March 9, 2003
WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- Redshirt freshman Corrina Turner's (Miami, FL) team leading 17 points and Kim Giddens' (Painter, VA) third double-double of the year with 11 points and 13 rebounds helped lead the Lady Monarch women's basketball team to a 67-49 victory over William & Mary in the regular season finale.
Old Dominion extended its winning streak to a season-high seven games and finshes the regular season 18-10 overall and 15-3 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Both Delaware and Old Dominion finished their seasons with 15-3 conference records, but based on the tie break procedures, the Lady Monarchs will be the top seed at the 2003 CAA Women's Basketball Tournament to be held in Norfolk from March 12-15th. Since the Lady Monarchs and Fightin' Blue Hens spilt the season series (Old Dominion taking a 73-62 win at "The Ted" on February 2nd and Delaware defeating ODU 73-62 in Newark, DE on February 14th) the next tie break is based upon head-to-head competition. UNC-Wilmington would be the next team to compare head-to-head competition with. The Lady Monarchs recently handed the Seahawks a loss in overtime, 51-48, to sweep the season series, while Delaware spilt hence the top seed going to Old Dominion.
William and Mary finished its regular season campaign 8-19 overall and 4-14 in the CAA and will be the ninth seed facing eighth seeded Hofstra in first round action.
The Lady Monarchsraced out to a 8-2 lead in the opening minutes and never looked back as they went on to take a 31-24 half-time advantage. Old Dominion led by as many as 10 in the final minutes of the opening half. The Tribe's leading scorer, Jen Sobota, who entered the game needing just five points to become William & Mary's all-time leading scorer was held scoreless in the first 20 minutes of play. Turner netted eight of her game-high 17 points in the first half.
The second half was more of the same as Old Dominion took a 12-2 run following the intermission to take a 19-point, 45-26 edge over the Tribe. William & Mary got as close as 13 with over 12 minutes remaining, but the Lady Monarchs managed to hold the Tribe scoreless for the next three minutes and build up a 20-point margin. Sophomore Paula Muxiri (Luanda, Angola) sunk two free throws for a 35-52 lead with 9:51 remaining. Just over two minutes later, junior Max Nhassengo (Maputo, Mozambique) sunk two attempts from the charity stripe giving Old Dominion its largest advantage of the afternoon, 37-58, with 7:49 left on the clock.
Old Dominion shot over 80 percent from the free throw line for the fifth time this season and the second time in the last three games. Of the eight Lady Monarchs who went to the line, all were either perfect or missed only one attempt.
The Lady Monarchs shot 47 percent (20-of-43) from the field as compared to the Tribe's 35 percent (22-of-63). Old Dominion also outrebounded William & Mary 42-38.
Senior guard Okeisha Howard (Va. Beach, VA) and Nhassengo each had 11 points in the victory for Old Dominion. Junior forward Monique Coker (Bronx, NY) also dished out a game-high seven assists.
Forward Lindsey Brizendine finished the afternoon as the game's leading scorer with 20. Dominique Lewis came off the bench to net 10 points. Sobota, who was held scoreless, finished the game with nine points and became the Tribe's all-time leading scorer with 1,505 career points.
Old Dominion will return to action on Thursday night as the #1 seed in the CAA Women's Basketball Tournament. The Lady Monarchs will await the winner of #8 Hofstra vs. #9 William & Mary.