First Half Deficit Too Much for UVa-Wise, Fall to Bluefield in AAC Semis

February 29, 2008
BOXSCORE

Bristol, Tenn. – After upsetting Milligan on Thursday, UVa-Wise could not leap out of February with a second upset against Bluefield College Friday. The Rams opened a 10-point lead in the first six minutes and never gave it up in a 91-77 win over the Highland Cavaliers in the Appalachian Athletic Conference men’s basketball semifinals.

UVa-Wise finishes the 2007-08 campaign at 14-18 overall but four of the defeats came at the hands of NCAA Division I foes. Bluefield (25-6) will move on to the AAC championship game set for Saturday afternoon against King College.

The Woodbridge connection, Travis Willis and Aaron Meacham produced season-bests with 16 and 13 points. Jarred Soles (Yorktown, Va.) netted 12 points and four assists in his final contest in a Cavs uniform. Adam Hood (Rye Cove, Va.) added 10 tallies.

Bluefield had three big performances led by Omar Reed’s 22 points. Coryon Ross and Dontae Gibson contributed 21 and 18 points.

Leading 7-5, the Rams netted the next eight points for a 15-5 score at 14:22. The Cavs were able to pull to within seven points two times with the last coming on a Hood three-point play for a 25-18 score.

Bluefield scored the next nine points and allowed UVa-Wise to pull within nine points on a Soles field goal before having a 54-39 advantage at the half. The Rams netted the opening 10 points for its largest lead of 25 points, 64-39.

The Cavs chipped away at the difference and made it to within 84-73 on two Willis free throws with 4:21 left in the game. UVa-Wise would not get any closer to fall by the 91-77 final.