Jan. 30, 2005
WILMINGTON, N.C. -- Senior guard Shareese Grant's (Va. Beach, Va.) 18 points, 12 in the second half, helped Old Dominion hold off UNC Wilmington, 59-55, in Colonial Athletic Association women's basketball action Sunday at Trask Coliseum.
The Monarchs, winners of their last six, improve to 11-6 overall and 7-1 in the CAA. The Seahawks see their losing streak extended to eight games and dip to 4-14 and 1-8.
Joining Grant in double figures were junior guard Lawona Davis (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) and freshman center Tiffany Green (Chesapeake, Va.) with 11 points apiece. Green completed a double-double effort with 10 rebounds to collect her team-leading sixth double-double of the season. ODU shot a sizzling 53.8 percent from the field in the second half.
Freshman forward Meagan Samis led UNCW with 22 points, but no other Seahawks reached double figures. Freshman guard Meg Withrow chipped in eight points and recorded five steals. Senior center Tanika Harrison hauled in a team-high nine boards and added eight points.
ODU trailed 40-38, with 10:05 left, before Green's layup ignited a 9-0 run over the next 3:21 to take a 47-40 lead it would never lose. Grant fueled the run with five points.
The Seahawks moved to within two, 53-51 with 2:05 on the clock, following a Withrow layup. Grant answered with a conventional 3-point play to push ODU's lead to 56-51 with 1:02 left.
Old Dominion held a 26-25 halftime lead and pushed that led to 28-25 in the first minute of the second half on a short jumper by sophomore forward Sherida Triggs (Norcross, Ga.). UNCW held ODU to a single basket over the next 5:07 during a 9-2 run that gave UNCW a 34-30 lead with 15:55 left. Samis opened the run with a jumper and later knocked down two free throw attempts to continue the outburst.
UNCW shot 84 percent from the free-throw line and held a 36-33 advantage on the boards, but was unable to overcome 21 turnovers.
Both teams return to action Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. with the Seahawks hosting William & Mary and the Monarchs visiting Virginia Commonwealth on Thursday in Richmond.