THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 1, 1997 TAG: 9702010618
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VICKI L. FRIEDMAN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 65 lines
A couple of the Lady Monarchs have the bug, but it was VCU that looked sick in a 93-35 drubbing Friday night before 4,085 at the Old Dominion field house.
Second-ranked ODU (18-1, 8-0) played without leading scorer Clarisse Machanguana, who is suffering from pneumonia of the left lung and listed as day-to-day. The 6-foot-5 forward, who had started 83 straight games at ODU, is being treated with oral and intravenous antibiotics, and was hospitalized during the day. Also out: reserve center Angie Liston, who was hospitalized two days ago with a viral infection. She is also listed as day-to-day.
But against the Lady Rams (9-8, 3-5), ODU needed neither player. Nyree Roberts took over the paint with a career-high 25 points, and LaToya Small, starting in place of Machanguana, grabbed 12 rebounds. ODU also produced 28 assists to VCU's five and 24 steals to the Lady Rams' three. And with nine ODU players averaging double minutes, the most telling number might be that the Lady Monarchs turned the ball over a total of three times.
``I have to think this is one of the best overall team efforts we've had in some time. Three turnovers has to be some kind of national record,'' said ODU coach Wendy Larry, who was then told no NCAA statistics are kept for that category.
Roberts set the tone early with 14 first-half points, swiping the passes from Ticha Penicheiro and converting them into layups over a VCU squad that starts two of the Colonial Athletic Association's tallest posts at 6-4 and 6-5. The 6-3 Roberts finished 10 of 13 from the field as Penicheiro recorded 11 assists.
While the teamwork of Penicheiro and Machanguana is lauded often, Larry praised ODU's other combo.
``You hear often the comment that Ticha makes Clarisse and Clarisse makes Ticha, and often Nyree is left out of that mix,'' Larry said. ``Tonight Ticha made Nyree and Nyree made Ticha. . . . It's amazing how they've grown together. You saw that with brilliant plays tonight.''
Penicheiro added, ``Nyree and I were on the same page tonight.''
It was a book VCU never picked up on. Initially the Lady Rams tried to send ODU to the foul line, where the Lady Monarchs netted only 5 of 14 in the first half. But VCU made only one basket in the game's first 10 minutes and had no answer for ODU's outside shooting, led by Aubrey Eblin's three treys before the break.
Roberts said her initial concern was staying out of foul trouble and staying in the game.
``I talked about it before the game with Mery (Andrade) and Ticha,'' Roberts said. ``I was telling them, `I can't help as much as I usually do because I have to stay in the game.' . . . I couldn't go for every block, but I didn't play with any less intensity.''
The Lady Rams, trailing by 22 points at the half, played a pathetic final 20 minutes, outscored 50-14. That included a 25-2 ODU run that ate up the first 10 minutes. The point total tied VCU's lowest in school history. Afterward a dejected VCU coach said Machanguana's absence really didn't affect his team at all.
``We have obvious weakness,'' said David Glass, in his first year with the program. ``We struggle so much offensively, it didn't matter.''
With ODU wiping out conference teams with ease - the CAA rotation starts again Sunday when ODU meets Richmond - Larry's concern is keeping the rest of her squad healthy. Penicheiro, Andrade and Small room with Machanguana, and Penicheiro is already on antibiotics for a cold. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by IAN MARTIN, The Virginian-Pilot
ODU's Tisha Penicheiro had lots of breathing room en route to this
shot. She contributed 12 points and 11 assists Friday.