THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 29, 1995 TAG: 9501290217
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
Richmond relied on junk defense, but Old Dominion turned the Spiders' offense into junk as well.
The Monarchs used an aggressive, ball-hawking defense to win their sixth consecutive basketball game, a 65-46 decision over the Spiders at the Robins Center. Old Dominion (11-8, 6-0) remains atop the Colonial Athletic Association with one game remaining in the first go-round of conference play. The Monarchs are winning league games by an average of 11.3 points, and only one conference foe has come within six points.
``Our defense has been the constant,'' Monarchs coach Jeff Capel said. ``We always talk to our kids about `offense comes and goes, but defense has to be here to stay.' We've won because of our defense.''
The offense of Mike Jones - on a hot streak throughout conference play - finally went. Richmond employed a triangle-and-two defense designed to slow Jones and Petey Sessoms, and it did half the job.
Jones, who came in with an 18.2 average, matched his season-low two points on 1-of-8 shooting and got nary an open look at the basket, according to Capel. Sessoms struggled in the first half, but finished just a couple points off his average with 20 points.
``Our guys who were guarding Jones and Sessoms in the triangle-and-two did a good job,'' Richmond coach Bill Dooley said. ``The other guys, the ones in the triangle, broke down some. It was not supposed to be that E.J. Sherod got wide-open shots.''
Sherod, a sophomore from Richmond's John Marshall High, had a pleasant homecoming. He came off the bench to score 11 points, including 3-of-4 accuracy from 3-point range, and had five rebounds.
``It doesn't add pressure, but it helps your intensity,'' Sherod said of playing at home.
Mario Mullen (12 points, seven rebounds) said the Spiders' defensive strategy took away one of ODU's best weapons, but allowed the Monarchs to go deeper into the arsenal.
``When most teams come out with gimmick defenses to try and stop Petey and Mike, that leaves everyone else open,'' Mullen said. ``It leaves the middle open, it leaves the outside jumper open.
``Petey and Mike still get their shots because they're such good players. But they're very unselfish, and they know when they have two or three people coming at them, that leaves other people open.''
Defensively, the Monarchs declared open season on the young Spiders. Richmond (4-13, 0-6) is last in the league and has dropped seven in a row, its longest losing skid since the 1977-78 season when the Spiders finished 4-22.
ODU pressed effectively and jumped passing lanes, accumulating 11 steals and forcing the Spiders into 22 turnovers, the bulk of which were converted into transition baskets.
Richmond led 15-9 early before the Monarchs closed the first half with a 21-6 run. ODU increased what had been a nine-point halftime lead to a 21-point advantage with 9:48 to play. by CNB