ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 19, 1996 TAG: 9612190053
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: COLLEGE BASKETBALL
SOURCE: FROM STAFF AND ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS
VMI went on a 44-6 run to finish a 107-61 victory over Eastern Mennonite on Wednesday night at Cameron Hall in Lexington.
The Keydets led 44-40 at halftime and still held a single-digit lead with 13:40 left in the second half. After that, however, VMI bolted to its third victory of the season over an NCAA Division III opponent.
``I really felt in the first half we were extremely flat, and that is to be expected after you play North Carolina'' on Sunday, said Bart Bellairs, the Keydets' coach. ``The thing I was most pleased with our kids was in the second half we started penetrating instead of forcing shots.''
Backup point guard Darryl Faulkner had a career-high 24 points, a total matched by teammate Brent Conley. Faulkner started VMI's second-half success with two 3-pointers (he finished with six), and Conley scored 14 of his points after the break.
Senior captain Maurice Spencer (Martinsville High School) added 19 points and 10 rebounds for VMI (3-4) and Bryan Taueg scored 13.
Troy Gerber led the Royals (3-4) with 17 points, and Parry McCluer graduate Mike McElroy grabbed 10 rebounds for Eastern Mennonite.
In other games:
New Orleans 61, Virginia Commonwealth 46: Eddie Washington had 17 points and Kwan Johnson added 14, including five in a decisive second-half run, as coach Tic Price's Privateers (5-1) beat the Rams (3-3) in Richmond. Price is a former Virginia Tech player and assistant coach.
Sherman Hamilton scored 11 points to lead VCU (3-3), which shot 37.5 percent (18-of-48) from the field.
James Madison 89, Hampton 58: Jamar Perry had a season-high 17 points, including nine in a first-half run that put the game out of reach, as the Dukes (4-2) kept the Pirates (0-6) winless.
Iona 71, Fordham 69: Tariq Kirksay, who finished with 15 points, hit a 3-point basket with 37 seconds to play as the Gaels rallied past the Rams in New York. Maurice Curtis, a junior transfer from West Virginia and the brother of Mountaineers football All-American Canute Curtis, scored 21 points to lead Fordham (2-4).
LENGTH: Short : 46 linesby CNB