Feb. 27, 2010
Complete Game Notes in PDF Format
Game 27
Sunday, February 28th - 2:00 p.m.
Old Dominion University Lady Monarchs (15-11, 13-3 CAA) at
Virginia Commonwealth University Rams (18-10, 11-5 CAA)
Siegel Center (7,500) - Richmond, Va.
TV: None
Radio: ESPN Radio 94.1 FM
Live Stats: Live Stats
Online Audio: Monarch TV
RICHMOND, Va. -- The first place Lady Monarchs (15-11, 13-3 CAA) travel up to Richmond with an opportunity to lock up the top seed at the CAA Tournament with a win over the second place VCU Rams (18-10, 11-5 CAA). Tip for the top of the standings matchup is set for 2:00 p.m. at the Siegel Center in Richmond.
The road finale for the Lady Monarchs will be a chance to return the favor that VCU handed Old Dominion earlier this season. VCU came to Norfolk and won by 19, the largest margin of defeat in a home CAA game for ODU since joining the league in 1992. A win would clinch the number one seed at the upcoming 2010 CAA Tournament.
ODU junior Jasmine Parker is on a tear for the Lady Monarchs, averaging 12.4 points per game in conferece only games, while knocking down career-highs in every statistical category. Senior Jessica Canady is also reaching milestones this season, just six points shy of becoming the 27th Lady Monarch in history to score 1,000 points in her career. She was held to just two points against the Rams in the game earlier this season.
VCU is a veteran team, relying on production from a core of juniors and seniors, including the league's sixth leading scorer, senior D'Andra Moss. Moss is averaging 17.5 points per game while classmate Kita Waller is leading the league in steals and scoring 15.2 points per game herself. Courtney Hurt, a junior, is pouring in 12.7 points per game and hauling in a team-high 8.0 rebounds per contest as well.
Today's Game
All-Time Series - The series against VCU is the second-longest standing series in ODU history, in terms of games played. ODU has played 64 games against the Rams, dating back to the 1969-70 season. Only JMU has had more match-ups with Old Dominion. ODU has a 54-10 advantage in the all-time series, including wins in 31 of the last 34 games. Last season, though, the two teams split with ODU falling by seven to Richmond and this year, the Rams added another victory, their first in Norfolk since 1973.
About the Rams - VCU has been atop the CAA standings for the bulk of the 2009-10 season and remains in a three-way tie for second place with two games to play. The Rams still have a chance to earn the top seed for the CAA Tournament, despite being two games back of ODU, because they would hold the tiebreaker.
VCU had a season-high 8-game winning streak and added 13 of 15 between December 28-January 31, but have won only three of their last seven with a pair of losses to JMU and one each to Hofstra and Drexel.
Despite the recent struggles, the Rams are still among the league's top offenses, scoring nearly 70 points per game on over 41% shooting. They have the second ranked scoring offense in the league overall and are leading in CAA only games.
Seniors D'Andra Moss and Kita Waller are leading the charge, while Courtney Hurt is also averaging double figure scoring. All three rank among the league's top twelve in scoring with over 12.5 ppg each. Moss is sixth in the CAA, averaging 17.5 points per game. Meanwhile, Waller is tied for the league lead in steals with 2.6 per game. Hurt ranks sixth in the CAA in rebounding, hauling in 8.0 boards per game.
Home Sweet Home! 100 Wins at the Ted
With the 70-52 win over William & Mary on February 25, the Lady Monarchs reached 100 victories in their beautiful arena, opened in 2002. The ODU women have averaged over 12 home wins per year at the Ted Constant Convocation Center and have eight such victories this season.
ODU Clinches Share of Regular Season Title
After their 70-52 victory against William & Mary and the rest of the league finals on Thursday night, the Lady Monarchs found out that they had clinched at least a share of the 2009-10 regular season title. At worst, the Lady Monarchs will finish in a tie for first place, holding a two-game lead on the three-way second place tie between VCU, JMU and Drexel. The CAA Tournament this year is being held at the JMU Convocation Center in Harrisonburg, Va. and will begin on March 11 through March 14.
All-Around Parker
Jasmine Parker is having a terrific all-around season for the Lady Monarchs in her third year. She is tied for the team lead in scoring and is also leading the team in points per game for conference games only. But more than the scoring, Parker has been a top notch defender and great facilitator for her teammates this season. The Norfolk native has etched career-highs in assists (96) and steals (65) this year and is among the league leaders in both categories. She also has set a new career-high in rebounds, with 83 total boards this season. Offensively, she is ODU's top deep threat, hitting 41 three's this season and also one of the team's top weapons from the free-throw line, shooting over 79% from the charity stripe.