THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 3, 1996 TAG: 9603030184
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
Virginia Commonwealth demonstrated Saturday how wide the gap was between the top and bottom of the Colonial Athletic Association this season.
It was 34 points in the CAA tournament's first quarterfinal, as VCU's 89-55 blowout of Richmond represented the widest margin of victory in CAA tournament history. Richmond's 31 turnovers was also a tournament record.
``I think it was one of our better defensive efforts of the year because we were able to shut down their perimeter and their inside,'' Rams coach Sonny Smith said. ``We've never been able to do it to our satisfaction all year.''
Top-seeded VCU (22-8) jumped out to an 11-0 lead as No. 9 Richmond (8-20) failed to hit the rim on its first nine possessions. The Spiders had five turnovers, two shots blocked, an air ball and another shot that slammed off the backboard before finally making a basket with 15:14 left in the first half.
``I'd say the first five minutes was really significant,'' Smith said.
East Carolina 76 American 60
American trimmed what once was a 19-point lead to 64-60 with 3:34 to play, but the Pirates scored the game's final 12 points, nine of them coming from the free throw line.
``That's not typical of a basketball game where a team has to climb a huge hill, and then you get to the point where there's a big play that either catapults you or takes the wind out of your sails,'' American coach Chris Knoche said. ``We were beat, we were gassed. I think that showed in the last couple minutes.''
UNC-Wilmington 63 William and Mary 55
The Seahawks held off a furious Tribe rally to advance to today's 6 p.m. semifinal against Old Dominion.
Trailing by seven with five minutes left, William and Mary rallied to cut the lead to two, 52-50, with 2:53 left on a Carl Parker layup. But UNC-Wilmington's Lamont Franklin drained a 3-point shot at 2:22 to build the lead to five and the Tribe got no closer.
Matt Verkey missed for the Tribe on its next possession and Sam Steen again at 1:20. UNC-Wilmington, meanwhile, made 9 of 11 free throws to win going away.
Franklin led the Seahawks with 14 points. by CNB