Nov. 8, 2012
SEASON OPENING RUNDOWN
Friday, Nov. 9 - 2:00 p.m.
Old Dominion (0-0) at Virginia Tech (0-0)
Cassell Coliseum (9,847) - Blacksburg, Va.
Friday Live Stats: Gametracker
Friday Live Audio: ODUSports.com
ODU Game Notes
NORFOLK, Va. - The Old Dominion University women's basketball team opens the 2012-13 season on Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. when they face Virginia Tech at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg.
SERIES HISTORY
Old Dominion and Virginia Tech meet for the 31st time in their history with the Lady Monarchs leading the all-time series, 23-7. However, the Hokies have won two in a row and six of the last eight in the series. ODU is 28-15 all-time in season openers.
SCOUTING THE HOKIES
Virginia Tech are coming off a disappointing season that saw them go 7-23 overall and 3-13 in the ACC. The Hokies were picked to finish 11th out of 12 teams in the 2012-13 ACC preseason poll.Junior forward tansfer Uju Ugoka was named to the newcomer watch list but will be ineligible early on in the season. Virginia Tech returns their top four scorers and six of their top seven scorers from a year ago. Junior guard Monet Tellier (13.7ppg, 4.5 rpg) and senior guard Aerial Wilson (12.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg) led the returners for the Hokies.
Karen Barefoot
ODU head coach Karen Barefoot enters her 14th year as a head coach in 2012-13 and 200 plus wins in her career as she leads the Lady Monarch program in year two. As head coach at the Apprentice School in 2001, she led the Builders to a National Championship in the school's first ever women's sport while taking Lenoir-Rhyne the NCAA Tournament in the 2002-03 season. In 2010-11 while at Elon, she led the Phoenix to the WBI, the schools first ever women's basketball tournament appearance. The last time that ODU made the NCAA Tournament was in 2008 when Barefoot was an assistant coach for the Lady Monarchs and helped them make the Sweet 16.
EXHIBITION WIN
Sophomore Shae Kelley just missed a double-double as she led all scorers with 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds to go along with five steals, two blocks and an assist in her first game with the Lady Monarchs to help ODU to a 70-50 win over Elizabeth City State on Sunday.
After a slow start to begin the game, the Lady Monarchs went on a 19-7 run to end the first half and took a 32-21 lead into halftime. In the second half, ODU pulled away behind a smothering defense that racked up 19 steals, forced 35 turnovers, registered eight blocks, scored 42 points off turnovers and had 13 fast break points.
Senior Jackie Cook added 13 points, six rebounds, two blocks and two steals while sophomore Tiffany Minor provided 11 points, three steals, a rebound and an assist off the bench.
CAPTAINS
Senior guard Jackie Cook, senior forward Mairi Buchan and sophomore forward Jackie Cook have been selected as team captains for the 2012-13 season.
LADY MONARCHS PICKED TO FINISH FIFTH IN THE CAA
Old Dominion was picked to finish fifth this season in the CAA preseason poll. The voting was done by the league's head coaches. Delaware was picked to win the CAA, followed by James Madison, Hofstra and Drexel. Old Dominion and Northeastern followed, while George Mason and UNCW tied for seventh. Towson and William & Mary tied for ninth, followed by Georgia State.
BETZ-WHITE PRESEASON ALL-CAA
Sophomore Ashley Betz-White was listed as honorable mention on the preseason All-CAA teams. Last season, she was named the CAA Rookie of the Year and to the All-CAA Rookie Team after leading all CAA freshmen in points per game (8.1), assists per game (3.4) and minutes per game (31.3). Betz-White became just the sixth player in program history to record over 100 assists in her first year.
NEWCOMERS
Head Coach Karen Barefoot added three freshmen this season in local talented guards Galaisha Goodhope and LaQuanda Younger along with center Brittany Martin out of the New York. Transferring in are forward Shae Kelley and Miami (FL) transfer guard Stephanie Gardner. The incoming class is ranked the best in the CAA and No. 42 in the country overall.
Karen Barefoot SHOW
The first Karen Barefoot show of the 2012-13 season will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 6 p.m. at the Y Not Pizza located in the Village behind the Ted. Joined by host Doug Ripley, Barefoot reviews the previous week's game and gives insight into the upcoming Lady Monarch matchups all season long.
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