DATE: Thursday, June 19, 1997               TAG: 9706190593

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   54 lines

MONARCHS TO FACE DIFFICULT SCHEDULE TRIPS TO ST. JOE'S, UNC CHARLOTTE HEADLINE MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE THIS SEASON.

Old Dominion on Wednesday released its 1997-98 men's basketball schedule, which features non-conference games with schools from Conference USA, the Big 12, and the Southeastern and Atlantic 10 conferences.

The Monarchs will host Mississippi State, Texas Tech and George Washington along with games of regional interest involving Hampton University and Virginia Military Institute. Hampton is the home-opener on Nov. 22, the second ODU home game with the Pirates to complete a two-for-one series.

``I think it's one of the better home schedules we've had probably ever, or at least for a long time,'' ODU athletic director Jim Jarrett said. ``Our home schedule is as challenging as I think it has been in a few years.''

The Monarchs will open on the road against Wright State on Nov. 18 and also will play at UNC Charlotte, New Orleans, St. Joseph's and Washington.

``I think it's a very competitive schedule, as it has been the last few years,'' ODU coach Jeff Capel said. ``It gives us a chance to test ourselves against some of the big-time programs.''

Six of ODU's non-conference opponents were in the top 100 of last season's final RPI Report, which simulates the rankings used by the NCAA to select and seed the NCAA tournament. St. Joseph's (12) and UNC Charlotte (26) played in the NCAA tournament last year. St. Joseph's reached the Sweet 16, while UNCC made the second round.

Texas Tech (33), New Orleans (75), Washington (84) and George Washington (86) also finished among the top 100 in the final RPI Report. ODU was 91st in the final ranking.

The Monarchs have played in tournaments between semesters each of the last four seasons but are not in one this year. They are, however, going all the way to Seattle for a single game against Washington on Jan. 2. Capel said ODU tried to get another game out west but could not find anyone willing to return the game.

That's a basic tenet the Monarchs have followed in scheduling the last couple of years: no return game, no game.

``I just feel we've paid our dues, and we're at a position now where we'll play anybody, but we will not be bought,'' Capel said. ``We'll play anybody home-and-home. We were offered to be bought by a number of schools, but we didn't entertain it.''

Four of ODU's non-conference home games are return games. The fifth, VMI, is the first in a home-and-home series. The Monarchs and Keydets played 16 times from the late 1960s to early 1980s but have not met since the 1984-85 season.

All five of the Monarchs' non-conference road games are the first in a home-and-home series.

ODU opens its 16-game Colonial Athletic Association schedule Jan. 7 at UNC Wilmington and hosts its league home-opener Jan. 14 against George Mason. The CAA tournament runs Feb. 25 through March 1 at the Richmond Coliseum.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu