Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 5, 1991 TAG: 9103050299
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
"On this date last year, 365 days ago, Jim Shields played in this game maybe five minutes. He had gone from being a starter to someone who lost confidence in his abilities," Richmond coach Dick Tarrant said.
In Monday's Colonial Athletic Association tournament title game, the 6-foot-10 Shields played 33 minutes. He scored 26 points, including 18 in the second half, and had 11 rebounds as the Spiders rallied to beat George Mason 81-78.
"To come as far as he has is just incredible," Tarrant said.
Shields was named the tournament's most valuable player.
"It hasn't really sunk in yet," Shields said. "I don't really know what to say. The guys gave me some really nice passes and they ran some plays for me."
"He is probably the most underrated player in our league," George Mason coach Ernie Nestor said.
Kenny Wood added 10 points, all in the second half, as the second-seeded and defending CAA champion Spiders (21-9) earned their second consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament and their fifth in eight years.
Fourth-seeded George Mason (14-16) lost to Richmond for the 11th time in their last 12 meetings.
"We did not have the balance that is necessary to be successful on a higher level - and obviously Richmond is a very talented team," Nestor said.
After Byron Tucker's short jumper gave George Mason a 54-52 lead, the Patriots missed their next six shots from the floor and turned the ball over four times in a six-minute span.
Wood got the Spiders even at 54 on a tip-in with 12:35 left and Shields put them ahead to stay 37 seconds later on a twisting jumper in the lane.
Richmond pushed it to 61-55 before George Mason broke its drought on a short jumper by Tucker at the 6:43 mark.
"Actually, we played very good defense during that period," Nestor said, "or we would have been down substantial numbers."
The Patriots cut it to 64-62 on Mike Hargett's 3-pointer before Richmond scored the next six points.
The Spiders made eight of nine free throws in the final 2:02, pushing their advantage to 78-68 on a pair of foul shots by Shields with 56 seconds left.
Roanoker Curtis Blair had 13 points and Chris Fleming 12 for Richmond.
Tucker led George Mason with 26 points and Hargett had 23. Robert Dykes added 16, but did not score in the last 16 minutes.
George Mason set the tone early by repeatedly forcing the ball inside to Dykes and Tucker, the top two rebounders in the CAA. They combined for 22 points and 12 rebounds as the Patriots built a 40-37 halftime edge and got several Spiders in foul trouble in the process.
see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
BASKETBALL
by CNB