THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 7, 1995 TAG: 9502070441
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 46 lines
It was cold at Echols Arena on Monday night. A pipe burst over the weekend, and if the heating system was working, it was barely detectable.
Maybe that's why Bowie State never thawed in a CIAA contest against Norfolk State. The Bulldogs shot a frigid 19 percent in the first half, 30 percent for the game as Norfolk State rolled to an 89-63 win.
You could blame the chilly conditions, but a better explanation for Bowie's cold shooting was Norfolk State's defense. After losing to Virginia Union on Saturday - a loss that snapped a 14-game winning streak - Norfolk State (18-3, 7-2 CIAA North) came out with something to prove, and Bowie never knew what hit it.
``The thing we wanted to do was come back with a strong defensive effort,'' Norfolk State coach Mike Bernard said. ``We didn't play very well defensively the last two ballgames.''
Mission accomplished. Bowie (7-15, 3-5) didn't make a field goal until the game was nearly eight minutes old. Norfolk State went up 12-0, then 19-2, then 31-8.
Bernard emptied his bench and Bowie closed it to 40-20 at halftime. The Bulldogs shot 6 for 32 in the half, while Norfolk State was 18 for 32.
``Same amount of shots,'' Bowie coach Taft Hickman said. ``Theirs went in, ours didn't.''
It was Bowie's bad luck to catch Norfolk State after its first loss since Dec. 10. But then again, Bowie's never had any luck against the Spartans. Monday's win left the all-time record at 37-0.
But Norfolk State did a good job of avoiding a letdown.
``We were very intense in the first 10 minutes,'' Bernard said. ``We dictated the tempo with our defense.''
Carnell Penn scored seven of Norfolk State's first 19, and the Spartans were off and running. Bernard used all 11 players in the first half, and 10 scored.
Bowie outscored Norfolk State, 18-10, to open the second half, cutting the lead to 12. The Bulldogs got no closer, however.
Corey Williams led the Spartans with 21 points. Point guard Maurice Whitfield tied his career-high with 12 points, on 5-of-7 shooting. by CNB