CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Old Dominion women's basketball team dropped an 87-80 overtime contest on Saturday evening at Charlotte. The Monarchs (6-8, 3-7 C-USA) led for most of the night, but Charlotte (8-7, 7-3) mounted a 6-0 run to tie the score and send the game into overtime.
Junior Mariah Adams recorded a career-high 24 points, going 10-of-14 from the floor and 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. She also added a career-high nine boards.
"I pressurized the situation and I really liked the way the team opened up the game," said head coach DeLisha Milton-Jones. "If they have a stretch of games that they're performing well, I need the team to consistently make an intentional effort to bring that every game. Great teams focus on the details. When you look at the way that we've lost a lot of these conference games, it's because we've failed to play defense one or two possessions."
The two teams battled hard in the first quarter, going bucket-for-bucket, with the two teams tied 22-22, after the opening frame. ODU came out hot in the second quarter, outscoring the 49ers, 13-8. Freshman Ash'a Thompson broke out in the second quarter, adding five points of ODU's 13 second-quarter points, going 2-for-3 from the field. ODU would lead the contest, 35-32 at the break.
"I worked with the freshman before the game hands on, doing some shooting to make sure their mindset was right and they were in an aggressive mode. They did come out and perform well! Lanay pushed the ball in transition and was a hooper like we love seeing her be," expressed Milton-Jones.
Despite being outscored by Charlotte, 22-19 in the third quarter, ODU held onto its lead, heading into the fourth quarter with a 54-52 advantage over the 49ers. ODU did not give up, opening the fourth quarter with an Adams layup. The 49ers answered with two-made free throws. ODU then compiled a 7-2 run, which forced Charlotte to take a timeout with just under eight minutes to play in the fourth quarter. Victoria Morris came out of the break with a triple, opening ODU's lead to nine points, its biggest lead of the contest. From there, Charlotte clawed back, putting together an 8-3 run. ODU held the lead until Jada McMillian of Charlotte drained a pair of free-throws to knot up the game with 26 seconds to go in the fourth quarter and send the game into overtime.
The 49ers dictated much of the five-minute overtime period, opening its first possession by drawing a foul and earning its first lead of the contest, 75-73. ODU answered by back-to-back layups from Aziah Hudson and Amari Young, regaining an ODU lead, 77-75. Charlotte responded via an Octavia Jett-Wilson jump shot and never looked back, earning its third-straight win over the Monarchs dating back to 2020.
Up Next
ODU will host UAB on Feb. 19 (6:30 p.m.) and Feb. 20 (4 p.m.) at Chartway Arena.
Notes
- Mariah Adams was one rebound short of her first career double-double.
- Maggie Robinson recorded a career-high four steals.
- Freshman Ash'a Thompson notched a career-high seven points.
- Amari Young was one point short of her sixth double-double of the season. She finished the evening with nine points and 14 boards.
- ODU started the game with a technical foul.
- The Monarchs played in its third-straight overtime contest.
