ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, March 6, 1997 TAG: 9703060089
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: COLLEGE BASKETBALL
SOURCE: FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS
Lefty Driesell to James Madison on his career coaching plans: ``Next year will be my last for sure.''
James Madison in response to Driesell: there will be no next year.
After nine years and a 159-111 record at James Madison, the former Maryland coach was fired Wednesday by school officials who were dismayed by his surprise announcement and displeased with the Dukes' failure to win big.
Driesell was 17 games shy of his 700th victory, and school president Ronald E. Carrier had assured him he could stay at JMU to reach that milestone. But on Tuesday, Driesell surprised the school, Carrier and others by saying he would quit in 1998 no matter how many games he had won.
In his nine seasons at James Madison, Driesell's teams finished as regular-season champions five times, winning the conference tournament - and an NCAA bid - once.
A statement released by the university said Driesell never achieved the goals the school wanted when it hired him in 1988.
In 17 seasons at Maryland, Driesell was 348-159 and coached the Terrapins to the NCAA tournament eight times.
He began his college career at Davidson, where he coached for nine seasons (176-65), including three NCAA bids.
In other college basketball news:
Richmond coach fired: Richmond coach Bill Dooley was fired after failing to lead the Spiders to a winning record in any of his four seasons. Richmond was 13-15 this season and tied for seventh in the nine-team Colonial Athletic Association. Dooley's teams were 43-69.
Dooley, 36, had been involved in Richmond basketball for more than a third of his life as a player, graduate assistant, full-time assistant and head coach.
Deane, Hodge honored: Virginia guard Harold Deane and Old Dominion center Odell Hodge (Laurel Park High School) were named to the All-District 3 team selected by members of the United States Basketball Writers Association in Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland and South Carolina.
Tim Duncan of Wake Forest was named district player of the year and South Carolina's Eddie Fogler was coach of the year. South Carolina was the only team with two players on the team, guards B.J. McKie and Larry Davis.
Cincy guard suspended: Charles Williams, the point guard for No. 9 Cincinnati, was suspended indefinitely by coach Bob Huggins for unspecified reasons. Williams is expected to miss the Bearcats' opening game in the Conference USA tournament today.
Wednesday's games
No. 15 Illinois 90, Ohio State 83: Kiwane Garris, playing his final home game, scored 22 points as the Illini came from behind to beat Ohio State .
The win puts Illinois (21-8, 11-6 Big Ten) in a tie for second place in the conference with Iowa and Purdue. The Illini play Purdue on Saturday.
No.20 Louisville 69, South Florida 58: The Cardinals, seeded sixth in Conference USA, won their tournament opener in St.Louis as DeJuan Wheat scored 22 points in a victory over the Bulls.
Louisville (23-7) lost five of its last nine regular-season games and struggled to put away South Florida (8-19), the tournament's No. 11 seed.
No. 25 Indiana 70, Wisconsin 66: Bob Knight recorded his 700th victory and the Hoosiers (22-9, 9-8 Big Ten) took a big step toward an at-large NCAA tournament bid. Andrae Patterson scored 18 points as Knight became the eighth Division I coach to win 700 games.
Wisconsin (17-9, 10-7), also trying for a spot in the tournament, closes at home against No. 2 Minnesota.
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS. JMU officials said men's coach Leftyby CNBDriesell never achieved the goals the school wanted when it hired
him in 1988.