Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 31, 1993 TAG: 9301310096
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
VCU LOSES GRIP, GAME 90-88
Virginia Commonwealth's Kendrick Warren can stick short jumpers, drives or dunks almost anytime - provided the ball sticks to him first.Saturday, Warren lost the ball twice in the last 15.7 seconds of overtime, condemning VCU to a shotless final effort in a 90-88 Metro Conference basketball loss to Louisville in front of 7,208 spectators at the Richmond Coliseum.
The previous possession, VCU had gotten three shots - and Kenny Harris hit the last one, a 3-pointer that pulled the Rams to two points with 23 seconds left.
Louisville's Keith LeGree, in transition, threw a cross-court pass out of bounds.
Harris fed Warren on the baseline, but Louisville's Clifford Rozier poked the ball out of bounds with 1.6 seconds left.
VCU's inbounds pass went right to the 6-foot-8 Warren, 12 feet from the basket and with the 6-1 LeGree his only impediment. LeGree smacked the ball as Warren raised it to shoot; as it arced out of bounds, time ran out. The ball must land out of bounds before the clock stops.
"I think he got my hand and the ball," Warren said.
LeGree would not have cared if he did. "He's a bad free-throw shooter [54 percent]. I'd rather have him go to the free-throw line," LeGree said.
Louisville's victory was its ninth in the past 10 games and its fifth straight league road win. The Cardinals (11-5 overall, 6-0 Metro), lead the league with their best start since 1982-83, when they finished 12-0.
VCU slid to 10-6 and 1-3 - in fifth place, a half-game ahead of Virginia Tech.
"Now, everyone else is playing for third place," VCU's Chris Brower said. "Realistically, if we wanted to win the league, we should've won today."
Brower could have changed that, but with the Rams leading 77-76 and 1:17 left in regulation, he missed two of three attempts after being fouled outside the 3-point line. He was 11-of-11 before the misses.
Rozier, overplayed outside by Sherron Mills, drove and was fouled. He made one of two, making it 78-77, Rams, with a minute left.
Warren got the ball 18 feet from the basket and was supposed to drive and kick it to 3-point specialist Brower, but instead Warren bricked a jumper with 43 seconds left - 28 on the shot clock.
"If I drove, they were going to step up and take the charge," Warren said. "So I just pulled up. There were, like, three of them coming at me."
The Cardinals' offense was scrambled, but Rozier wheeled into the lane and was fouled. He missed one free throw before tying the score with 6.4 seconds left.
VCU lost the ball trying for a last shot.
Louisville took an 89-83 lead with 1:18 left in overtime before VCU came back.
\ see microfilm for box score