
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 7, 1995                   TAG: 9503070125
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                 LENGTH: Medium

ODU DUMPS DUKES 80-75 FOR CAA TITLE

When James Madison's Kent Culuko hit a 3-pointer with 5.9 seconds remaining to cut the Old Dominion lead to 78-75, Monarch coach Jeff Capel got very, very worried.

``My heart stopped. We were one bad pass away from him hitting another 3-pointer and going into overtime,'' Capel said.

The Monarchs didn't make the bad pass as they beat James Madison 80-75 Monday night for the Colonial Athletic Association tournament championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Last year, the Monarchs saw Culuko hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer in the championship game for a 77-76 loss.

This year, Petey Sessoms scored 20 of his 25 points in the second half, and the Old Dominion defense did not allow James Madison a shot from the floor for 2:43 of the final 2:48.

The Monarchs (20-11) trailed 70-68 with 3:02 left after Kent Culuko hit a pair of free throws. E.J. Sherod put Old Dominion on top for good, 71-70, with a 3-pointer with 2:43 left.

Old Dominion then made two straight steals, and Sessoms hit a 3-pointer with 1:10 remaining to make it 74-70.

``We made some bad decisions late in the game,'' Culuko said.

Louis Rowe cut Old Dominion's lead to 74-72 with two free throws, but the Monarchs were 6-for-6 from the free-throw line down the stretch to clinch the victory.

Culuko's 3-pointer ended the Dukes scoring.

Mario Mullen had 17 points for Old Dominion before fouling out with 4:28 left, and Mike Jones added 15.

Darren McLinton led the Dukes (16-13) with 24 points, while Rowe had 20.

Mullen scored 15 in the first half, while Sessoms was being bottled up.

``Mullen was the difference in the game,'' James Madison coach Lefty Driesell said. ``He was the key reason for their seven-point lead at the half.''

Sessoms and Rowe, who led the CAA in scoring with averages of 22.1, shadowed each other the entire game. Each had their streaks in the second half.

``I kept taking shots,'' Sessoms said after shooting 2 of 9 in the first half. ``I knew they would start falling.''

Sessoms was 12 of 13 from the free-throw line, including two with 4.9 seconds left for the final score.

``Everyone gave Petey credit for his defense on me,'' Rowe said. ``A lot of times they were doubling and tripling on me.''

Keywords:
BASKETBALL

by CNB