THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 23, 1995 TAG: 9503230709
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LOUISVILLE, KY. LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
Norfolk State moved up one giant place in the basketball alphabet Wednesday night - from Elite Eight to Final Four - with a dominating, message-sending, 85-67 win over Alabama A&M in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals in front of 4,204 at the Commonwealth Convention Center.
The Spartans (27-5) will meet Southern Indiana (27-4) in a semifinal game tonight at 8:30.
``That's the real challenge,'' NSU coach Mike Bernard said. ``To be able to go out and duplicate this kind of effort (tonight).''
The Spartans will have to go a long way to match Wednesday's effort, a performance that the point spread didn't do justice.
``Norfolk beat us in every phase of the game,'' A&M coach Van Pettaway said. ``If they play the next two games like they played us tonight, they'll win the national championship.''
That's been Norfolk State's goal all season, and a big reason why the Spartans were relatively subdued after the win, a victory that took them farther than any team in school history.
``We're not satisfied,'' forward Corey Williams said. ``We'll be satisfied Saturday night'' after the national championship game.
``We're on a mission,'' guard Carnell Penn said. ``Definitely a mission.''
Last year it looked like Mission Impossible. Norfolk State, which wasn't supposed to reach the Elite Eight, acted like it didn't belong and was bounced in the first round by Washburn, 69-58.
``We made it last year and came out flat,'' Williams said. ``We didn't want to come out flat.''
Far from coming out flat, Norfolk State came out and flattened A&M, which was 29-2 and had been ranked second in the nation most of the year.
The Spartans, using an aggressive man-to-man defense, held the Bulldogs, who averaged 93 points per game, to 25 in the first half on 22 percent shooting.
On the offensive end, Penn did most of the early damage, scoring 22 of his game-high 26 points in the first half.
Penn hit two treys early and scored several other baskets after hanging back and releasing downcourt while his teammates went to the defensive boards.
``Carnell converted a number of shots early that spread the floor and gave us great opportunities,'' Bernard said.
The Spartans shot 53.3 percent while A&M managed just half that, at 26.7. Norfolk State blocked nine shots, with center Blitz Wooten getting three.
``We were able to dictate the tempo with our defense,'' Bernard said.
Norfolk State jumped up 11-4 early, and, just as importantly, drew two early fouls on A&M's 6-foot-9, 300-pound center Coata Malone.
``That was big,'' Bernard said. ``They had nobody to go to inside.''
And not much luck outside. Penn shadowed leading scorer Deartrus Goodman, holding him to seven points, 12 below his average. Derrick Bryant shut down A&M forward Lamont Duckett, holding him to half his 14-point average.
The Spartans held A&M scoreless for long stretches in the first half, building leads of 27-12, 32-14 and 47-21.
The Spartans pushed the lead to 31 early in the second half, their biggest of the night, as the 6-8 Williams began to heat up.
Williams left the game briefly around the 17 minute mark to stretch a stiff lower back. A few minutes later, he did some stretching of another kind, throwing down a baseline dunk over two Bulldogs in what was the play of the night.
Williams, named a first-team All-American Tuesday, finished with 25 points and nine rebounds. He also had four assists.
``Norfolk didn't do anything we didn't expect,'' Pettaway said. ``We just picked a helluva night to have a bad shooting night.''
``They shot the ball poorly,'' Bernard said. ``But I think we had something to do with that.''
Bernard had expected a close game from A&M, which was making its third straight Elite Eight appearance.
``You don't expect to blow people out at this stage,'' ``You just come out and play your game.''
If the Spartans continue to play their game, it could be their tournament.
Indiana, Pa. 90 Central Missouri 79
Derrick Freeman scored 19 points to lead the Indians (29-1) into the semifinal round. They'll meet California-Riverside in a 6:30 semifinal. Yancy Taylor ahd 17 points and 13 assists for Indiana, Pa., which has been ranked No. 1 in the nation most of the year. Central Missouri (24-8) got 30 points from guard Tyrone Latimer.
California-Riverside 71 Morningside 58
Riverside (25-5) held Morningside (25-7) to 39 percent shooting and got 20 points and 11 rebounds from center James King.
Southern Indiana 108 New Hampshire College 93
The Screaming Eagles (27-4) placed eight players in double figures in eliminating New Hampshire (27-6). by CNB