Jan. 14, 2012
NORFOLK, VA-- Seniors Trian Iliadis scored 19 points and Kent Bazemore added 16 to lead the Monarchs of ODU to a 69-61 CAA win over HofstraSaturday afternoon and give head coach Blaine Taylor a very happy 54th birthdayin front of 7,235 at the Constant Center. ODU now has a share of first place in the CAA with a 5-1 leaguemark and 10-8 overall after winning three straight games.
Over 40 former basketball alumni were also on hand and honored as well as theCAA Champion Field Hockey squad who reached the NCAA national semifinals.
ODU's 6-9 Chris Cooper also scored in double figures with 13 points along with eight rebounds, as ODU outscored the Pride, 36-23 in the second half.
 Alumni being honored during the game  | |
Hofstra led 38-33 at halftime as the CAA's leading scorer Mike Moore had 19 of hisgame high 21 points. Hofstra led by as much as 11, 16-5 with 13:22 left in the half, but the Monarchs rallied to take the lead at 29-28 with 2:57 remaining on a jumper by Marquel Delancey.
In the second half Hofstra pushed the lead back to seven twice at 46-39 after aNathaniel Lester basket with 16;47 and again with 15:20 left at 48-41 on two free throws by Stephen Nwaukoni.
ODU tied the game at 48-48 with 13:38 on a three-pointer by Iliadis. Thecontest would be tied three more times, the last at 54 with 7:55 left on twofree throws by Hofstra's Dwan McMillan.
ODU took the lead for good, 56-54 on a Iliadis basket with 7:35 left as ODU wouldfinish the game on a 15-7 run.
Kent Bazemore hit a three-pointer to give ODU a 59-54 lead and Nick Wright hita jumper in the lane for a 61-54 lead with 4:42 left in the game.
 The Old Dominion Field Hockey team being honored during the game. | |
Bazemore finished with 16 points along with four assists, three steals and was 7-14 from the floor. Iliadis was 8-13 from the field and added three assists andthree steals. Freshman Dimitri Batten also had three steals and Nick Wright had two as the Monarchs came up with 13 for the game, including nine in the first half. TheMonarchs swatted seven shots led with Nick Wright leading with three.
The Monarchs defense forced the Pride into 20 turnovers and held Mike More to justtwo points in the second half as he was 1-7 from the floor. ODU finished the gameshooting .463 (25-54) from the floor, while Hofstra was .358 (19-53). The Prideoutrebounded ODU, 37-32.
Besides Moore's 21 points, Nathaniel Lester scored 16 and David imes added six points and a game high 10 rebounds for Hofstra.
The Monarchs travel to Towson on Wednesday night for a 7 p.m. contest.