Nov. 3, 2008
NORFOLK, VA-- The ODU Monarchs host Chowan University in an exhibition contestTuesday night at 7 p.m. in the Ted Constant Convocation Center.
The Old Dominion Monarchs, winners of a school record 94 games the last four seasons and 111 the past five, return seven lettermen along with four players with 16 or more starts. Last year's Monarchs won 18 games and advanced to the quarterfinals of theinaugural College Basketball Invitational. The 94 wins is the best among Virginia's Division I schools.
The Monarchs lost two of their top five scorers, including CAA Defensive Player of the Year Brandon Johnson who averaged 7.5 points, 4.6 assists and 2.7 steals. BrianHenderson ranked in the top 15 in the CAA in three-point shooting and was second on the team in scoring at 9.5 points per game. Henderson completed his career as ODU's all-time leader in games played with 134, while Johnson who set a new school single season steals mark of 91, is second all-time in career steals with 236.
Heading ODU's returnees are Gerald Lee (6-10, Jr, C-F, 12.9 ppg./5.8 rpg.),a second team All-CAA selection last season. Lee scored 20 points with eight reboundsagainst then sixth ranked Louisville and 24 points with 12 boards against then fifth ranked Georgetown. Also returning with at least 16 or more starts are Ben Finney (6-5,So., F, 7.0 ppg, 5.0), Darius James (6-1, So, G, 7.0 ppg., 2.2 apg.), and Frank Hassell (6-8,RS-So, 5.3 ppg./ 4.9 rpg.).
The Monarchs will be counting heavily on Jonathan Adams (6-6, Sr.,F, 6.0 ppg/4.1 rpg) along with Marsharee Neely (6-2, Jr,G, 3.0 ppg), Keyon Carter (6-8, F, RS-So, F, 2.0 ppg), and redshirts Kent Bazemore (6-5, Fr, G-F, Kelford, NC./Bertie HS), andEtoile Imama (6-3, Fr, G, Montreal, Canada/Champlain St. Lambert HS).
The Monarchs brought in another outstanding recruiting class which include: freshmen Chris Cooper (6-9, Fr, C, Woodbridge, VA./Forest Park HS), Trian Illiadis(6-3, Fr., G, Gwelp, W.Australia), Nick Wright (6-8, Fr, F, Suffolk, VA./Nansemound River HS) and Marquel De Lancey (6-0, Fr, G, Alexandria, VA., Mt. Vernon HS). Iliadis is nursing a foot injury.
The Monarchs averaged over 7,100 in attendance for the regular season which is the largest since the Constant Center opened in 2002-03. ODU has enjoyed the CAA'sbest home attendance three of the last four years.
The Monarchs will play another solid schedule with UAB, Richmond and Winthrop coming to the Constant Center, an ESPN Bracketbuster's home game and 18 conference games culminating with the 2009 CAA championships, March 6-9 at the Richmond Coliseum. The Monarchs will play road games at Charlotte, Marshall, Bucknell and Duquesne.
The Monarchs final exhibition game will be Saturday against Virginia State.