Nov. 11, 2007
NORFOLK, VA--Senior guard Abdi Lidonde scored a career high 20points to lead the Monarchs of Old Dominion (1-0) to a 64-54 win over South CarolinaState (0-2) in the season opener at the Ted Convocation Center.
Lidonde's previous high was 15 in his first ever collegiate game against North Carolina as a freshman (11-22-03). Today "junior" as he is called by teammates and coaches was 6-12 from the floor and 6-10 from three-point range. With ODU leading 49-43 his trey put the Monarchs up nine. Lidonde would do it again with 1:25left in the game that put ODU up 11, at 64-53.
ODU dominated the boards, outrebounding the Bulldogs, 49-34. Jonathan Adamsand Sam Harris each hauled down nine boards and Gerald Lee added eight. Red-shirtfreshman Frank Hassell pulled down six boards. For Harris, it was a career high total.Ten of the 11 Monarchs who played scored.
ODU's biggest lead was 14 (22-8) with 5:40 left in the first half. SCSU cut ODU'sLead to two at 15:04 mark (39-37) and 12:44 (41-39). Baskets by Sam Harris, Brandon Johnson and Jonathan Adams put ODU up eight. South Carolina State would getNo closer than six at 57-51 with 4:34 left in the game.
This was the first game of the Findlay Toyota Las Vegas Tournament. Game two will be against Iona on Nov. 20, with the next two games in Las Vegas against top ranked UNC and either Louisville or BYU.
ODU returns to action Friday night to take on defending Mid American championToledo at 7 p.m. Local station WSKY4 will televise the contest.
NOTE: Senior guard Brian Henderson did not dress today. Henderson had a faintingspell after a class presentation Thursday evening and as a pre-cautionary measure isawaiting results of some tests before being released to play.