeated the Spartans, 75-73, in Norfolk last year.
Norfolk State was led in Lowell by All-American forward Corey Williams, who scored 46 points in two games. Williams, like all the Spartans, struggled from the field in the second game, missing 14 of 21 shots.
``We didn't play within our system up there at all,'' Bernard said. ``If we'd played within our system, we wouldn't be 1-1.'' ILLUSTRATION: GAMEWATCH
NORFOLK STATE AT N.C. CENTRAL
Where: McLendon/McDougal Gym (4,500), Durham, N.C.
When: 7:30 p.m.
About the Spartans: Norfolk State, picked to win the Division II
national title by Sports Illustrated, is coming off an upset loss to
UMass-Lowell in the New England Tip-Off Weekend on Nov. 20. The
Spartans (1-1) were led in the tournament by senior forward Corey
Williams, who had 46 points in two games. Coach Mike Bernard blamed
the loss on poor execution.
About the Eagles: North Carolina Central (3-1) won the CIAA's
Southern Division last year and was picked to repeat in the coaches'
poll. The Eagles opened the season by beating Pfeiffer, Lenior-Rhyne
and Claflin, then lost to Hampton last weekend. The Eagles are 6-6
against Norfolk State over the past seven years and beat the
Spartans last year, 75-73. They've been led by 6-3 guard Levelle
Moton (19.3 ppg) and 6-7 forward Omar Vaughan (14.3 ppg).
by CNB