Jan. 13, 2006
NORFOLK, Va. -- Old Dominion remains one of two teams in the CAA women's basketball race with an undefeated record as the Lady Monarchs won their third straight with a 71-57 victory over the Pride of Hofstra University.
The Pride saw its four-game win streak come to a halt and suffered its first CAA loss of the season dropping to 8-5 overall and 3-1 in conference play. The Lady Monarchs meanwhile improve to 5-7 overall and 3-0 in CAA action heading into Sunday's match-up with Drexel.
After trading baskets during the opening minutes of the first half, junior Tish Lyons (Newport News, Va.) sparked a 15-3 run to give Old Dominion a 10-point lead, 23-13, with 7:41 left in the half. The Pride, however, used a run of its own to pull within three. Junior Cigi McCollin scored five of Hofstra's seven straight points to close to within 23-20 as 5:30 appeared on the clock.
The Lady Monarch defense held court once again holding the Pride scoreless over the next two and half minutes. Old Dominion managed to put seven unanswered points on the scoreboard capped by a three-pointer by leading scorer T.J. Jordan (Portsmouth, Va.). Old Dominion held a 33-25 lead at the intermission.
Old Dominion held Hofstra to just one field goal in the first five minutes of the second half while pouring in 11 points to hold a 46-29 advantage. Again, the Pride did not go quietly continually chipped away at the lead. Hofstra leading scorer, Vanessa Gidden, who was held to only two points at the half, managed to net 10 in half number two.
McCollin's traditional three-point play started the first of eight unanswered points by the Pride as Hofstra closed the gap to 11, 46-35 with 11:46 left. Back and forth the two teams went until a lay-up by Gidden and two free throws by Lizanne Murphy cut the Pride deficit to double digits, 54-45, with 8:02 remaining.
The Lady Monarchs saw its lead go back to double figures within a minute and extended their edge by as many as 18 late in the game. After Jenn Hughes hit one of two free throws for the Pride bringing the score to 56-42 at the 6:47 mark, Hofstra was held without a field goal for over five minutes. Lyons hitting one of two shot award brought ODU to an 18-point, 64-46 lead with 4:38 to go.
Jordan once again led the Lady Monarchs with 18 points, including a 4-of-9 performance from downtown. Sophomore Shahida Williams (Newark, N.J.), in her first career start, had 14 along with a team-high eight boards. Davis, coming off the bench, added 10 points.
Hofstra's bench scored only three of its 57 total points. McCollin led all scorers with 22, while Gidden added 12 along with a team-high eight rebounds. Murphy had 13 points, while India Ali dished out a game-high seven assists.
The Lady Monarchs return to action on Sunday when they travel to Philadelphia to take on the Drexel Dragons at 1:00 p.m.