Nov. 29, 2007
NORFOLK, Va. -- As its been for the last eight consecutive meetings, the home team took the victory in the Old Dominion - Penn State match-up with the Lady Monarchs using a late first half surge and blistering second half en-route to a 77-49 victory over the Lady Lions in women's basketball action at the Ted Constant Convocation Center Thursday night.
Senior T.J. Jordan (Portsmouth, Va.), who was held scoreless in the first half, exploded for a game-high 14 points in the second half, as one of four Lady Monarchs in double figures. With her peformance Jordan surpassed the 1,200 career point mark. Both seniors Shahida Williams (Newark, N.J.) and Megan Pym (Newfield, N.Y.) contributed 12 points each and sophomore Jessica Canady (Williamsburg, Va.) came off the bench to add 11.
Penn State (5-2) had only leading scorer Tyra Grant in double digits. She finished the night with 12 points.
The Lady Lions committed 30 turnovers, the most by an Old Dominion opponent this season, resulting in 28 Lady Monarch points.
Old Dominion (5-2) started off the game shooting just 3-of-16 from the field as Penn State capitalized on the slow start by the Lady Monarchs to take an 17-6 lead with 9:38 remaining in the opening half. Senior Megan Pym (Newfield, N.Y.) began the Lady Monarch surge with a bucket on the following possesion as Old Dominion managed to diminish its 11-point deficit down to two, 17-15, while holding the Lady Lions scoreless for four minutes.
Pym gave the Lady Monarchs its first lead since the early moments of the game at the 4:05 mark, 21-20, but two free throws by Penn State's Janessa Wolff returned the advantage back to the Lady Lions. Grant completed the traditional three-point play following three missed attempts by the Lady Monarchs on their end of the court to put Penn State up by four. However from there the Lady Lion lead would disappear for the rest of the game.
The Lady Monarchs closed out the final three minutes of the opening stanza with four points from senior Tiffany Green (Chesapeake, Va.) and a lay-up from Williams to enter the locker room up, 27-25.
The second half was all Old Dominion as the Lady Monarchs outscored the Lady Lions, 29-25. Old Dominion shot a blistering 50 percent in the second half, going 15-of-30 from the field.
The half began with the Lady Monarchs going on a 11-2 run for a 40-29 edge with 16:18 left. Twice Penn State would cut its disadvantage down to single digits, but after Jordan was fouled on a three-point attempt and knocked down all three shots from the line with 12:38 remaining, Old Dominion would lead by double figures the rest of the way.
The Old Dominion women's baksetball team returns to action on Sunday, December 2 at 2:00 p.m. against #20/19 Michigan State. It will be the first ever meeting between the Lady Monarchs and Spartans and will also be Old Dominion's third straight game against a member of the BIG 10. The game will also represent the fourth ranked team in the last five Lady Monarch contests against a member of the Top 25.