THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 24, 1995 TAG: 9503240590
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LOUISVILLE, KY. LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
The clock expired on Norfolk State's best-ever basketball team in a literal outpouring of sweat and blood Thursday night in the NCAA Division II semfinals.
The Spartans fell to Southern Indiana, 89-81, at the Commonwealth Convention center, ending both their bid for a national championship and 33 years of true Division II basketball.
The Spartans dug themselves a big hole early, came clawing back, but fell to an SIU team that was a little sharper and was spurred on by a couple thousand fans who made the two-hour ride from Evansville, Ind.
The Screaming Eagles (28-4) will meet Cal-Riverside (26-5) for the national championship Saturday at 12:45.
Norfolk State (27-6) spotted SIU an eight-point halftime lead, then rallied to go up six early in the second half.
The Spartans were not the same, however, after forward Derrick Bryant left the game with 9:42 left, dripping blood on the floor from a gash over his eyebrow.
When Bryant left, Norfolk State had a 60-55 lead. When he returned the margin was a five-point deficit.
``I was listening to the crowd's reaction, and I thought we were still ahead,'' Bryant said. ``I came back and we were behind.''
The Spartans played SIU to a draw in the second-half but were ultimately done in by a sluggish first half in which they missed their first six free throw attempts, and shot just 40 percent from the floor.
The Screaming Eagles, meanwhile, used some classic drive and dish play to keep the lead in double digits most of the half.
The Spartans came back behind the scoring of Carnell Penn and Corey Williams, who had 23 points each, and behind the tough defense of Bryant, who held Division II player of the year Stan Gouard to nine points.
But SIU regrouped, as 6-8 forward Chad Gilbert scored nine straight to put the Screaming Eagles ahead for good, 67-64, with 7:08 left.
``We played very hard, we played very aggressively, but our execution was spotty,'' NSU coach Mike Bernard said. ``Southern Indiana's really as good as anybody we've played.
``We missed six free throws early and that really hurt. If you make those, you've got a close game early out.''
The Spartans also got in foul trouble early and were particularly hurt when Penn - the team's best three-point shooter - fouled out with 2:05 left and the margin at six.
For the Spartans, nothing less than a national title was going to do this year. They were picked to win it all by Sports Illustrated, and won't be eligible for the Division II playoffs next year, because the school is planning to petition the NCAA to move to Division I. The petition is due June 1 and NSU could go Division I in 1997.
Although the Spartans fell short of their ultimate goal, they advanced farther than any team in school history. And Bryant was taking pride in that fact Thursday.
``I really can come out of this place with my head up,'' Bryant said. ``We gave it all we've got. I really believe we were the best Norfolk State team ever.''
CAL-RIVERSIDE 73, INDIANA, PA. 69: William Wilson scored 17 points and had seven assists as the Highlanders upset the nation's top-ranked team. Indiana (29-2) got 15 points from All-American forward Derrick Freman. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo on page A1 by Christopher Reddick, Staff
The disappointment of the Spartans' 89-81 defeat in the NCAA
Division II semifinals Thursday is reflected in the faces of Matthew
Thompson, left, and Carnell Penn.
Color photo by Christopher Reddick, Staff
Rodney Carmichael of Norfolk State drives underneath during
Thursday's loss to Southern Indiana in the NCAA Division II
semfinals [sic] at Louisville's Commonwealth Convention center.
Photo by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK, Staff
Corey Williams of Norfolk State, who had 23 points, works in the
middle of Southern Indiana defenders.
by CNB