THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, February 5, 1996 TAG: 9602050108
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
One of the first things that stood out about Old Dominion freshman guard Mike Byers was that he didn't hesitate to shoot.
He launched 13 shots and scored a game-high 16 points in ODU's opener on national television against Duke in the Great Alaska Shootout, becoming the first ODU newcomer to lead the team in his debut since the Monarchs joined Division I in 1976-77. Two nights later he fired up 14 shots, including a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer, in a double-overtime loss to Ohio.
But Byers has been somewhat trigger-shy lately for ODU, which plays tonight at 7 at Virginia (HTS), just a few miles from where Byers grew up. Byers has attempted just 11 shots total and scored 11 points in his last three games, and he's scored in double figures once in the last five after accomplishing the feat in 12 of his first 17 games.
``We want him to take shots and be athletic and take the ball to the basket,'' ODU coach Jeff Capel said. ``He's at worst our third option. He's got to look to score for us.''
The Monarchs have done a much better job lately of getting the ball inside to post players Odell Hodge and Joe Bunn, something they struggled with early in the year. ODU's offense revolves around those two, and freshman Mark Poag has been on a tear lately from 3-point range.
But Capel said Byers - who averages 11.1 points per game - may have taken exhortations to work the ball inside too literally, and is passing up some shots and opportunities to penetrate.
``That's part of being a freshman,'' Capel said. ``You hear your coach say, `We want to get the ball inside,' and for some reason young players have a tendency to feel that means don't shoot.''
In nonconference games, Byers took almost 12 shots a game and averaged 12.8 points while shooting 43 percent from the field and 37 percent from 3-point range. Through 10 conference games he is taking four fewer shots per outing and averaging 9.1 points while shooting 40.5 percent from the field and 32 percent on treys.
Byers, perhaps ODU's most athletic player, has played more minutes than any Monarch and is one of only two to start every game.
``I haven't shot the ball that much lately because I haven't needed to,'' Byers said. ``We have four or five guys capable of scoring 20-plus points a night. When I'm not called upon to do it, I don't need to shoot much.
``If our post people are open, we like to get them the ball.''
Byers may feel more comfortable than any of his teammates tonight at University Hall. He frequented the Virginia campus when he was in high school, often traveling the 16 miles down U.S. Route 29 from his home in Ruckersville to Charlottesville to play in pickup games with U.Va. players like Harold Deane, Cory Alexander and Junior Burrough.
Byers and his backcourt mates will have to be at their best tonight to match up with the Cavaliers' Deane and Curtis Staples, two guard with no hesitancy when it comes to shooting.
The Monarchs played well Saturday in an overtime loss at Virginia Commonwealth. Capel said he does not want to put too much emphasis on the VCU and Virginia games as a benchmark for where ODU stands heading into the season's stretch run.
``We've progressed a lot throughout the season and hopefully that will continue and we'll peak in March when you want to be playing your best,'' he said. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
[Mike Byers]
by CNB