THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 16, 1994 TAG: 9410160188
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
The line outside the ODU field house late Friday night stretched all the way across the front of the building as fans waited in the rain with a mind for madness.
Midnight Madness, that is.
Old Dominion's basketball team officially kicked off the start of practice at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, although the real work for the men's and women's teams began later in the day. Before the teams and coaches were announced at the stroke of midnight, fans spent 90 minutes milling about the field house floor participating in numerous games and snarfing up prizes. The best prizes were two free airline tickets for a Hula Hoop contest and a living room set for the best ``couch potato'' free-throw shooter, who took aim from the couch he later took home.
The turnout was 2,758 fans, who packed the gym with a festive mood - aided somewhat by the beer garden.
``I'm surprised about the turnout,'' senior guard Mike Jones said. ``I guess that shows how much support we have. Hopefully it will carry over to the season.''
The Monarchs open the season Nov. 16 against Virginia in the Preseason NIT.
RECRUITING UPDATE: Old Dominion had three recruits in this weekend and has narrowed its list of prospects it is pursuing to six, sources say. The Monarchs have four scholarships to fill with the recent departure of guard Corey Robinson, but coach Jeff Capel said they only hope to sign three at most in the November signing period.
Visiting campus and attending Friday's Monarch Midnight Madness, the official start of basketball practice, were 6-10 forward Cal Bowdler of Rappahannock, 6-foot-5 guard/forward Radee Benson of Elizabeth, N.J., and 6-7 forward Mark Holland of Fort Wayne, Ind.
Bowdler said he has narrowed his choices to ODU, Richmond and Virginia. Benson is mulling over ODU, Georgetown, Iona, Fairfield and Fairleigh-Dickinson. Holland will pick between ODU, Appalachian State, Indiana State, Northern Illinois and Loyola of Chicago.
Also scheduled for on-campus visits with the Monarchs, sources say, are 6-9 center Reggie Bassette of Highland Springs High in Henrico County, 6-8 forward/center Skipper Youngblood of Gastonia, N.C., and 6-6 guard/forward Abel Bernard of Atlantic City, N.J. Bassette is said to be choosing between ODU, East Carolina, James Madison and Virginia, Youngblood is considering ODU, East Carolina, Furman and Davidson, while Bernard has narrowed his list to ODU, Hofstra, College of Charleston, Appalachian State and Hartford.
GUARDED HOPES: The big question about the Monarchs this season is the point guard spot. Based on fall conditioning, senior shooting guard Mike Jones said the Monarchs will be fine with newcomers Brion Dunlap, a freshman, and junior-college transfer Duffy Samuels.
``They're very capable of doing the job we need them to get done,'' Jones said. ``It's not too hard. With all the scorers and inside firepower we have, their job is to play defense and distribute the ball. They're both very capable of doing that and much more.''
TV SCHEDULE: Old Dominion will appear on Home Team Sports seven times during the regular season, with the first appearance coming on the Monarchs' Dec. 29 home game against North Carolina. ODU also will make one appearance on ESPN2 Feb. 20 at East Carolina, which is good for exposure nationally but not around here, since the channel is not aired locally.
The only Colonial Athletic Association team with a scheduled appearance on the regular ESPN network is defending league champion James Madison, which will play on the network Dec. 28 at home against Minnesota and Feb. 20 at George Washington.
PRESEASON PICKS: The Sporting News preseason college basketball yearbook reports that Old Dominion is the favorite to win the CAA title, followed by James Madison and East Carolina. Monarchs junior center Odell Hodge is picked as the league's player of the year, best NBA prospect and best rebounder, while Jones is labeled most versatile and best defender.
The magazine ranks Old Dominion 51st of 302 teams in Division I. Maryland sophomore Joe Smith from Norfolk is rated the nation's best center, while Hodge is rated 14th-best.
Arkansas, North Carolina, Kentucky, Arizona and Massachusetts make up the preseason top five. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
CHRISTOPHER REDDICK/Staff
ODU junior center Odell Hodge hits a dunk shot during Midnight
Madness in the wee hours of Saturday morning.
by CNB