Feb. 17, 2011
RICHMOND, Va. - The Old Dominion women's basketball team fell behind double-digits late in the first half and couldn't mount a comeback, dropping a 74-53 decision at Virginia Commonwealth Thursday evening in Richmond.
The Lady Monarchs were dominated on the boards, 49-34, against the Colonial Athletic Associations best rebounding team. VCU ended the game with 21 offensive boards and a 21-8 advantage in second chance points.
The loss drops Old Dominion (17-8, 11-3 CAA) into a tie with UNC Wilmington for second in the league standings, while fourth-place VCU (15-9, 10-4 CAA) sits just one game back of second.
The Rams were paced by another stellar performance from junior Courtney Hurt, who ended the evening with 27 points and 19 rebounds. The double-double was her NCAA leading 20th of the year.
The Lady Monarchs led early, 7-2, after a Kquanise Byrd three-point field goal at the 15:52 mark. ODU had a chance to increase its lead as a slashing Shadasia Green attacked the bucket in transition and converted a lay-in, but was whistled for her second charge in a three-minute span.
Still trailing by five (14-9) with just over 12 minutes to play in the opening period, VCU started to take control. The Rams ended the half on a 22-7 run to go into intermission up 31-21.
Green, junior Tia Lewis and senior Alena Voronina all had to miss stretches of time due to picking up two fouls in the first stanza. In total, Old Dominion was whistled for five charges before halftime.
Voronina scored on a well-executed play on the first possession of the second half to bring ODU to within eight, but the Lady Monarchs would get no closer. VCU scored 11 of the games next 13 points and Old Dominion wouldn't get any closer than 11 the rest of the way.
Byrd ended the game as ODU's leading scorer with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, while Lewis chipped in 10 points to go along with a team-high seven rebounds.
The Lady Monarchs remain on the road Sunday, traveling further north to take on Hofstra. Tip time is set for 1 p.m. in Hempstead, N.Y.
-ODU-