DATE: Friday, February 28, 1997             TAG: 9702280813

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:  153 lines

FOR CAA MEN, TOURNEY TITLE IS THE TICKET TO NCAA BERTH

A glance at the Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball tournament tonight through Monday at the Richmond Coliseum:

GENERAL INFORMATION

Tickets: Available at the Coliseum or by calling 804-262-8100. Ticket books are $60 for all sessions, including women's games today and Sunday. Individual reserved seats are $15 and $13 per session, $7.50 for general admission.

Tonight's play-in game: Richmond vs. George Mason, 6 p.m.

Saturday's quarterfinals: Virginia Commonwealth vs. William and Mary, noon; Old Dominion vs. George Mason/Richmond winner, 2:30 p.m.; UNC Wilmington vs. American, 7 p.m.; East Carolina vs. James Madison, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday's semifinals: 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Monday's final: 7 p.m.

TV: All games Saturday through Monday on HTS.

Radio: All games on WGH 1310-AM.

FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS

No. 1 Old Dominion vs. Richmond-George Mason winner Game time: 2:30 p.m. Saturday

Records: Old Dominion 19-10, 10-6

Regular-season meetings: ODU swept both teams, beating Richmond 76-69 and 63-51, and George Mason 94-85 and 85-62.

Streaks: ODU has the CAA's longest winning streak at four.

ODU key personnel: 6-9 Sr. F/C Odell Hodge (18.1 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.6 bpg, 55.4 FG%); 6-6 So. F Mark Poag (12.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.8 3-pointers); 6-2 So. G Mike Byers (11.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.4 stls); 5-11 Jr. Brion Dunlap (5 ppg, 5.8 apg).

Monarchs notes: The Monarchs have advanced at least to the CAA tournament semifinals four of their five previous years in the league. They are the top seed for the third time in four years. . . . ODU has set a school record for blocked shots in a season (214) and could challenge Navy's CAA record (233) if it advances deep into the tournament. Hodge and Reggie Bassette have combined for more blocks than any other CAA team. . . . E.J. Sherod's 124 career games played broke the old school mark of 123 by Petey Sessoms . . . ODU has beaten George Mason 13 consecutive times and Richmond seven in a row. . . . Hodge was second in the CAA in scoring and rebounding and first in field-goal percentage and blocked shots. . . . The Monarchs lead the CAA in field-goal perecentage defense (.386) and are second in scoring (72.0).

No. 8 Richmond vs. No. 9 George Mason

Game time: 6 tonight

Records: Richmond 12-14, 7-9; George Mason 10-16, 4-12

Regular-season meetings: Each team won at home, George Mason 98-86 in overtime and Richmond 86-69.

Streaks: Richmond had won four in a row before losing its last game; George Mason snapped an eight-game losing streak with a win in its last game. This is the second consecutive meeting in the play-in game for these two teams.

Richmond key personnel: 6-9 Sr. C Rick Edwards (14.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 54.5 FG%); 6-7 Jr. F Jarod Stevenson (11.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg); 6-8 Jr. F Eric Poole (10.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg).

Spiders notes: Richmond coach Bill Dooley could be on the hot seat after four seasons in which the Spiders are 42-68 . . . Poole led the CAA in rebounding and had 12 double-doubles this season. . . . Freshman Marseilles Brown started the last six games, in which Richmond was 4-2. . . . Spiders have finished last or next-to-last three consecutive years.

George Mason key personnel: 6-3 Sr. G Nate Langley (21.5 ppg, 3.1 steals, 2.0 3-pointers); 6-7 Sr. F George Redd (11.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg); 6-5 Jr. F Avery Carey (11.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg).

Patriots notes: Paul Westhead is 38-69 in four seasons at George Mason and may also be looking for work soon. . . . The Patriots have been eliminated in the first round five years in a row. . . . Langley is the CAA's most versatile and creative scorer. . . . The Patriots suffered a severe blow early in the season when 3-point specialist Demetrius Somerville was lost for the year with a broken shin. . . . Westhead has drastically altered his system this year, playing much more zone defense.

No. 4 Virginia Commonwealth vs. No. 5 William and Mary

Game time: Noon Saturday

Records: VCU 14-12, 9-7; William and Mary 11-15, 8-8

Regular-season meetings: Each team won at home, William and Mary 69-61 and Virginia Commonwealth 77-50.

Streaks: VCU has won eight of its last 10; William and Mary had won five in a row before dropping its last two.

VCU key personnel: 6-2 Sr. G Patrick Lee (16.2 ppg, 3.4 apg, 48 3-point FG%); 6-7 Jr. F Torrance Archie (10.4 ppg, 6 rpg); 6-8 Sr. C George Byrd (10.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg); 6-2 Sr. G Sherman Hamilton (9.4 ppg, 4.7 apg).

Rams notes: VCU is 16-0 at the Coliseum against CAA foes in its two seasons in the league. Rams are 8-2 since Byrd returned from an injury in late January. . . . Lee ranks in the top 10 in seven CAA categories, including first in 3-point shooting percentage and third in field-goal percentage and 3-pointers per game. . . . The Rams are last in the CAA in turnover margin at minus-1.9 per game.

William and Mary key personnel: 6-8 Sr. F Bobby Fitzgibbons (14.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg); 6-1 So. G Randy Bracy (12 ppg, 2.8 apg); 6-3 Jr. G Terence Jennings (10.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg).

Tribe notes: William and Mary has not advanced past the first round since 1988. . . . Tribe's 8-8 league finish was its best since going 9-5 in 1984-85 in the ECAC South, the precursor to the CAA. . . . The Tribe was only team in the league to post five consecutive conference victories. . . . Tribe's 65.1 ppg is eighth in the CAA, but it is third in scoring defense at 67.1 ppg. . . margin, eighth in the league.

No. 2 UNC Wilmington vs. No. 7 American

Game time: 7 p.m. Saturday

Records: UNC Wilmington 15-13, 10-6; American 11-15, 7-9

Regular-season meetings: Each team won at home, UNC Wilmington 60-59 in overtime and American 54-49 in overtime.

Streaks: UNC Wilmington has won nine of its last 12 but lost two of its last three; American has lost two of three and four of seven.

UNC Wilmington key personnel: 5-11 So. G Stan Simmons (11.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg); 6-4 Jr. G Mark Byington (10.8 ppg, 2.1 apg); 6-7 Sr. F Bill Mayew (10.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg)

Seahawks notes: UNC Wilmington has 38 CAA regular-season wins the past four seasons, second only to ODU's 44. . . . Seahawks are a small team that does not rebound well (minus-3.1 rebound margin, last in league). . . . 17 of UNC Wilmington's 28 games have been decided by seven points or fewer. . . . Seahawks have held 11 of their last 13 opponents to 63 points or fewer, and they lead the league in scoring defense with 61.4 ppg allowed. American key personnel: 6-1 G Nathan Smith (17.3 ppg, 3.1 3-pointers); 6-7 Sr. F Thomas Treadwell (15.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg); 6-6 So. F David Small (12 ppg, 7.5 rpg).

Eagles notes: A published report in Washington earlier this season said this would be coach Chris Knoche's last year at American, where he is 77-117 in seven seasons. . . . American is 8-5 after starting 3-10. . . . Smith leads the CAA in 3-pointers per game and has a 36-game streak with a 3-pointer. . . best 1-2 scoring punch. . . . American's defense ranks eighth in points allowed (71.8) and last in field goal percentage defense (.458).

No. 3 East Carolina vs. No. 6 James Madison

Game time: 9:30 p.m. Saturday

Records: East Carolina 17-9, 9-7; James Madison 14-12, 8-8

Regular-season meetings: James Madison swept, 59-55 and 63-60

Streaks: East Carolina has won two in a row but just three of its last seven; James Madison has lost three in a row.

East Carolina key personnel: 6-7 Jr. F Raphael Edwards (13 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 54.0 FG%); 6-3 Jr. G Othello Meadows (10 ppg, 42.5 3-point FG%); 6-2 Jr. G Tony Parham (8.7 ppg, 2.7 apg); Tim Basham 8.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg).

Pirates notes: Starting center Jonathan Kerner may miss the tournament with a broken hand. . . . Basham is recovering from the flu that knocked him out of several late-season games and caused him to lose about 10 pounds. . . . The Pirates are a picture of balance, with seven players averaging between 7.7 and 13 ppg. . . . The No. 3 seed is ECU's highest in the CAA tournament. . . . Pirates' plus-7.9 rebound margin leads the CAA, and they are second in scoring defense (62.8 ppg) and field-goal percentage defense (.409).

James Madison key personnel: 6-4 Jr. F Chatney Howard (16 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.3 apg); 6-5 So. G Eugene Atkinson (11.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg); 6-9 Sr. F Charles Lott (11.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg); 6-10 Jr. C Lamont Boozer (10.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 56.3 FG%).

Dukes notes: Lamont Boozer is 13 for 13 from the field this season against East Carolina. . . . Howard has slumped lately after starting the season looking like a Player of the Year candidate. . . . The Dukes are the best-shooting team in the league at .468, but surprisingly they are the worst-shooting team from the foul line (.610). . . . They are also last in 3-pointers per game with 4.3.

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