THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 10, 1996 TAG: 9603100209
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
The numbers tell the story: 41-36-37.
Those are the defensive shooting percentages of Old Dominion during the Colonial Athletic Association tournament this weekend. The Monarchs defense, in addition to all of the other attributes of the sixth-ranked squad, culminated in an 84-58 championship victory over James Madison at Old Dominion field house Saturday evening.
The Lady Monarchs' 26-point win, which gave ODU its fifth straight conference tournament title, was the widest margin of victory in a CAA championship game. The Monarchs beat JMU by 19 in last year's CAA tournament final.
``ODU's defense was tremendous,'' JMU guard Holly Rilinger said. ``Their defense is different from any other team in the CAA. That's what makes them No. 6 in the nation right now.''
Rilinger should know after being held to her lowest scoring output of the tournament - 12 points. And she was not alone in getting taken out of her offensive game against the Monarchs.
Sarah Schreib and Krissy Heinbaugh, who along with Rilinger make up JMU's ``Big Three,'' scored 12 and four points respectively. Rilinger alone had 28 points in a 14-point victory over East Carolina on Thursday night.
``I knew she had 28 the other night,'' said ODU guard Ticha Penicheiro, who had the defensive assignment on Rilinger. ``I tried to keep her in front at all times.
``I talked to (backup point guard) Amber Eller and said `she can't score on us today.' ''
Rilinger was 4 of 8 from the field but was unable to get any of her teammates involved.
``It was frustrating for me because a lot of times, I felt like I had the ball with nobody to pass to,'' the junior guard said.
That's because the Lady Monarchs' fullcourt press either forced a Dukes turnover or rushed shot JMU to shoot with the clock winding down. JMU shot 29 percent (6 for 21) in the first half and had 31 turnovers for the game.
Rilinger and Schreib combined for eight points before intermission - three coming on Rilinger's halfcourt bomb to end the first half. Heinbaugh didn't score her first points until eight minutes, five seconds passed in the second half. By reducing that trio to nonfactors, ODU was able to start the halves with 15-2 and 20-2 runs.
``That's our backbone,'' said ODU coach Wendy Larry, whose team was holding opponents to under 35 percent coming into the tournament. ``Without our defensive effort, this . . . team is not a very good basketball team. We create a lot of our enthusiasm and offense from our defense.''
That same effort kept Richmond scoreless through the first 9:26 of Thursday's quarterfinal victory. The Monarchs also forced 93 turnovers in the three tournament games and was never outscored in any half of any game.
JMU coach Shelia Moorman attributes ODU's defensive domination to size.
``When you have five quick, big bodies moving at the rate they do, it enables them to have the opportunities to really pressure you,'' Moorman said. ``It's difficult to withstand.''
All five of ODU's starters are at least 5-foot-8. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
LAWRENCE JACKSON/The Virginian-Pilot
The Lady Monarchs got one for the thumb with their fifth consecutive
Colonial Athletic Association tournament title.
by CNB