THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 10, 1996 TAG: 9603100177
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VICKI L. FRIEDMAN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
The sixth-ranked Old Dominion women capped their perfect conference season with a classic ending, routing James Madison 84-58 to win their fifth consecutive Colonial Athletic Association crown Saturday afternoon at the ODU field house.
The CAA's best, whose 26-point margin of victory set a tournament record, learn later today who they will meet in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The women's bracket will be unveiled at 7:30 tonight on ESPN.
``Five in a row - it's an indescribable feeling,'' said ODU senior Shonda Deberry, a member of all five championship teams thanks to redshirting her first season. ``We've been through the league and we just were relentless.''
So was Clarisse Machanguana, named the tournament's MVP. Machanguana sprained her left ankle in Friday's semifinal against American, but iced it all morning and had it heavily taped for the game. Although her movement was hindered on the transition, the junior, credited for her mental toughness by ODU coach Wendy Larry, made the most of her minutes. After tallying 18 points versus the Dukes, she finished the tournament 26 of 32 for 73 points - averaging only 24 minutes in the three games.
``I wanted to play. I was just wondering if I could handle the pain,'' Machanguana said. ``I couldn't do all the moves that I wanted to do. . . . I couldn't run to my maximum. It was hard, but I could take it.''
The championship played out like a microcosm of the season. ODU (27-2) jumped out to its usual big lead - this one was 22-7 - and the Dukes (21-8) were left to play catch up.
But they never did. The ODU defense snuffed JMU, which managed only six shots in the first half, and the Dukes' leading scorer, Krissy Heinbaugh, was without a point.
The Dukes got most of their points from the free-throw line - they were 8 for 8 - and thanks to flukey 3-pointers by point guard Holly Rilinger. Rilinger knocked down a 25-footer early and sank another from just across halfcourt at the intermission buzzer.
The Lady Monarchs, meanwhile, breezed behind 13-of-21 shooting (61 percent) in the first half and led 34-22.
``We just got totally dominated today,'' said subdued Dukes coach Shelia Moorman. ``From the early run in the first half to the early run in the second half, it was never really much of a basketball game.''
JMU had played the Lady Monarchs closer than any other CAA team with its 13-point loss two weeks ago. But JMU's 31 turnovers and poor shooting - 37 percent - prevented any semblance of a rally this time.
Nyree Roberts, who scored 14 points, opened the second half with consecutive baskets that ignited a 20-2 run. Even with Machanguana hobbling, the ODU post play was near-perfect. Roberts, Esther Benajamin and Angie Liston were 11 of 13 from the field for 27 points.
The Dukes, led by Rilinger and Sarah Schreib with 12 apiece, posed no serious challenge in the second half.
Roberts was named to the all-tournament team along with Machanguana, Rilinger, Schreib, Mery Andrade and Ticha Penicheiro, who rebounded from a sloppy game against American with 13 points, seven assists and six steals.
``Today I didn't go for the steal. I just played good defense with my feet. I kept (Rilinger) in front of me all the time,'' said Penicheiro, who gave the same advice to sub Amber Eller. ``One of my goals today was to try to stop Holly's game, because if she gets hot, it really fires them up.''
When asked to speculate on the NCAA bracket, Larry said she had heard a dozen rumors about who the Lady Monarchs would meet. All she would predict was that ODU should host two rounds of games.
``This basketball team knows this is the beginning of the season,'' she said. ``We were disappointed last season in what we accomplished and we would like to make a statement in the postseason.''
ODU will host an NCAA pairings party at the Old Dominion Athletic Administration Building, beginning at 6. Fans may watch the men's and women's pairings with the Monarchs, the Lady Monarchs and their coaching staffs. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
LAWRENCE JACKSON/The Virginian-Pilot
JMU's Akosua Demann, center, grimaces in pain after taking a bump
from ODU's Nyree Roberts Saturday in the CAA women's championship
game at the field house. ODU won 84-58 to clinch an NCAA bid.
Photo
LAWRENCE JACKSON/The Virginian-Pilot
ODU's Ticha Penicheiro looks to pass around Madison's Holly
Rilinger, center, and Sarah Schreib. Penicheiro scored 13 points.
by CNB