THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 16, 1997 TAG: 9701160503
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 41 lines
Even with neither team leading the CIAA's Northern Division, Norfolk State expects a battle with archrival Virginia Union at 7:30 tonight at Echols Arena.
``This is a rivalry where records mean nothing,'' NSU coach Mike Bernard said. ``Union will play its best and our players know they have to play their best to beat them.''
It is believed that tonight's contest will be the first time that Union and NSU have played since the 1991-92 season that neither was leading the division.
The Spartans (7-4, 2-1), No. 3 in the division, are coming off Monday's 16-point victory over Livingstone after suffering a rare loss to St. Paul's on Saturday.
Norfolk State expects freshman forward Michael Beckles, who sat out most of Monday's game with an eye injury, to return to the lineup.
Beckles was poked in the eye on Saturday going for a rebound. He played just four minutes Monday and did not score.
Beckles said the eye was a lot better during Tuesday's practice.
Union (7-8, 3-2) has had bigger problems. Coach Dave Robbins, who was out Wednesday with the flu, used five new starters in the Panthers' victory over Shaw on Tuesday. But Bernard stressed that opponents are not to be fooled by Union's record or recent struggles.
``We have to win the battle of the boards, handle the pressure . . . and hit our free throws,'' Bernard said. ``We have to execute offensively. We have to put all those things together to win this ball game.''
NOTE: Saturday's Norfolk State-Elizabeth City State game at Echols Arena will begin at 8 p.m. and will be televised live on WVBT. The game will be re-broadcast at 11:30 p.m. on HTS. ILLUSTRATION: GAMEWATCH
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