THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 12, 1995 TAG: 9501120544
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
Old Dominion opened Colonial Athletic Conference play running Wednesday night at Scope.
Running into basket supports, running into scorers' tables and running away with a 79-66 victory over UNC Wilmington. The Monarchs snapped a five-game losing streak and extended the Seahawks' losing skid to five.
ODU (6-8, 1-0 CAA) got big games from familiar faces Mike Jones (21 points, three steals) and Petey Sessoms (16 points, nine rebounds, three steals). Additional offensive punch came from unexpected sources.
Backup point guard Duffy Samuels scored 11 points, all during nine minutes of second-half action, and center David Harvey scored 10 points to go with seven rebounds. The duo made a combined 9 of 12 shots and both notched season scoring highs.
``I think the key to the game was Duffy Samuels,'' UNC Wilmington coach Jerry Wainwright said. ``He played really solid and stepped up and made the key shots.
``When you look at David Harvey's points and Duffy Samuel's points, they were really the difference in the game tonight. (ODU) had five guys playing tonight, I had one or two.''
Wainwright did not have one of his best players for the game's final 17 minutes. Senior point guard Ganon Baker from Hampton High landed on someone's foot and suffered an ankle injury. He will be X-rayed today.
Wainwright said the loss of Baker hurt the Seahawks both psychologically and defensively. All five of Samuels baskets came after Baker went down.
But UNC Wilmington (6-6, 0-2) wanted Monarch point guards to shoot. Starter Brion Dunlap got a bundle of open looks in the first half as the Seahawks dared him to shoot. He made just 1 of 6, and ODU coaches told Samuels he would have to hit the jumper in the second half.
``I've been an offensive star all my life, I just didn't take the shot,'' said Samuels, adding he averaged about six points a game last season in junior college. ``. . . When you're open, you can't just sit there and look at the basket with the ball in your hand.''
ODU senior Jones has followed that credo his entire career. Jones' game-high 21 included three 3-pointers and 10-for-10 free throw shooting. Jones has converted 28 consecutive free throws, a streak that spans six games and is the third-longest in ODU history. Donald Anderson holds the record for consecutive free throws with 33 in 1992.
But Jones' best shot Wednesday may be one he never got off, which helped ODU get going. Jones slammed into the basket support when he was fouled hard on a break-away with 16:04 to play by UNC Wilmington's Lamont Franklin. Jones got up and started to go after Franklin but was held back by Dunlap.
``That was really something to get the team pumped up,'' Jones said. ``I know the guy - he lives 10 minutes from me (in Maryland) - I wasn't really going to go after him.''
About 10 minutes later while pursuing a loose ball, Jones slammed into the scorer's table, and both were worse for the wear.
``My ribs really hurt real bad right now,'' Jones said. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Martin Smith-Rodden, Staff
ODU center Derrick Parker struggles with UNC Wilmington's Preston
McGriff for a rebound.
by CNB