Feb. 4, 2010
Box Score | Box Score in PDF Format
WILMINGTON, N.C. - The Old Dominion Lady Monarchs (11-9, 9-1) took over sole possession of first place in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) with a 61-58 road victory against the UNC Wilmington Seahawks (7-14, 2-8). Elsewhere in the CAA, Drexel and VCU lost games to drop out of the three-way tie for first place in the league.
Sophomore Kquanise Byrd (St. Petersburg, Fla.) scored a career-high 13 points while junior Jasmine Parker (Norfolk, Va.) added 13 as well in the eighth straight win for ODU this season and the 41st straight against UNCW overall. Drexel dropped their second CAA game this season on the road against Towson and VCU fell at home to James Madison.
ODU trailed only once in the game, as the Seahawks scored six unanswered points from the free-throw line to take the lead early, 15-13, but junior Jasmine Parker would knock down a long three-pointer from the left wing and then a pull-up trey in transition moments later to give ODU a 19-15 lead. Jackie Cook would hit one of her own to extend the lead to seven.
Old Dominion held the Seahawks without a field goal for over 10 minutes in the first half, from the 15:05 mark to under five minutes remaining. UNCW would hang in, by knocking down seven free-throws,, but ODU took a game-high 8-point lead in the span.
Brittany Blackwell would end the run with a fast-break layup with 4:46 remaining, sparking a 8-2 run for the Seahawks, but Old Dominion would extend the lead back to six at the break, 30-24.
In the second half, ODU struggled to extend the lead as Wilmington managed to keep the game within single-digits. A Treasure Johnson three-pointer with 7:49 remaining cut the lead to three, 49-46, and then a pair of free throws capped a 9-2 run to get back within one, 49-48.
The Lady Monarchs never trailed in the second half, but UNC Wilmington did come from eight back to tie with under five minutes to play, and kept the game a one-possession game for the final 7:51. UNCW leading scorer Brittany Blackwell knotted the score at 52 with 4:40 remaining with a layup on an assist from Martha White. On the other end, though, sophomore Mairi Buchan (Stirlingshire, Scotland) lined up a three from the top of the key and buried it to get the lead back for ODU.
Just two minutes later, it would be Parker knocking down her third of the ball game, coming deep from the top of the key as well. The seven-point lead with 2:28 to go would be contested though, as UNCW's Candace Walker was fouled during a make, her free-throw miss was rebounded by the Seahawks and Martha White scored her game-high 15th point with a bucket.
Walker got a steal on the other end and Blackwell's layup got Wilmington back within one with less than a minute to go. The Lady Monarchs turned the ball over again giving the Seahawks what appeared to be last shot in the game down one, 59-58. Out of the Lady Monarch timeout, though, juniors Shadasia Green (Paterson, N.J.) and Byrd locked up Whitney Simmons on a trap and forced her into a back-court violation.
Senior Jessica Canady (Williamsburg, Va.) would ice the victory with a pair of free-throws on the one-and-one bonus to end the game with 10 points. She added eight rebounds, three assists and a block as she continues to play well in conference action.
White led the way for the Seahawks, scoring 15 points with six rebounds, while Blackwell also added 14 points, eight rebounds and five steals in the setback.
ODU will be back in action this Sunday, to face off against the VCU Rams (15-7, 8-2) at 2:00 p.m.