ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 3, 1996 TAG: 9603040100
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-6 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: COLONIAL
Brion Dunlap hit three critical free throws in the final minute and a half as Old Dominion scuttled James Madison's upset bid 75-72 Saturday in a Colonial Athletic Association tournament quarterfinal in Richmond.
But the combined firepower of Joe Bunn and Odell Hodge (Laurel Park) enabled the Monarchs (18-12) to come back from a six-point deficit early in the second half.
Bunn scored 33 points, 18 in the second half, and Hodge added 19 for Old Dominion. They combined for 16 rebounds.
James Madison's Darren McLinton tied a tournament record with 34 points.
After James Coleman brought the Dukes (10-20) within three in the final minute, McLinton tried to send the game into overtime. But he missed a desperation 3-point shot in the final seconds.
Charles Lott scored 16 points for James Madison.
Old Dominion will face UNC Wilmington in a semifinal game today.
In other CAA quarterfinal games:
UNC Wilmington 63, William and Mary 55: Lamont Franklin buried a 3-pointer and hit a pair of free throws in the final 21/2 minutes as the Seahawks stopped a Tribe comeback effort.
The Seahawks (12-15) led by 10 at the half. But the Tribe (10-16) pulled within two on a Carl Parker layup with less than three minutes to play.
However, 3-point attempts by Matt Verkey, Sam Steen and Bobby Fitzgibbons failed, and Franklin, with help at the free-throw line from Billy Donlon and Stan Simmons, made sure William and Mary got no closer.
Franklin scored 14 points in a winning effort, and Parker matched that for the Tribe.
Both teams suffered from poor shooting - William and Mary at 39 percent, the Seahawks at 36 percent.
East Carolina 76, American 60: Othello Meadows hit a crucial 3-pointer in the final two minutes, and Tim Basham (Patrick Henry) and Morris Grooms made free throws down the stretch as the Pirates held off the Eagles.
Meadows' shot came moments after the Eagles' Nathan Smith pulled his team within four points with 31/2 minutes to play. But it was the last time American would score.
The Pirates (17-10) took an early lead, holding a 19-point advantage in the first half behind 51 percent field-goal shooting.
But American (12-15) battled back with a tough full-court press that forced several turnovers. Duane Gilliam, who led all scorers with 17 points, scored 15 in the second half for the Eagles.
Basham and Vic Hamilton scored 16 points each for the Pirates. Grooms added 10 rebounds.
The Pirates will face VCU in a semifinal game today.
Virginia Commonwealth 89, Richmond 55: Ivan Chappell and Bernard Hopkins got the Rams off to a fast start and VCU knocked off the Spiders.
The Rams (22-8) scored the first 11 points of the game. Meanwhile, Richmond (8-20) struggled with turnovers and missed shots, failing to score until almost five minutes into the contest.
The Spiders were down by 21 points at the half and never got any closer, while Rams coach Sonny Smith alternated his starting lineup and substitutes for virtually the entire game.
Hopkins led all scorers with 15 points.
Jarod Stevenson led Richmond with 9 points., and the Spiders' Rick Edwards was the game's top rebounder with 10.
The 34-point margin of victory set a tournament record.
LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Ivan Chappell (right) of Virginia Commonwealth getsby CNBaround Richmond defender Jarod Stevenson for a basket Saturday. |