Nov. 10, 2006
Old Dominion at Virginia - John Paul Jones Arena - November 12, 2006 - 1:30 p.m.
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Livestats: Livestats are available at both www.odusports.com and www.virginiasports.com
Radio: For the 16th-straight season ESPN Radio (1310 am - Norfolk, Va.) will be broadcasting all the Lady Monarch contests. Thirteen-time sportscaster of the Year Tony Mercurio will call all the action. Former Lady Monarch and ODU Hall of Fame inductee, Adrienne Goodson and former assistant coach Susan Montgomery will join Mercurio and add color commentary at all home games at the Ted Constant Convocation Center. A monthly fee of $6.95 through the College Pass program, which also provides the audio and video broadcasts of over 100 colleges and universities, will allow fans to listen to the broadcast online at www.odusports.com.
Television: There is no television broadcast.
WHAT THE LADY MONARCHS WELCOME BACK: The Old Dominion women's basketball team welcomes back four starters and nine letterwinners from last year's team that went 22-9 overall and captured its 15th consecutive Colonial Athletic Association title. Seventy two percent of the offense returns including the four of the five leading scorers and three of the four leading rebounders from a season ago. This year's group of seniors - Tish Lyons, Sherida Triggs, Shantel Wilson - enter the 2006-07 season having collected three CAA titles, three NCAA appearances, a 69-25 overall record and 49-5 mark in CAA match-ups. Triggs joins junior guard T.J. Jordan on the Preseason Second Team All-CAA list. Triggs led the CAA in field goal percentage, was second on the ODU squad in scoring, and led the Lady Monarch rebounding corps. Jordan led the team in scoring and reset the single season three-point attempt record.
OPEN THE DOOR: The Lady Monarch women's basketball team will help the Virginia Cavaliers open their new building - The John Paul Jones Arena - in ODU's first regular season contest on Saturday, November 12th. It was Virginia back on November 22nd, 2002 that helped Old Dominion open the Ted Constant Convocation Center.
ABOUT VIRIGINIA: The Cavaliers are opening their brand new facility, the John Paul Jones Arena, when the Lady Monarchs come to Charlottesville on Sunday. Virginia returns nine letterwinners and four starters from a team that went 20-12 overall and 5-9 in the ACC and advanced to the WNIT. Head coach Debbie Ryan, entering her 30th season at the helm of the Cavalier program, welcomes back senior center Siedah Williams (11.8 points, 5.9 rebounds), and junior guards Sharnee Zoll (11.2 points, 3.0 rebounds) and Takisha Granberry (8.7 points, 3.5 rebounds) to the mix. Virginia's lone loss from last year's team was Tiffany Sardin (5.0 points, 2.9 rebounds). Prior to hosting Old Dominion, Virginia will travel to Rhode Island to kick off the 2006-07 season.
SERIES WITH VIRGINIA: Old Dominion leads the all-time series with Virginia, 16-13. The Cavaliers have won the last four meetings which included the opening of the Ted in 2002, the Lady Monarchs' last trip to Charlottesville, and the first round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament. Old Dominion's last win over Virginia came on December 10th, 1999 with an 86-65 win at the Fieldhouse, the former home of ODU basketball.
LAST TIME VS. VIRGINIA: The Lady Monarchs were defeated 64-72 by the University of Virginia on December 11, 2004 at University Hall. Former Lady Monarch guard Shareese Grant led the team with 18 points. The Cavaliers were able to capitalize on a season-high 30 turnover committed by the Lady Monarch resulting in 35 Virginia points. The Cavaliers had four in double figures and were led by Jocelyn Logan-Friend with 17 points. Old Dominion was down early in the first half trailing 6-20 with 12:25 on the clock. However, the Lady Monarchs continually chipped away at the lead and brought the score to within one point of the lead. A three-pointer by rookie T.J. Jordan capped off a 12-2 run, as Old Dominion trailed just 29-28 with 5:03 left in the half. Although the Lady Monarchs did not control the lead, Old Dominion kept the deficit within single digits the rest of the half and entered the locker room down, 33-40. Midway through the second half, the Cavaliers bumped their lead back up to double digits, leading by as much as 13 with 10:03 remaining after holding the Lady Monarchs scoreless for four minutes. As they did in the first half, Old Dominion continually chipped away at the lead. The Lady Monarchs cut their deficit to four with 42 second left on the clock down 63-67, but as time was winding down, Old Dominion was forced to foul. At the line Virginia connected on five of their six free throw shots in the final 28 seconds of the game, while Old Dominion managed to attempted two shots and hit one of two free throws. Old Dominion won the battle of the boards outrebounding the Cavaliers 35-27.Three were in double figures for the Lady Monarchs led by Grant's 18. Then rookie Tiffany Green had 11 off the bench, while Sherida Triggs had 10. Green and Jordan led Old Dominion on the boards with seven apiece. Four UVa seniors scored in double figures.
BREAKING DOWN THE OPENERS: The Lady Monarchs are 25-12 in season openers. Of the previous 37 season openers, Old Dominion has opened the season twice with Virginia with a win in 1977 and a loss in 2002 with the opening of the Ted Constant Convocation Center. In home openers, the Lady Monarchs are 27-10. Last season, Old Dominion opened the slate against the top-ranked team in the nation in Duke. Old Dominion's home opener this season with be against No.15/16 Kentucky on Homecomming.
WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR 500?: Head coach Wendy Larry is rapidly approaching the 500 victory mark in her career. To date she needs thee victories to reach the mark. She currently holds a 497-182 overall record entering her 23rd seasons as a head coach. Additionally, Coach Larry is approaching her 450th victory as the head coach at her alma mater. She holds a 448-151 record entering her 20th seasons at the helm of the Old Dominion program.
BACK TO THE POLLS: The Lady Monarchs are receiving votes in both the Preseason Associated Press and WBCA/USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll. The Lady Monarchs have received votes over the last few seasons and are looking to return to the Top 25 in both polls. Old Dominion's last Top 25 ranking in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll was November 18th, 2003. Old Dominion's last appearance in the Associated Press Top 25 was the final poll of the 2002 season as the Lady Monarchs danced their way to the "Elite Eight".
STREET & SMITH: Street and Smith Magazine has listed the Old Dominion women's basketball team at No. 18 in its in their annual College Basketball Yearbook which went on sale on Oct. 1. Included on this year's schedule are four teams also appearing in Street and Smith's list incluing No. 5 Tennessee, No. 7 Duke, No. 14 Rutgers, and No. 20 Virginia.
HOME SWEET HOME: Since the doors opened at the Ted Constant Convocation Center in 2002, the Lady Monarchs have enjoyed a 53-10 record.
Ranked Wins At The Constant Center:
11/25/03 - #7 Penn State - W, 75-68
12/7/03 - #12/13 UNC - W, 73-68
12/5/04 - #16/19 Rutgers - W, 69-61
Losses At The Constant Center:
11/22/02 - Virginia - L, 55-63
1/7/03 - #5 Tennessee - L, 63-91
1/31/03 - Rutgers - L, 59-67
3/22/03 - Boston College (NCAA) - L, 72-73
1/2/05 - #8 Tennessee - L, 58-68
1/9/05 - Delaware - L, 70-73
11/20/05 - #1/2 Duke - L, 56-93
12/4/0 5- #19/20 Vanderbilt - L, 77-82
12/29/05 - #5 North Carolina - L, 80-88 (OT)
3/19/06 - George Washington (NCAA) - L, 72-87