THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 21, 1995 TAG: 9512210506
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LARAMIE, WYO. LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
Old Dominion snapped a four-game losing streak and averted the school's worst start in 54 seasons Wednesday by blowing out Wyoming 66-52 at Arena-Auditorium.
The Monarchs (3-6) get to break for Christmas with some reason for holiday cheer. The third game of five in a row away from home for ODU was one of its better efforts of the season, and certainly its sweetest win after the drought that dated back to Nov. 29.
A loss would have meant the worst beginning for ODU since the 1941-42 squad went 0-14.
The Monarchs watched an eight-point second-half lead dwindle to 42-40 halfway through the second half. But then over the next four minutes, ODU ripped off an 11-0 run to build a 53-40 lead on E.J. Sherod's 10-foot jumper with 5:23 to play.
The Monarchs had led by as many as 12 in the first half, but during a span of 7 1/2 minutes late in the first half and early in the second half, they scored just two points on a pair of free throws and missed 10 consecutive field goal tries. That allowed the Cowboys (4-3) to get back in the game.
But from the 15:14 mark of the second half until the end of the game, ODU made 12 of 15 from the field and the Cowboys' shooting went cold.
ODU center Odell Hodge and power forward Joe Bunn dominated inside offensively, scoring 17 apiece on combined 16 of 24 shooting. Guard E.J. Sherod added 13.
Old Dominion started strong, building a double-digit lead - a rarity this season - with a 14-2 run capped off by Hodge's 10-foot jumper for a 26-14 lead with 5:21 left in the first half.
The margin was 12 again with 1:53 remaining, but Wyoming closed out the half with a 6-0 spurt, including four points from the line.
The Cowboys shot 17 first-half free throws compared to five for the Monarchs. Wyoming made a living at the line all night, outscoring ODU 22-14. by CNB