Jan. 3, 2003
NORFOLK, VA - (January 3, 2003) The Old Dominion women's basketball team defeated the University of North Carolina-Wilmington 71-58 to win their 12th straight Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) opener Friday night at the Ted Constant Convocation Center.
The Lady Monarchs are now a perfect 12-0 when opening their conference slate and move to .500 for the first time this year at 4-4 overall, 1-0 CAA. The Seahawks dropped their second straight game and fall to 7-2, 0-1 CAA. ODU has now defeated UNC-Wilmington in all of their 27 match-ups.
Four different ODU players scored in double figures as they won their third straight contest and fourth of the last five. Guards Shareese Grant (Va. Beach, VA) and Okeisha Howard (Va. Beach, VA) once again powered the offense with 13 points apiece while Monique Coker (Bronx, VA) and Kim Giddens (Painter, VA) both scored ten. Howard added a season-high seven assists, one shy of her career-high, while Coker pulled down nine boards. Freshman center Corrina Turner (Miami, FL) had a team-best and season-high 11 rebounds.
The Lady Monarchs shot 66% (21-32) in the first half to build a 43-29 advantage. UNC-Wilmington bounced back in the second period, led by Shannon Presswood's career-high 17 points off the bench, to pull the visitors within ten. ODU would hold them off and go up by as many as 18 down the stretch.
Preseason second-team All-CAA selectee Jennifer Kapper was the only other Seahawk in double figures, scoring 11 points with five assists. Tracy Morgan led UNC-Wilmington on the boards grabbing 10 rebounds, missing her season high by just one. The Lady Monarchs limited the Seahawks perimeter offense, allowing the visitors to net just one three-pointer all night.
ODU returns to action this Tuesday when they host perennial non-conference opponent #5 Tennessee at 7:00 p.m. at the Ted Constant Convocation Center. The game will be broadcast on Comcast Sportsnet. Tickets are still available.