ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, February 25, 1997 TAG: 9702250132
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: COLLEGE BASKETBALL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
Kentucky forward Ron Mercer, the leading scorer in the Southeastern Conference, is giving up his last two seasons of eligibility to enter the NBA draft.
Kentucky coach Rick Pitino, who predicts Mercer will be one of the top four picks in the draft, said it was important for the decision to be announced now.
``If you say you're going, then he can concentrate on the NCAA Tournament and help us win another championship,'' Pitino said.
Mercer, who attended Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, would not comment about his plans before practice Monday. He is to discuss the matter at a news conference Wednesday.
Mercer, a 6-foot-7 sophomore from Nashville, Tenn., is averaging 18.0 points and 5.2 rebounds for the No. 3 Wildcats. He is second in the SEC in field goal shooting, hitting 49.3 percent of his shots.
He is a finalist for the Naismith Player of the Year award.
In other college basketball news:
SC HONORS: They entered VMI together and on Monday they were honored together.
Junior point guard Darryl Faulkner was named to the 1996-97 All-Southern Conference second team and senior shooting guard Maurice Spencer was an honorable mention selection in voting by the SC Sports Media Association.
Faulkner was VMI's leading scorer with a 14.9 per game average. Spencer, from Martinsville, was next at 14.7, placing the pair in eighth and ninth place, respectively, in the league. Despite an unusual form, Faulkner also led the league in 3-point shooting percentage (42.7 percent), was third in steals (2.0) and sixth in assists (3.9).
Faulkner and Spencer's play was instrumental in rallying the Keydets when they lost their leading scorer and rebounder, Brent Conley, and assist man, Andre Quarles, in January.
The pair entered VMI together in 1993, but were separated when Faulkner took the past two seasons off while taking classes at a community college near his home of Hyattsville, Md. When they were reunited in the Keydets backcourt this season, they provided the majority of the team's offensive punch.
The All-Southern Conference first team included UT-Chattanooga forward Johnny Taylor, Appalachian State guard Junior Braswell, Furman forward Chuck Vincent and two Marshall players, center John Brannen and shooting guard Keith Veney.
Joining Faulkner on the second team were Davidson forward Narcisse Ewodo, UT-Chattanooga guard Willie Young, Marshall guard Sidney Coles (brother of former Virginia Tech Olympian Bimbo Coles), Western Carolina forward Bobby Phillips and UT-Chattanooga center Chris Mims.
VMI opens play in the Southern Conference tournament at 7 p.m. on Thursday in Greensboro, N.C. The Keydets face Furman in a first-round game.
ACC WOMEN'S HONORS: Tracy Reid and Marion Jones, the 1-2 punch that led North Carolina to its first Atlantic Coast Conference women's regular-season title, were the top vote-getters on The Associated Press 1996-97 all-ACC women's basketball team.
Rounding out the first team were Tora Suber of ACC regular-season runner-up Virginia, Kisha Ford of Georgia Tech and N.C. State's Chasity Melvin.
Suber, a 5-7 point guard who was a first-team pick last season, scored 35 points against North Carolina on Jan.27 and her pressure defense has helped the Cavaliers lead the nation in field goal percentage defense. Since the all-conference team was started in 1983-84, Virginia has had at least one first-team member all 14 years.
The second team consisted of Kira Orr and Tye Hall of Duke, Itoro Umoh of Clemson, DeMya Walker of Virginia and Umeki Webb of N.C. State.
ARKANSAS: The University of Arkansas froze the salaries of athletic director Frank Broyles and basketball coach Nolan Richardson after admitting four violations of NCAA rules, but denied allegations it has lost control of its men's basketball program. The school also said it would forfeit a basketball scholarship this year and next, and deny scholarships to junior-college transfers for two years.
The response will be presented to the NCAA Infractions Committee and the school asked that its case be heard April 18.
LSU: Louisiana State basketball coach Dale Brown dismissed center Bob Hall from the team for the rest of the season, the second such player this week and eighth the Brown has disciplined this year. Hall was dismissed because of his ``failure to fulfill team academic requirements,'' Brown said.
Monday's games
Old Dominion 72, James Madison 66: Odell Hodge (Laurel Park) scored 29 points, 17 in the second half, and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Monarchs beat the Dukes to secure the No.1 week in this week's Colonial Athletic Association tournament.
The Monarchs (19-10, 10-6 CAA) led 35-29 at the half and never let James Madison (14-12, 8-8) get close. Hodge was 12-for-15 from the field and 5-for-6 from the free-throw line in the Monarchs' fourth consecutive victory.
Eugene Atkinson had 19 points for the Dukes, while Lamont Boozer added 18 and Charles Lott 13.
Va. Commonwealth 56, Richmond 45: In Richmond, Patrick Lee scored all five of his points in a crucial second-half run as the Rams rallied to snap the Spiders' four-game winning streak.
The Rams (14-12, 9-7 CAA) trailed 25-18 at the half before embarking on an 11-0 run to open the second half, taking a 29-25 lead with 15:46 left.
Richmond (12-14, 7-9) came back to take a 36-35 lead with 8:24 left on a layup by David Hensel. The Rams offense then got in gear, outscoring the Spiders 20-9 the remainder of the game.
George Mason 79, American 70: Kevin Ward had 18 points, and Ben Wanjara added 13 points and 12 rebounds, both career highs, as the Patriots ended an eight-game losing streak with a win over the Eagles in Fairfax.
George Redd added 15 points and 10 boards for the Patriots (10-16, 4-12), who finished last in the nine-team CAA and will play Richmond on Friday night at the Richmond Coliseum in the play-in game for the postseason tournament.
Thomas Treadwell scored a game-high 25 points for American (11-15, 7-9), which missed 24 of its first 28 shots in the game.
East Carolina 59, William and Mary 58: Dink Peters tipped in a miss with 5.8 seconds left ast the Pirates secured a CAA win over the Tribe in Williamsburg.
William and Mary (11-15, 8-8 CAA) got off a final shot, but Randy Bracy's 3-pointer clanged off the rim. Bracy led the Tribe with 21 points.
Morris Grooms led ECU (17-9, 9-7) with 15 points.
Temple 69, Fordham 53: Marc Jackson scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Owls closed Philadelphia's McGonigle Hall with an Atlantic 10 victory over the Rams.
Temple posted a record of 177-29 in 28 years at McGonigle. Next season, the Owls will play in the Apollo, a new 10,200-seat facility.
Pepe Sanchez scored 14 points and Rasheed Brokenborough added 11 for Temple (17-8, 10-5 Atlantic 10), while Maurice Curtis led Fordham with 14.
It was the seventh straight loss for the Rams (6-18, 1-13).
Virginia Western 99, Patrick Henry CC 89: Chris Mattox scored 20 points to lead five players in double-figures as the Blue Stars (6-5) rallied from a 50-47 halftime deficit to beat Patrick Henry (8-10). Matt Woolwine and Robbie Huffman scored 18.
AP Kentucky sophomore Ron Mercer, who announced Monday he will forgo his last two seasons of eligibility, is leading the Southeastern Conference in scoring with 18 points a game.
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