THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 11, 1996 TAG: 9601110466
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VICKI L. FRIEDMAN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
``Tennessee. Ten, Ten, Tennessee,'' sang Old Dominion's showy point guard Ticha Penicheiro, positively jubilant after the Lady Monarchs rolled over American University 94-39 on Sunday.
Indeed, the 15th-ranked Lady Monarchs (10-1) head into Knoxville tonight on a high note, winners of seven straight games, the last three by an average 45-point margin.
The fourth-ranked Vols (11-3), on the other hand, enter Thompson-Boling Arena slumping a bit, for them at least. Gone is their 69-game home winning streak, which was snapped Saturday with a 59-53 loss to defending national champion Connecticut. Two days later, they fell at Georgia 77-71.
It is the first time the Vols have lost back-to-back games since December 1989.
Still, ODU coach Wendy Larry is only confident, not cocky. Despite the Lady Monarchs' recent sensational play, she knows getting by Tennessee is another story.
``We'll have to take it to another level,'' Larry said. ``The game atmosphere there is second to none. We won't be able to lull.''
A victory would elevate ODU to another level nationally as well. The Lady Monarchs moved up only one spot in the rankings on Tuesday despite last week's lopsided scores. And two teams they beat - Georgia and Colorado - continue to be ranked ahead of them at Nos. 7 and 12, respectively. Meanwhile, the Vols remained a steady No. 4 despite the consecutive losses.
``I think it's going to be hard because they're playing at home, and they have national value,'' said ODU forward Clarisse Machanguana, her emphasis on the word ``value,'' (which she pronounces ``val-loo''). ``But I think this season has shown we're willing to work hard.''
Machanguana was the standout in last January's 77-54 loss to Tennessee, at the field house. In that game she had 16 points and six rebounds while the rest of the team stumbled to 14 of 49 from the field.
``The chemistry wasn't there yet; it was still coming,'' Machanguana said. ``I think the name scared some people. We didn't play against Tennessee; we played against the name. Now we're ready. Even the freshman are adults.''
Larry has called this the deepest team she's coached. Ten players are in double figures in average minutes played. Machanguana leads ODU with 16.1 points per game and 7.1 rebounds per game, but she's had loads of help. Mery Andrade averages 14.1 points, Shonda Deberry, 10.3 points, Penicheiro has 8.3 and Nyree Roberts, 8.1.
Tennessee coach Pat Summitt has noticed a changed ODU team as well. ``I think this ODU team is a better one than the one we played last year,'' said Summitt, in her 21st year with the Vols. ``That's because they have a deeper commitment to play both ends of the floor.''
The Lady Monarchs also have been to Knoxville before, the site of the first round of the NCAA tournament last year, where they lost to Florida International 81-76.
``They've been on that floor; they've experienced that crowd,'' Larry said. ``It's not going to be a shock when they step out on that floor.'' by CNB