THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 5, 1995 TAG: 9503050209
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines
Looking for a subtitle to Old Dominion's 110-94 victory over George Mason Saturday afternoon in the opening round of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament?
Try this: Super Mario to the rescue.
Junior forward Mario Mullen pumped in a career-high 31 points, 24 during the second half, and added six rebounds - all of them at the offensive end - to drive the Monarchs (18-11) away from a brewing upset and into today's 4 p.m. semifinal against American University.
The Eagles were 75-67 winners over East Carolina in Saturday's second quarterfinal game at the Richmond Coliseum.
ODU swept the season series from American, winning 89-82 in Washington and 94-71 in Norfolk.
``I think this is the best game of my career,'' the ex-Bayside High star said. ``I'm glad my teammates have such great confidence in me.''
This day, they had little choice.
With 16:18 to play, the pesky Patriots trailed ODU by just 53-50. That's when ODU forward and conference player of the year Petey Sessoms ran over Curtis McCants at midcourt trying to flag down Brion Dunlap's inbounds pass.
The foul was Sessoms' fourth and dispatched the CAA's leading scorer to the bench. And 29 seconds later, guard Mike Jones, ODU's second-leading scorer, was whistled for his third personal.
Sessoms didn't return until barely five minutes were left in the game. He finished with just 14 points, eight below his average, on 4-of-12 shooting.
No matter. Mullen more than made up for his absence.
He grabbed an offensive rebound and hit a free throw. He knocked down one of his three 3-point jumpers.
After Dunlap hit a layup, Mullen rattled in a turnaround jumper, then hit a fast-break layup to push the Monarchs' lead back to 63-55.
Jones made a free throw following a reach-in foul against Mason leading scorer Nate Langley - his fourth - Mullen rebounded E.J. Sherod's miss and hit two free throws.
Derrick Parker swatted down a pair of Mason shots and Jones converted a fast-break bucket that gave the Monarchs an 11-point edge and forced Mason to call time.
Mullen immediately tipped away a Mason pass, which Dunlap retrieved and led a fast break that Mullen finished with a basket to make it 70-57 and put away the Patriots (7-20).
The lead would grow to 19 when Mullen rebounded a missed free throw by David Harvey and scored with four minutes to play.
``I knew somebody had to step up,'' Mullen said. ``When our set offense began to work, I made it a point to score.''
When it was done, the Monarchs had set school tournament records for shots made (37), shots attempted (76) and 3-point shots attempted (24). The 204 combined points was a tournament mark.
``I'm relieved,'' said ODU coach Jeff Capel. ``For Petey Sessoms not to have a game, other people had to step to the front.''
They did so, in droves.
There was Dunlap, the freshman point guard with the 3.8-point scoring average. He swished the game's first shot - a 3-pointer - and finished with 16.
``We saw from the films that (Curtis) McCants didn't really play me and Duffy (Samuels),'' Dunlap said. ``We had to step up and shoot to keep them honest.
``I'm like every other player, you hit the first one and you feel like you're on for the rest of the night.''
There was senior center David Harvey, whom Capel called the game's unsung hero after seeing him score 12 points and grab 10 rebounds, five at each end.
What Harvey was able to do inside, Capel said, was the result of Mullen's scoring.
``He hit three of four 3-pointers, which means Mario's not your typical post player,'' Capel said. ``Those guys are generally locked in the box. Because Mario stepped up and hit those shots, that freed up David down low.''
And there was Sherod, who chipped in seven points and four rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench.
The Monarchs also got some stubbornly effective coaching from Capel.
Right after Sessoms went out, the CAA coach of the year called a play for a penetration from the top of the key into the lane. When it worked, he called it four more times and got points each time.
He called it once more and Mason finally stopped it - only to see Jones, the second option, sink a 3-pointer.
``Our guys played about as hard as we could,'' said Mason coach Paul Westhead.
``A couple of breaks and maybe we're closer. But ODU answered with some key baskets. That's a sign of a good team.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
PAUL AIKEN/Staff
Old Dominion's Mario Mullen fires away against George Mason's Kevin
Ward. Mullen scored 24 of his 31 points in the second half.
Photo
PAUL AIKEN/Staff
Derrick Parker of Old Dominion, right, soars in an attempt to knock
away a scoring attempt by Kevin Ward of George Mason.
by CNB