Jan. 13, 2008
NORFOLK, Va. -- It may have been James Madison ahead at the half by two, but an electrifying second half that included a 26-0 run by the Lady Monarchs helped spark the No. 18/22 Old Dominion women's basketball team to a 82-57 win over the Dukes Sunday afternoon at the Constant Center.
Winners in their last six contests and in nine of their last ten games, the Lady Monarchs improve to 12-3 overall and 3-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). The game, saw the 16-time defending league champions receiving their 2007 championship rings prior to tip, was the CAA home opener for Old Dominion. The Lady Monarchs improved to 16-1 all-time in home league openers. James Madison meanwhile saw its three-game win streak come to a halt as the Dukes fall to 9-5 overall and 2-1 on the year.
Junior Jazzmin Walters (Norfolk, Va.) collected a career-high 14 points as one of four Lady Monarchs in double figures. Senior T.J. Jordan (Portsmouth, Va.) added in a game-high 18, including 14 second half points. Also scoring in double figures for the Lady Monarchs were senior Shahida Williams (Newark, N.J.) with 13 and sophomore Jessica Canady (Williamsburg, Va.) coming off the bench to tally 12.
James Madison was led by CAA Preseason Player of the Year, Tamera Young, with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Young, who leads the league in points and rebounds per game, notched her sixth double-double of the year and 34th of her career. Jasmin Lawrence added in 11 in the loss. Rookie Dawn Evans, who entered the game at 12.6 points per game, was held to just six points, three in each half.
The Lady Monarchs led by eight, 26-18, with 7:24 remaining in the first half before the Dukes closed it out outscoring Old Dominion, 17-7. James Madison sank back-to-back three's by Evan and Lawrence to head into the lockeroom with a 35-33 advantage over the Lady Monarchs. Lawrence's trey with seven seconds left in the opening half had given the Dukes their first lead since the first bucket of the game.
The second half saw Old Dominion take over the ball game. Five minutes into the second half senior Megan Pym (Newfield, N.Y.) put away a bucket, followed by junior Tiffany Green (Chesapeake, Va.) sinking a free throw to tie the game at 54-54, and followed up by the traditional three-point play from the line freshman Jasmine Parker (Norfolk, Va.) that returned the lead to the Lady Monarchs for good. Pym, Green, and Parker's points began what would turn into a a 26-0 run for the Lady Monarchs. The Dukes were held scoreless for over seven minutes.
The Old Dominion Lady Monarch women's basketball team returns to action Thursday, January 17th against Virginia Commonwealth. Tip-off is 7:00 p.m.