Feb. 15, 2003
TOWSON, Md. - Senior forward Ricardo Marsh (Orange H.S./Mebane, N.C.) posted his fifth double-double of the season with 11 points and 13 rebounds as Old Dominion University (11-11, 8-6) won its second game in a row, a 73-51 Colonial Athletic Association victory over Towson University (4-19, 1-13) in the Towson Center on Saturday afternoon.
Marsh was one of five Monarchs to score in double figures as he made 5 of 17 shots from the floor. He also had five assists and two blocked shots. For Marsh, it was his second straight double-double as he scored 22 points with 11 rebounds in a 72-69 win over UNC-Wilmington on Wednesday night.
After five lead changes in the first three minutes, Old Dominion took a lead it never relinquished when senior Rasheed Wright (Southern Guilford H.S./Greensboro, N.C.) hit a three-pointer with 17:03 left in the first half, giving ODU an 8-6 lead. Wright's three-pointer started a 12-2 run that gave the Monarchs a 17-8 lead with 13:19 left in the half.
A three-point basket by Marsh with 5:35 left in the half extended the Monarchs' lead to 29-12 before the Tigers responded. Towson cut the deficit to 32-23 at halftime by closing the half with an 11-3 spurt.
However, Old Dominion settled the issue in the first six minutes of the second half. Led by Marsh and Wright, the Monarchs outscored Towson by a 14-1 margin to take a 46-24 lead with 14 minutes left in the game. Towson never got closer than 19 points the rest of the game.
Freshman Alex Loughton (St. Stephen's H.S./Perth, Australia) led the Monarchs with 13 points and six rebounds. He shot 6-for-12 from the floor and scored nine points in the first half.
Marsh and Wright each scored 11 points while junior guards John Waller (Highland Springs H.S./Richmond, Va.) and Troy Nance (Cape Henry H.S./Virginia Beach, Va.) each scored 10 points as all five ODU starters scored in double figures. Nance also added four rebounds and a team high six assists.
After being held to 37.1 per cent shooting from the floor in the first half, the Monarchs heated up after intermission. Old Dominion made 16 of 33 shots in the second half as the Monarchs hit 48.5 per cent from the floor. The Monarchs scored 12 points on fast breaks in the second half.
Freshman guard Cilk McSweeney (St. Thomas More Prep/Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) led the Tigers with 13 points as he nailed five of eight shots from the floor, including three of five three-pointers. He also had five rebounds and two assists. Senior guard Jamaal Gilchrist (Notre Dame H.S./Washington, D.C.) added nine points and six assists for the Tigers while freshman forward Lawrence Hamm (Harrisburg H.S./Harrisburg, Pa.), freshman guard Andrius Petkunas (Christian Faith H.S./Panevezys, Lithuania) and freshman forward Stephen Warner (Redan H.S./Stone Mountain, Ga.) each added eight points. Warner had a team high and a career high ten rebounds.
The loss was the Tigers' tenth in a row since a 61-54 win over Hofstra on January 15, 2003.
ODU hosts Drexel Wednesday night in the Ted Constant Convocation Center. Game time is 7 p.m.