Feb. 20, 2011
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - Frank Hassell and Ben Finney combined to grab 28 rebounds and score 22 points as Old Dominion defeated Cleveland State 74-63 on Sunday in the ESPN2Bracketbusters game in front of 8328 at the Ted Constant Convocation Center.
Hassell finished with a career high tying 15 rebounds, 12 points, three steals and three blocks for the Monarchs (22-6).It was his 12th double-double of the yearand he now moves into a ninth place tie with Chris Gatling ('91)on the ODU all-timerebounding list with 859. Finney pulled down 13 rebounds and scored 10 for his third straight double-double.
Old Dominion led 44-43 with 13:17 left to play before going on a 14-3 run, capped by a 3 from Finney, pulling ahead 58-46 with just over 9 minutes to go.
Norris Cole scored 35 points on eight 3-pointers and dished out five assists for the Vikings (23-6), who shot 33.9 percent from the floor (20 of 59). Trevon Harmon and Jeremy Montgomery each scored 12 for Cleveland State. Aaron Pogue led the Vikings with seven rebounds and two blocks.
Coles 35 points is a new Constant Center mark for ODU opponents, passing the oldmark of 34 set by Dominic Mejia of Drexel back on Jan. 26 of 2006. The 12 treysmade tied the mark set by Belmont on 3-23-09 in a CIT game. Coles eight treys ties Robert Vaden (UAB) who hit three treys on Nov. 22, 2008.
Kent Bazemore added 18 points, eight rebounds and four steals for the Monarchs, who have won four straight and eight of nine. Senior forward Keyon Cartercame off the bench to score 14 points and dish out a game high six assists along with two blocked shots and five rebounds. Trian Iliadis also scored eight points.
Old Dominion, who ranks second nationally in rebound margin at Plus 11.1 posted a 53-24 rebounding edge and outscored the Vikings 38-14 in the paint. The Monarchs are now 5-1 in Bracketbuster games.
ODU returns to action on Thursday when they travel to Harrisonburg, Va for CAAplay at James Madison. The 7 p.m. contest will be televised on ESPNU.