ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, February 11, 1996 TAG: 9602130019
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: LEXINGTON
SOURCE: JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
MIKE SPINELLI answers as the Keydets beat East Tennessee State 82-79.
Gut-checks at VMI are routine.
But winning four basketball games in a row? That hasn't happened in six years.
With a flu bug slowing two of their starters, the Keydets turned to an unlikely hero - reserve forward Mike Spinelli - to ignite an 82-79 victory Saturday over East Tennessee State.
Spinelli scored a career-high and team-leading 15 points on 7-of-7 shooting from the field, as VMI won its fourth consecutive game and extended its unbeaten string at home to nine victories this season and 10 overall.
Foul shooting from starting guards Bobby Prince and Maurice Spencer preserved the Keydets' victory, as they combined to convert four attempts in the game's final 24 seconds.
The Buccaneers did not fare as well as the game concluded. Justin McClellan, the fifth-best free-throw shooter in the Southern Conference, missed the first of two shots with 12 seconds left. It was his only miss of the game, as McClellan finished 9-of-10 from the line en route to a team-high 17 points.
Needing a 3-point goal to tie the score at the end, ETSU's Randy Dodson, who converted three 3-pointers in the first half and scored 15 points in the game, missed at the buzzer.
ETSU coach Alan LeForce thought the clock started prematurely on ETSU's last play. When the ball was inbounded to Dodson with six seconds left, the sophomore from Herndon allowed the ball to drift into the backcourt before he picked it up.
``I didn't think anybody touched the ball [prior to Dodson],'' LeForce said. ``And our point guard obviously didn't either. We were going to run a couple of screens to get a good shot at a 3-pointer, and all of a sudden, our coaches were yelling `shoot.'''
Dodson appeared to hurry his shot as time expired.
``If somebody did get a hand on the ball, we made a poor judgment,'' LeForce said. ``We continue to lose these close ones.''
The Bucs lost 70-68 to Georgia Southern on Jan.25, and 75-73 to UT-Chattanooga on Wednesday.
VMI improved its record to 12-7 overall, 5-3 in the conference. ETSU fell to 7-12, 3-5.
``This was the most gutty VMI performance since I've been here,'' said second-year coach Bart Bellairs.
Senior Keydets Lawrence Gullette (15.3 ppg) and Lester Johnson (7.7 ppg) fought illness all week. Both started Saturday's game but clearly were not at full strength.
Gullette managed eight points in 22 minutes, and Johnson scored four points in 16 minutes.
But Spinelli, who before Saturday had scored just 31 points this season, filled the void. ``It was definitely my best game,'' said the sophomore whose previous career high was 10 points against ETSU last year.
``A lot of people here have been sick,'' Spinelli said. ``I was myself, but I've gotten over it. Today's win wasn't any one person. I just stepped up and played a role.''
Spinelli scored 11 points in the second half, including a three-point play at the 10:29 mark that halved East Tennessee's six-point lead from 60-54 to 60-57.
``I was a little nervous on the free throw,'' Spinelli admitted, ``because I had time to look at the clock and see the score.''
The Bucs took charge early, opening advantages of 11-0 and 18-6. The Keydets turned the ball over three times in the first minute before getting their first shot.
VMI took its first lead at 37-36 when Brent Conley hit a baseline jumper.
ETSU led most of the second half, until Conley again gave his team the lead, 65-64 at the 7:24 mark.
The lead teetered back and fourth until Prince broke a 78-78 tie with his free throws. Last season, the Keydets beat the Bucs 80-78 in Johnson City, Tenn., when Prince converted two free throws with three seconds remaining.
``I don't remember the score from two games ago,'' Prince said. ``To me, a one-point win is as good as 100.
``A victory is a victory is a victory. Know what I mean?''
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 82 linesby CNB