GREENSBORO, N.C. (WTKR) — In a season defined by its defense, the Old Dominion women got one last good slugfest in the second round of the WNIT.
A buzzer beater proving to be just one shot too much for the Monarchs.
Tied up at 45-45, North Carolina A&T's Maleia Bracone buried a three-pointer with 0.9 seconds to end ODU season with a 48-45 loss. After holding North Carolina A&T without a three-pointer for the entirety of the game, the Aggies buried two triples in the final quarter. The first was to tie the game at 41 by Talia Davis, the second was Bracone's winner.
Kaye Clark led the way for the silver and blue with 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists. She was the lone Monarch to score in double figures, with Mimi McCollister chipping in eight points while Brenda Fontana and Jordan McLaughlin each contributed six points apiece.
Both teams made things difficult to find any open looks, ODU holding the Aggies to 35.3 percent shooting while only connecting on 32.1 percent of its own shots.
NC A&T took a late lead in the second quarter, going into the locker rooms up 23-18. The Monarchs stayed connected in the third quarter but could never quite wrestle the lead back.
Just a little more than a minute into the final frame, however, a Simone Cunningham gave ODU a 37-36 advantage. The two teams would trade the lead four times until a Clark jumper with 3:01 left in game tied the score up at 45-45.
Neither team was able to score after that for the next 3:00. Bracone's final shot came with 0.9 to play and a final shot by McLaughlin for the tie wouldn't fall.
ODU's season comes to a close at 22-10. It's the the third straight season the Monarchs have finished with at least 22 wins under Delisha Milton-Jones' guide.
