THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 25, 1996 TAG: 9601250546
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HARRISONBURG, VA. LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
For the third time this season, Old Dominion could not muster 60 points in a basketball game.
But 58 was plenty Wednesday night because James Madison scored the fewest points of any ODU opponent in 10 seasons.
In a game where offense was truly offensive, the Monarchs gutted out a 58-45 victory that evened their season record at 9-9 and snapped ODU's six-game losing streak at the JMU Convocation Center. The Monarchs last won here during the 1988-89 season.
``No question, it was an ugly game,'' ODU coach Jeff Capel said. ``It was a sloppy game, but our kids found a way to get it done.''
The Monarchs (4-2 and tied for third in the Colonial Athletic Association) got it done with defense. The Dukes' 45 points were the fewest allowed by the Monarchs in 304 games. The last team to score fewer was South Florida, which lost to ODU 47-43 during the 1985-86 season. The last time JMU scored fewer points was against Virginia Tech during the 1984-85 season.
Dukes guard Darren McLinton entered the game leading the CAA in scoring (22.4 points per game), 3-pointers (4.2) and was sixth in 3-point shooting percentage (42.3).
He scored five points - his lowest output in 42 games - on 2-of-16 shooting from the field, 1 of 11 from 3-point range.
``We just tried to contain him and make him work,'' ODU point guard Brion Dunlap said.
``(Dunlap) and Duffy Samuels really did a good job on McLinton not allowing him to get good looks,'' Capel said.
James Madison coach Lefty Driesell concurred.
``Dog-gone right they did a good job on him, but a smart player wouldn't take bad shots,'' Driesell said.
``I just had an off night,'' McLinton said. ``They were playing good defense, but I've seen that from everyone we've played this year.''
JMU's backcourt made 5 of 31 field goals, 1 of 14 from beyond the 3-point line. The Dukes' 28.1 percent shooting rivaled JMU's school-record worst night of 26.8 percent. The Dukes shot 5 percent (1 of 19) from 3-point range.
``I ain't never had a team shoot like that,'' Driesell said.
The Dukes (5-13, 1-6) often seemed to have no clue offensively, not even attacking the basket many times until the shot clock was running down.
``I'm kind of surprised JMU was holding the ball up 20 to 30 seconds and dribbling around like that,'' ODU center Odell Hodge said.
Hodge led the Monarchs with 18 points and 10 rebounds, his second double-double this season. Joe Bunn and Dunlap added 10 points apiece. ODU shot a season-high 88.9 percent (16 of 18) from the free-throw line, 48.8 percent from the field.
Despite the Dukes' abysmal shooting, they were in the game until the final minutes thanks to 19 offensive rebounds coupled with 18 ODU turnovers.
James Madison trailed by a point with 6:54 remaining, then ODU increased the lead to 47-42. A Charles Lott layup with 4:17 to play cut it to 47-44.
ODU went on an 11-1 run the rest of the game as the Dukes missed their last nine field goal tries and made 1 of 4 free throws, missing the front end of two one-and-ones.
Hodge scored seven of ODU's final 11 points.
``I guess we did more good things than they did, because both teams really played a bad game,'' Bunn said.
ODU completes a stretch of three consecutive road games and five of six away from home Saturday at William and Mary. The Monarchs return home Monday against American. by CNB