Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 8, 1994 TAG: 9403080149
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Driesell earned NCAA Tournament berth No. 12 on Monday night when his James Madison. Dukes rallied from 19 points down in the final 13 minutes to beat Old Dominion 77-76 in the title game of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament.
Kent Culuko capped the dramatic comeback with a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
"I've never had a win like this," Driesell said of career coaching victory No. 641. "This is the greatest win I've ever been associated with as a player or as a coach."
Second-seeded James Madison (20-9) is headed to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1983.
"I want to get in the NCAAs and win some games," Driesell said. "That's what will get us some recognition. It's no fun going to the dance if you only get to dance one time."
Driesell, now in his sixth year with the Dukes, has had a frustrating time since 1986, the year he was forced out of his coaching job at Maryland following the cocaine-induced death of Len Bias.
James Madison had either finished in a tie for the CAA regular-season title or won it outright in each of the past five years, only to come up short at tournament time. Driesell's Dukes had lost their three previous CAA championship games, and had gone to four consecutive National Invitation Tournaments, losing in the first round each time.
"This is just unbelievable," Driesell said. "I'll never forget this."
Old Dominion (20-9) was trying to become the first No. 1 seed to win the CAA tournament since 1988.
"I thought we were in pretty good shape, obviously, when we got the lead," coach Oliver Purnell said.
But that wasn't the case.
"It was almost like watching a bad movie," Purnell said. "It seemed like fate with some of their shots that were going in."
The Dukes gradually trimmed their deficit after falling behind by 19, and tied it at 74-74 on a 3-pointer by Darren McLinton with 1:37 remaining.
After neither team could convert on its next possession, Old Dominion got the ball back with 46 seconds left and worked the ball down low to former Laurel Park High standout Odell Hodge, whose layup with 16 seconds left made it 76-74.
The Dukes' Dennis Leonard missed a baseline jumper with eight seconds left, but teammate Clayton Ritter got the rebound. Ritter's shot was blocked out of bounds by Hodge with 1.1 seconds to go.
James Madison then inbounded the ball to Culuko on the right wing, and he swished the winner as time expired.
McLinton led the Dukes with 21 points. Ritter had 18, Kareem Robinson 14 and Culuko 8.
Hodge led all players with 26 points. Junior forward Mike Jones had a career-high 26 points and Kevin Swann added 11 for the Monarchs.
Hodge scored nine of the Monarchs' first 17 points of the second half as they stretched their advantage to 61-42 with 13:05 left. But Leonard and McLinton each had a 3-pointer in a 14-1 run that vaulted James Madison back into contention midway through the half.
by CNB