Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 9, 1992 TAG: 9202090139
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN SMALLWOOD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LEXINGTON LENGTH: Medium
2ND-HALF BURST BY MOCCASINS TRIPS VMI 85-75
It's a pattern with which VMI's basketball team has become familiar.For 35 minutes, the Keydets play as well as they can, which is good enough to be in most games. At some point, however, they hit a wall. A five-minute span in which nothing seems to go right.
It may come early, it may come late. Usually, it comes around the 25- or 30-minute mark, and it puts VMI in a deep hole.
Saturday at Cameron Hall, the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga used a five-minute run in the second half to extend a one-point lead to double figures and went on to a 85-75 Southern Conference victory.
Leading 47-46 with 16:21 remaining, the Moccasins (16-5 overall, 7-1 Southern Conference) outscored VMI 13-3 to go up 60-49 with a little less than 12 minutes left.
The Keydets (7-12, 2-6) never recovered, losing their third consecutive game overall and fifth straight in the league.
"It's been a pattern and there's nothing we can do about it," VMI coach Joe Cantafio said. "I think mentally we break down, and we can't afford that. We played great for 35 minutes, but you can't play great against [Tennessee-Chattanooga] all the time."
Center Keith Nelson, who led Tennessee-Chattanooga with 27 points, made a jump hook and, after VMI failed to convert on three possessions, Kelly Sutton scored and was fouled by Keydets freshman Brian Woolsey.
Sutton missed the free throw, but Nelson, who also had 14 rebounds, got the rebound and passed outside to Tim Brooks, who sank a 3-pointer for a 54-46 Moccasins lead with 14:10 remaining.
Brooks, who scored 21, stole the inbounds pass and fed Nelson for an easy layup.
"I think that was a big sequence because it got the lead from one to 10," UTC coach Mack McCarthy. "We never did do a good job defensively, but we executed well enough offensively to maintain the lead."
Jonathan Penn, who scored a game-high 28 points, converted a three-point play for VMI, but UTC scored the next two baskets to take the 11-point advantage.
The Moccasins led by 16 before the Keydets made a closing run.
"For a five-minute stretch, they were able to get in and do whatever they wanted," said VMI center Lewis Preston, who had 25 points and 10 rebounds. "We're playing hard, but at the end when it's triple zeros, we're coming up just a little bit short. It's very frustrating."
Once more, VMI's offense consisted of Penn and Preston and not much else. In the Keydets' past three games, the junior duo has generated 132 of VMI's 225 points (58.7 percent).
"When you only have a couple of consistent weapons, you're going to have dry spells," McCarthy said. "That's often the difference in the game."
With no other Keydet displaying consistent offense, opponents concentrate on overplaying Penn and Preston in an attempt to wear them down in the second half.
Most of VMI's dry spells have come when that strategy works. The Keydets are 7-2 when three or more players score in double figures.
"What really needs to happen is we need another person to step up and score," Preston said. "At this point, if anybody can step up, I think we can make a run in the tournament." \
see microfilm for box score