THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 3, 1996 TAG: 9602030467
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VICKI L. FRIEDMAN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
For five minutes Friday night at the ODU field house, it was a game. But for the other 35 minutes, it was just another rout for the 11th-ranked Lady Monarchs, who beat up on William and Mary 105-50.
With 2:25 remaining in the game, Virginia Beach's Kelly Bradley nailed a jumper in the lane to put ODU past the 100-point mark for the second time this season. It is the most points the Tribe has given up since going Division I in 1984-85.
Clarisse Machanguana led ODU with 31 points, one shy of her career-high, and 15 rebounds, her third double-double of the season. Also in double figures for the Lady Monarchs: Nyree Roberts with 19, Shonda Deberry for 14 and Esther Benjamin and Mery Andrade, 11 apiece.
The game marked the midway mark in the Colonial Athletic Association, and thus far, no opponent has challenged ODU (16-2, 8-0), but Machanguana said ODU can't afford to overlook anybody.
``The kind of coaches we have, it's impossible not to be motivated,'' she said.
``Coach Larry, she's always asking for more. When we see players from other teams, we don't see names or teams. Sometimes we imagine they are the best players.''
The Tribe (11-6, 4-4), started quickly and actually was up 9-6 in the opening minutes - a feat that no other conference team has matched this season, save for a 1-0 lead by UNC-Wilmington. But Deberry's short jumper at the 15:34 mark made it 10-9 Lady Monarchs as they launched a 12-0 run that essentially put the game away.
``They came out and hit a couple of good shots real early,'' said Stacy Himes, who had five points, four assists and three steals. ``Us on the bench were saying, `We're losing?' But in a matter of seconds we were up by eight.''
Then by 10, then by 15, then by 25 and by the break it was ODU 55-27, the most points the Lady Monarchs have scored in a half this season.
``We had a significant height advantage,'' said ODU coach Wendy Larry, whose players were 3 to 4 inches taller at each spot on the floor. ``When they pack it in the zone, sometimes it's difficult to find those people because there's a triangle around them.''
ODU opened the second half with a 21-4 run, forcing the Tribe into 34 turnovers for the game. The Lady Monarchs finished with five blocked shots, 19 steals and 26 assists, 11 for Ticha Penicheiro. ODU outrebounded William and Mary 39-22.
``We come out to play every game our hardest; we don't go out and think about winning by 50,'' Himes said. ``But if we get up by 50, we want to stay up. You can't feel sorry for someone. It's a Division I program, and if we let up, we're not playing our game.''
Sitting out Friday's game were Amber Eller and Angie Liston. Eller sprained her right ankle in practice Monday and is day-to-day, but probable for Sunday's home game against East Carolina. Liston has significant swelling in both knees and is not expected to play. ILLUSTRATION: AT A GLANCE
[For a copy of the graphic, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB