ODU (10-13, 6-5 SBC) vs. Texas State (12-11, 5-6 SBC) | at Eastern Michigan (10-11, 4-5 MAC)
WHEN: Wednesday, Feb. 5 - 7:00 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 8 - 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: Norfolk, Va. - Chartway Arena | Ypsilanti, Mich. - Gervin GameAbove Center
ALL-TIME: ODU trails TXST 1-2 | ODU trails EMU 0-1
Live Stats: Click Here! | Click Here!
LISTEN - ESPN Radio 94.1
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NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion men’s basketball welcomes Texas State on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. for Fraternity and Sorority night at the Chartway Arena before traveling to Ypsilanti, Mich. to play on Saturday in the MAC-SBC Challenge against Eastern Michigan at 2 p.m.
Wednesday’s game against the Bobcats will be presented by Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group. Both games will have live stats and will be streamed on ESPN+. Andy Mashaw and Dennis Wolff will be on the call for ESPN Radio 94.1.
LAST TIME OUT
ODU lost to Texas State in the 2024Sun Belt Conference Tournament, 92-83 in overtime. The Monarchs’ Tyrone Williams led all scorers with 36 points on 51.7% shooting from the field while grabbing seven rebounds and swiping four steals. Texas State had three players score 19 or more points. Coleton Benson (28), Jordan Mason (19), and Brandon Love (19). ODU trailed by 10 at the end of the first half, 38-28, but fought its way back to hold a three-point lead (74-71) with a minute remaining until Benson hit the game-tying shot from deep to send the game to overtime. Benson gave the Bobcats the lead after making a turnaround jumper at the 3:48 mark to go up 78-76, then a layup by Love before three pairs of free throws made by Davion Sykes, Mason, and Benson put the Bobcats up by eight with 1:19 remaining.
Old Dominion has not played Eastern Michigan in 29 years. The programs have only played one time in the Carrier Classic on Dec. 13, 1996. ODU lost 79-78 in Syracuse, N.Y.
ABOUT ODU
Old Dominion men’s basketball went 1-1 last week, beating App State 78-77 on Jan. 29 before losing to James Madison 68-54 on Feb. 1. ODU has a 10-13 overall record and is 6-5 in the Sun Belt. The Monarchs are seventh in the Sun Belt standings, 313 in NET ranking, 298 in Kenpom, and have a -7.8 BPI.
Robert Davis Jr. is the Monarch’s leading scorer (15.7 ppg). Davis leads the team in three-point attempts and makes (75-218). The sophomore transfer from UMass averages 3.41 made threes per game which has him tied for seventh in the nation, while his 75 makes from deep are tied for sixth in the NCAA. In the Sun Belt, Davis ranks fifth in scoring (15.7 ppg), second in free throw percentage (83.6%), first in total three-pointers made (75), and is first in minutes per game (35.15).
Sean Durugordon is the team’s second leading scorer, averaging 14.6 ppg. The native of Harlem, New York, is ODU’s leading rebounder averaging 8.3 rpg. His average of 3.74 offensive rebounds per game is 10th best in the nation and ranks first in the Sun Belt. He is the team’s second leading free throw shooter, hitting 77.8% at the stripe. Durugordon ranks 8th in the Sun Belt in scoring (14.6 ppg), third in rebounding (8.3 rpg), and seventh in free throw percentage (77.4%).
Stephaun Walker is the team’s second leading rebounder, grabbing an average of 7.1 per game. His 2.76 offensive rebounds per game average ranks 87th in the NCAA. The transfer from Robert Morris ranks sixth in the Sun Belt in rebounds per game (7.1) and fourth in offensive rebounds (2.76).
Caelum Swanton-Rodger, a junior transfer from Maryland, swats away 1.64 blocks per game, his 36 blocks this season ranks 49th in the nation and third in the Sun Belt. Freshman Jaden Johnson has started all 23 games this season at point guard. He leads the Monarchs in assists per game (4.2) which ranks seventh in the Sun Belt. The native of Walker Mill, Maryland is fourth in the Sun Belt in minutes played (33.96).
ODU averages 67.7 ppg, shoots 40.2% from the floor and 28.3% from behind the arc, making 5.9 per game. They hold a +2.7-rebounding margin and grab 39 per game while dishing out 11.9 assists per game. The Monarchs have swatted away 73 shots this season while swiping 115 steals. In the Sun Belt, ODU ranks first in offensive rebounds per game (13.96) and they have the second-best rebounding offense (39). The Monarchs are the 14th ranked offensive rebounding team in the nation, averaging 13.96 offensive rebounds per game.
ABOUT TXST
Texas State holds a 12-11 overall record and is 5-6 in the Sun Belt. The Bobcats are coached by fifth year head coach Terrence Johnson. TXST is ranked 189th in NET rankings, 181st in Kenpom, and has a -1.0 BPI.
Tylan Pope is the Bobcats leading scorer averaging 15.5 ppg followed by Tyrel Morgan with 14.4 ppg. Joshua O’Garro is Texas State’s leading rebounder grabbing an average of seven per game. The team has three players who’ve made 23+ three pointers this season, Coleton Benson (33), Drue Drinnon (24), and Dylan Dawson (23).
Texas State averages 76.7 ppg and shoots 46.6% from the field. The Bobcats shoot 37.7% from deep which ranks 32nd in the nation. TXST shoots 77.5% from the charity stripe, grab an average of 36.5 rebounds per game, and dish 14.2 assists per game. On the defensive end, Texas State averages seven steals and blocks 4.2 shots per game.
ABOUT EMU
Eastern Michigan holds a 10-11 overall record and is 4-5 in the MAC. The Eagles are coached by Stan Heath. Eastern Michigan is ranked 288th in NET rankings, 306th in Kenpom, and has a -8.1 BPI. An EMU alum, Heath is an 18-year head coaching veteran with stops at South Florida, Arkansas and Kent State. He led Kent State to the 2022 Elite Eight.
Da’Sean Nelson leads the Eagles, scoring 15.8 ppg followed by Christian Henry with 15.2 and Jalen Terry with 14.7. Nelson is the team’s leading rebounder grabbing 5.7 per game. Terry leads the way with 50 made threes followed by Henry with 43 makes from deep. Jalin Billingsley has started 19 of the Eagles’ 21 games and chips in 10.8 ppg, 4.6 rebounds, and shoots 55.8% from the field.
UP NEXT
Old Dominion will be on the road for the next two conference games, traveling to Atlanta, Georgia to take on Georgia State, and to Statesboro, Georgia to face off with Georgia Southern.