THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 17, 1996 TAG: 9602170469
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: ODU NOTES
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Old Dominion will use its four remaining regular-season games, starting tonight against Richmond at Scope, to do some final tweaking for its Colonial Athletic Association tournament title defense in two weeks.
``I think we're playing OK right now,'' ODU coach Jeff Capel said Friday. ``We're finding ways to win games, and that's important at this time of year. It's very important to go into the tournament on a positive note and to be playing the best we can.''
The second-place Monarchs (14-11, 9-3) would have a two-game lead in the conference standings over third-place East Carolina with three games to play if they beat Richmond at 7:35 tonight. The Monarchs trail first-place Virginia Commonwealth by 2 1/2 games.
In Wednesday's victory over George Mason, senior Mario Mullen made his most significant contribution for ODU in seven weeks. Mullen, playing for just the fourth time in 14 games because of a nagging back injury, had 10 points and four rebounds in 13 minutes. Capel said the back did not stiffen up, and the Monarchs are going to try to get him ready for tournament time.
``Hopefully he'll be able to step up and help us in March,'' Capel said.
BENSON FINISHED: ODU freshman Radee Benson's college career is over before it began.
Tests revealed Benson has ventricular arythmia (fast heartbeat) requiring corrective surgery and ending his basketball career. At one time, the 6-foot-5 guard/forward from Elizabeth, N.J., was regarded by some recruiting analysts as the prize catch in ODU's heralded freshman class, but he never played for the Monarchs.
He redshirted this season because of health problems. Benson was out of shape after having played just four games his final season of high school because of a fractured pelvis. He also developed a problem with asthma upon arriving on campus.
``It is difficult knowing that I won't be able to play competitive college basketball again,'' Benson said in a statement.
``It's disheartening and I feel sorry for him,'' Capel said.
Benson will remain on scholarship, and Capel said he remains part of the program. His scholarship will not count against ODU's limit of 13, however, leaving the Monarchs with two slots available for next season. They signed two players in November and have three seniors this year.
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER: Tonight's game and last Saturday's against James Madison comprise half of ODU's Saturday home dates.
For the second consecutive season, the Monarchs received short shrift when the CAA schedule came out. They have three league home games on Saturday - which normally draw the biggest crowds, producing the most revenue and best homecourt advantage - and five Saturday league games on the road.
``Obviously it's not what we want,'' ODU athletic director Jim Jarrett said. ``It ought to be four and four. It costs us money.''
When Tulane pulled out of a December date at Scope and ODU had to go on the road to fill the slot, the Monarchs were left with just four Saturday home dates for the second consecutive season. Last year ODU had just two CAA Saturday home games while playing five Saturdays on the road in the league.
JMU was ODU's biggest draw of the season (announced crowd of 8,094), even though the Dukes are in last place. The gate for the Virginia Commonwealth game on a Saturday in January was hurt by a snowstorm and the fact that students were out on break.
TOURNAMENT TICKETS: Ticket books for all eight sessions of the men's CAA tournament March 1-4 at the Richmond Coliseum are available at the ODU ticket office until Feb. 28 for $45. Ticket books for the women's tournament at the ODU field house March 6-9 are available until March 5 for $15. For information, call the ticket office at 683-4444. by CNB