ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, February 11, 1997 TAG: 9702110092
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
At about 8:30 p.m. Monday, there was a major news event at the Bast Center in Salem. The old Roanoke College men's basketball team reappeared.
When it disappeared back into its locker room at about 9 o'clock, the team looked different than it had during the week-and-a-half it had been missing. It looked like an 84-71 winner over Lynchburg College.
It was at about 8:30 that the Maroons went on a 19-2 run to begin the second half. For more than six minutes, Roanoke didn't miss a shot. During those same six minutes, Lynchburg missed seven of eight.
``They picked up the intensity and all their shots started going in,'' said Hornets coach Joe Davis.
It gave the Maroons the edge they needed to avenge a Feb. 3 loss in Lynchburg. Roanoke (15-6 overall, 10-5 conference) won for the first time in past six games and moved into a tie for second place in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference with Bridgewater and Hampden-Sydney. Virginia Wesleyan leads the ODAC. Lynchburg (10-11, 7-8) lost its third consecutive game to fall to seventh place in the league.
So what made this a happy Monday for the Maroons? What was different this night than the past 13?
``Basically we played some defense, made some shots and they missed some shots,'' said Roanoke guard Jason Bishop. ``For the last five games, teams have been shooting 60 percent on us.''
The Maroons shot 56 percent against Lynchburg (60 percent in the second half), while the Hornets shot 47 percent. Bishop scored nine of his team-high 18 points in Roanoke's decisive second-half run.
``Before, we climbed a hill to beat them,'' Davis said. ``Coming here tonight was like climbing a mountain.''
Still, there were times when Roanoke struggled. Lynchburg had a 13-6 lead, and Hornets reserve center Ray Moore scored 12 first-half points. Moore was averaging 2.6 points coming into the game.
But Moore also finished the game with 12 points, as Roanoke stopped taking so many chances while in its full-court press and settled back into a more conventional defense.
``We felt they beat us badly by breaking us down,'' said Maroons coach Page Moir. ``We really thought we had to contest every shot.''
So how does it stand? Roanoke won it with a heck of a second-half run, some decent defense and with a vengeful mindset. Those are the attributes of the team that earlier this season sat at the top of the South Region in NCAA Division III.
``They hit a bad spot in the season just like we hit a bad spot in the game,'' Davis said. ``They didn't get to be number one in the region for nothing.''
It will take a lot to get the Maroons back to that spot. A lot of good spots like the one they had in the second half would help.
'NOKE NOTES: The Hornets are averaging 71.1 points in their 11 losses this season. ... Forward Derek Bryant tied Ron Pendleton (1987-91) on Roanoke's career 3-pointers list, at 123. Bryant had three 3-pointers and 15 points Monday. ... Bishop passed Hal Johnston (1968-72) to move into 11th place on the career scoring list, at 1,332 points.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 63 linesby CNB