NORFOLK, Va. – Keenan Palmore scored a career-high 24 points to lead four Old Dominion Monarchs in double-figures to defeat Presbyterian 69-51 Thursday night at the Ted Constant Center.
Richard Ross, Aaron Bacote and Dimitri Batten all reached double-digits as ODU raced out to an early lead over PC.
The Monarchs scored the first 11 points of the game and stormed out to a 17-2 run over the first six minutes. Batten scored seven of the first 17 points for ODU while Jordan Downing finally got the Blue Hose on the board but Bacote and Batten followed with three-pointers to stretch the lead to 15.
ODU stretched the lead to 24-4 on a pair of free throws from Jordan Baker while Palmore scored 10 of the next 13 Monarch points as ODU led 38-22 with three minutes left in the first half.
Old Dominion scored the final seven points of the half to take a 45-22 lead into the break.
The Monarchs pushed the lead to as much as 27 at 49-22 early in the second half on a Bacote layup.
Presbyterian never was able to get the lead under 18 in the second half, as ODU held the visitors to just 51 points, the lowest the Monarchs have allowed an opponent this season.
ODU forced 14 PC turnovers, while turning the ball over just five times.
Ross finished the night with his fourth-straight double-digit night to start the year with 14 points and three blocks, while Bacote added 13 points and a career-high seven rebounds. Batten added 11 points and two steals.
Downing led the Blue Hose with 18 points and five assists while Reggie Dillard added 13.
The Monarchs host Georgia Southern on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 3 p.m. as part of the Cancun Challenge. ODU then travels to Cancun to play West Virginia on Nov. 26 and either Wisconsin or St. Louis on Nov. 27th.