March 15, 2006
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - Isaiah Hunter matched a career-high with 28 points as Old Dominion beat Colorado 79-61 in the first round of the NIT on Wednesday night.
Hunter was 5-for-8 on 3-pointers and Armoud Dahi added 16 points for the Monarchs (22-9), which advance to Monday's game against the winner of the game between Maryland and Manhattan. Those two teams play Saturdaymorning in College Park, MD.
Old Dominion was 31-for-41 on free throws and improved to 6-9 in NIT games.
Glean Eddy led fourth-seeded Colorado (20-10) with 14 points. Chris Copeland had 12 points for the Buffaloes, who lost their seventh NIT game in 15 appearance.
Colorado's leading scorer, Richard Roby, was limited to six points, all in the first half.
Colorado never led and tied the Monarchs only once at 17, nine minutes into the game on a Julius Ashby basket.
Dahi's two free throws put the Monarchs up 29-20 with 5:41 left in the first and with 12 points from Hunter led 33-29 at the break.
Dahi scored the first four points in the second half and Old Dominion's lead reached 43-33 after a 3-pointer by Brian Henderson and free throw by Brandon Johnson. Hunter hit a 3-pointer with 4:48 left to make it a 68-50 game. The lead was 71-52 after two free throws by Drew Williamson and one by Hunter when Old Dominion began clearing its bench.
The Buffaloes had set a school single season record with 236 3-pointers, were 4-for-19 on treys. The home loss was only the second of the season for Colorado, which was 14-2 on its own court.
The double-double by Dahi is his second of the year. Brandon Johnsoncame off the bench to dish out seven assists. This is the fifth timeODU has won it's opening game in the NIT, but the first time on the road.