ODU men’s basketball
HUNTINGTON, W.V. (ODUSports.com) – The Old Dominion men’s basketball team (6-12, 2-3 C-USA) fell to Marshall (9-10, 3-3 C-USA) by a 68-67 score on Saturday night at the Henderson Center in front of 6,445 fans.
Malik Curry led the way for ODU with 20 points (one shy of his career-high), four rebounds and three assists. The game experienced a total of 12 ties and 11 lead changes. The Monarchs led for 15:27, Marshall led for 14:23, while the game was tied for 10:10.
Midway through the second half, the score was all knotted up at 54-54. The Thundering Herd answered on a 20-7 run, claiming a 64-57 advantage at the 5:25 mark. The Monarchs roared back, utilizing an 8-2 run to take a 65-64 lead with 2:06 to play.
Marshall responded with a three-pointer to take a two-point lead, 67-65, with just over a minute to play, but an Aaron Carver offensive rebound and tip in, tied the contest back up at 67 apiece with 47 seconds remaining in regulation.
A Curry turnover, followed by a foul, allowed Taevion Kinsey to connect on one of his two free-throws, giving the Thundering Herd a 68-67 lead with 18 seconds to play. Curry’s last second shot was no good, as Marshall escaped with a one-point victory on Saturday night in Huntington.
Kalu Ezikpe, ODU basketball
“I was just talking to Dan D’Antoni and it seems like whenever we get together, it is like this,” said ODU head coach Jeff Jones. “When these two teams meet, they are good games, hard-played games that go back and forth and the game hinges on one or two plays. This is frustrating, given where we have been our last three games and is hard on our kids losing these tough ones, when they are giving everything that they can. We just have to get a little bit better at finishing.”
Curry now has 40 points in the past two games. Also in double-figures for Old Dominion was Jason Wade, who went for 15 points, nine rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks. Xavier Green finished nine points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal. Aaron Carver hauled down a game-high 17 rebounds (three off his career-high), to compliment nine points and one block.
For the game, Old Dominion held advantages for rebound (51-33), points in the paint (32-20) and second chance points (22-13). The Monarchs defense held the Thundering Herd to 22.7% (5-22) shooting from deep for the contest.
ODU trailed by three at halftime, 34-31, as the Monarchs were led by Green’s nine points on 4-8 shooting from the floor. In the opening 20 minutes, the Monarchs held advantages for points in the paint (16-8), rebounds (23-16) and bench points (10-4). The first half experienced eight ties and five lead changes.
Old Dominion will return to the hardwood on Monday, Jan. 20, when the Monarchs host Charlotte at Chartway Arena for a 4:00 p.m. tip.
