Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 3, 1991 TAG: 9103030215
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Herrmann, who has a 57-87 record in his fifth year at Navy, has been fending off public speculation lately about his future with the Midshipmen.
Some thought Saturday's Colonial Athletic Association Tournament game against James Madison might be Herrmann's last at Navy.
"I don't think about it. You can't control events that are not in your hands. I just tried to get my team ready and not worry about it," Herrmann said after Navy shocked the top-seeded Dukes 85-82 in overtime at the Richmond Coliseum.
Eddie Reddick had five of his 17 points in the extra period as Navy broke a seven-game losing streak against James Madison. That string included a 106-86 loss in January.
"I think that woke [up] our guys," said Herrmann, whose Midshipmen (8-20) were seeded eighth in the eight-team CAA. "Practices were much more focused after that, and we had a tremendous week of practice this week."
It marked the second straight year that James Madison coach Lefty Driesell's Dukes (19-9) went into the CAA tournament as the top seed and came up short.
"They beat us. What can I tell you?" Driesell said. "They out-hustled us, they worked hard and they made excellent shots when they had to. That's all there was to it."
Reddick sank two free throws to make it 82-82 with 46 seconds left in the extra period.
Twenty seconds later, James Madison's Steve Hood was called for traveling when he lifted his pivot foot. Navy had a last shot.
Mel Davis worked the clock down to single figures before driving the lane and dishing off to Reddick, who sank a layup with six seconds to go and was fouled by Jeff Chambers. After Reddick made the free throw for an 85-82 lead, James Madison's Fess Irvin dribbled the length of the court and pulled up from 10 feet but missed as time expired.
Erik Harris led Navy with 22 points. Michael Burd added 20, Nick Marusich 14 and Davis 10.
Hood, the CAA player of the year for the second consecutive season, led the Dukes with 21. Irvin had 12, and Chambers and Billy Coles added 10 each.
James Madison forced the extra period by rallying from a 73-67 deficit in the final 43 seconds. Navy missed three of four free throws in the last 40 seconds, paving the way for Chambers' layup at the buzzer to make it 74-74.
"I think we did a good job coming back to get into overtime," Driesell said, "but then we didn't play well at all in overtime." The Midshipmen
trailed 42-41 after a first half in which their aggressive man-to-man defense forced 12 turnovers, including 10 by the Dukes' inside players.
There were nine ties and eight lead changes in the half before James Madison went up 40-39 on a layup by Coles.
Navy's bid to keep it close in the scond half got a big boost with 17:03 to play, when Chancellor Nichols, James Madison's best inside threat, got his fourth foul. Four ties and four lead changes later, Nichols fouled out with 8:20 to play and James Madison up 58-57.
Nichols wound up with 14 points.
see microfilm for box score
by CNB