THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 23, 1997 TAG: 9702230380
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DURHAM, N.C. LENGTH: 52 lines
Different site, familiar ending.
For the third time in four games, Norfolk State got burned on a play in the finals seconds, resulting in a 76-74 loss to North Carolina Central in the CIAA regular-season finale Saturday night at McClendon-McDougald Center.
Eagles guard Jearwaun Tuck scored on a wild, bank-shot jumper as time expired in what is anticipated to be NSU's final regular-season CIAA game. The Spartans (16-9, 11-6 CIAA) expect to move to Divison I and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in the fall. NSU plays the Southern Division's third-place team at 3 p.m. Wednesday in the first round of the CIAA tournament at Winston-Salem, N.C..
``That's the way our season has gone,'' said Spartans guard Maurice Whitfield, who finished with a career-high 25 points, ``but one play didn't decide the game.''
Last week, NSU lost on a last-second basket to St. Augustine's and had was called for an offensive foul late in a defeat to Elizabeth City State. And as was the case in the other two games, the Spartans made a big second-half comeback before losing another nailbiter.
The Spartans trailed 58-45 with 12:12 left, but went on an 8-0 run in the next two minutes. After staying within striking distance, the Spartans cut the deficit to 74-73 Robert Robinson's jumper with 47 seconds to play.
On the Eagles' next possession, NSU's Rodney Carmichael grabbed a rebound and fired down court to Whitfield, who was fouled underneath the basket with 21 seconds left. The first free throw rimmed out. Whitfield missed the second one, but was given a third chance on a lane violation against N.C. Central (19-4, 13-4). Whitfield hit the extra shot to tie the score at 74.
On the Eagles' next possession, Carmichael blocked a shot and Robinson knocked the ball out of bounds with four seconds left to give N.C. Central one final possession. Instead of going to All-CIAA guard Mike White, who was held to seven points - all free throws - the Eagles turned to Tuck. The 5-foot-10 guard caught the ball above the key, penetrated left and then fired a shot over a couple of Spartans as time expired.
``We played hard in the second half,'' NSU coach Mike Bernard said. ``You can't play one half of basketball and expect to win these types of games.''
But as Bernard also pointed out, the team can't overcome breakdowns at the end of each half.
N.C. Central forward Corwin Holland single-handedly changed the complexion of the game in the final 1:37 of the first half.
Holland scored on a one-handed dunk over Sean Blackwell. He then scored on another one-handed dunk and nailed a 3-pointer with four seconds remaining to give the Eagles a 43-34 halftime lead. Holland led the Eagles with 20 points.
Carmichael earned his ninth double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds for Norfolk State.