THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, January 30, 1996 TAG: 9601300427
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
American basketball coach Chris Knoche saw plenty of horrific things on the court Monday night, but nothing could have prepared him for the stat sheet.
``Oh my word,'' Knoche exclaimed seconds after someone handed him the final box of Old Dominion's 67-47 romp at Scope. ``. . . I thought pre-game meal went well; from that point on, it was pretty downhill.''
The Monarchs feasted on the Eagles in virtually every facet of the game. They had a 47-26 rebounding advantage; tied their season high with 12 blocked shots; earned assists on 24 of 28 baskets; and shot 59.6 percent from the field compared with 25.9 percent for American, the worst ever by an ODU opponent. The previous low was 27.5 percent by East Carolina in 1993.
``I thought our team played its best game of the year, without a doubt,'' ODU coach Jeff Capel said. ``I thought we played unselfish offensively, and defensively I thought we really took control of the game on the boards and were able to get out in transition and get some easy baskets.''
There was no such thing for American. The Eagles were 0 of 12 from 3-point range, and during one stretch made 1 of 19 from the field on the way to 18.2 percent first-half shooting.
American relies on pressure defense, but it's tough to set up the press when you can't make a basket for a 7 1/2-minute stretch.
ODU used a 25-4 run to take an early 31-12 lead and American never came close to getting back in the game. The Monarchs' lead reached 28 midway through the second half before dropping back to the final 20-point margin, their biggest rout of the season.
``Everything we tried, it seemed like it worked,'' said forward Joe Bunn, who had 23 points in 19 minutes on 10 of 12 shooting. ``It was like we could do no wrong at one point.''
Capel liked all the things they did right: helping on defense; finding the open man on offense; competing at a consistently high level throughout.
And he liked the balance. Everyone who played made a significant contribution relative to their number of minutes in either points, rebounds, assists, steals or blocked shots.
``This was as focused as this team has been all year long,'' Capel said. ``I don't know for what reason, but whatever it is I hope we can find out and make sure they take a dose of it before every game.''
Freshman Cal Bowdler came off the bench to grab 10 rebounds to go with two blocks, two assists and three points. Reggie Bassette had eight points and two blocks. Mark Poag and Odell Hodge scored 12 points apiece on combined 10-of-16 shooting.
ODU's bench contributed a season-high 27 rebounds and 38 points, three shy of the season high.
``Different guys are doing different things and we're getting great help off the bench,'' guard Mike Byers said.
``We're starting to play together and having fun doing it. We're getting down to conference time and that's when you want to be playing your best ball.''
The Monarchs (11-9, 6-2 Colonial Athletic Association) are tied for second with East Carolina in the league, a game behind Virginia Commonwealth. ODU has won six of its last seven and seven of its last nine.
``It's basically just coming together and staying together,'' Bassette said. ``I guess you could say we're on a roll.''
The Eagles' Tim Fudd and Darryl Franklin, who had been averaging a combined 39.3 points in conference play, were held to 12 and 10 Monday. American (8-9, 4-4) has dropped three in a row.
The Monarchs host UNC-Wilmington at 7:35 Wednesday at Scope, then go to VCU Saturday. ILLUSTRATION: CHRISTOPHER REDDICK
The Virginian-Pilot
Old Dominion's Odell Hodge has a hand on the ball and on American's
Thomas Treadwell at Scope Monday night.
by CNB