THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, March 20, 1995 TAG: 9503200126
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Bob Molinaro
DATELINE: ALBANY, N.Y. LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
It was fun while it lasted.
While it lasted, Old Dominion basketball fans, established or newly hatched, were permitted to dream. And smile. And dance on Hampton Boulevard in the middle of the night.
The 1994-95 basketball season ended for the Monarchs on an empty note in a full Knickerbocker Arena. But it ended later than anyone would have thought possible.
And it didn't end before ODU's world filled with giddy thoughts of a weekend in scenic East Rutherford, N.J.
Dreams or not, losing to Tulsa was not a crushing moment for ODU. The defeat left more of a hollow feeling.
In the end, the Monarchs just didn't have enough. They were worn down.
Reality was due to arrive sooner or later. Too bad it caught up with Jeff Capel's team on an uninspiring afternoon when ODU's road to the Final Four ran up a very steep hill.
``We were just trying to catch up the whole game,'' forward Petey Sessoms said. ``They're just too good of a team to keep making those runs against.''
Tulsa was beatable. The No. 6 seed was not clearly better than the 14th seed. Besides, Tulsa did not dream any bigger than the Monarchs.
Tulsa, though, was a bad matchup for ODU. The Golden Hurricane was taller and quicker. Its balance knocked the Virginians off stride.
``They had a lot of big guys, and a lot of fast players, too,'' guard Mike Jones said. ``Maybe we could solve one of those problems. But solving both at the same time was too much.''
Tulsa kept rotating four tall and beefy players, two at a time. The foursome weren't fearsome (they combined for only 10 points). They were bothersome, though.
``They set the tone,'' forward Mario Mullen said, ``when they outrebounded us in the first half.''
``They limited us to one shot almost every time,'' Sessoms said. ``Credit them for that.''
Old Dominion's hopes ran aground on something as basic as rebounding. The Monarchs won a wild and wonderful classic to get to Tulsa. They lost by the numbers.
While ODU's triple-overtime upset of Villanova was highlight fodder, the technicolor excitement of Friday night gave way to a grainy Sunday matinee.
Once again, more than 15,000 watched at the Knick Arena. The fans wanted to raise their voices for ODU, but the Monarchs gave them little opportunity.
``We did everything we could,'' Sessoms said. ``They were just better than us today.''
Sessoms and Jones did what they could; they accounted for all but 16 of ODU's 52 points. But nobody could stop guard Shea Seals, who did everything with the ball but spin it on his nose.
Meanwhile, down the stretch, the 3-point shots ODU counts on weren't available.
``I guess they scouted us very well,'' Sessoms said. ``They played super defense today.''
Even in the NCAA tournament, upsets do not occur every day. Of this, however, the Monarchs had to be convinced. That's what makes them a great story.
``We had a lot of expectations,'' center David Harvey said. ``Not doing all of them, that hurts.''
It won't for long. Soon, ODU will remember only the fun.
``It's the kind of experience you'll never forget,'' Sessoms said.
When is a 1-1 record more than a .500 road trip? When it opens minds to amazing possibilities. ILLUSTRATION: MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN
Staff
ODU coach Jeff Capel grimaces as a foul is called in the final
minutes of the loss to Tulsa.
by CNB