ODU MONARCHS (25-7) vs. ILLINOIS STATE (22-12)
National Invitation Tournament Second Round No. 1 seed
Ted Constant Convocation Center 8 p.m. ET
Tickets for the game will be $11 for adults and $5 for youth 17 and under. ODU students will be admitted free and validate tickets online at odusports.com/students. All seats will be general admission.
RADIO/TV COVERAGE
ESPN 94.1 in Hampton Roads; Sports FM 100.5 in Richmond, Va.;WBRG 104.5 FM & Super Talk 1050 AM in Lynchburg, Va. Play-by-play: Ted Alexander- Color Analysts: Dave Twardzik (ODU’72)
TV: – ESPNU: Play-by-play: Mike Couzens; Analyst: Paul Biancardi
MONARCH PROBABLES
G 1 Aaron Bacote, 6-4 Jr, Hampton, VA. 10.3 ppg/ 3.2 rpg
G 0 Jordan Baker , 6-2, So., Hampton, VA. 3.9 ppg/ 2.1 rpg
G 20 Trey Freeman, 6-2, Jr. Virginia Beach, VA. 17.3 ppg/ 3.6 apg
F 35 Jonathan Arledge, 6-9, Gr. Silver Spring, MD. 8.7 ppg./4.9 rpg.
F 21 Denzell Taylor, 6-7, So., Ontario, Canada 3.1 ppg/ 6.1 rpg.
RESERVES
G 3 Keenan Palmore, 6-1, Jr. Stone Mountain, GA. 2.5 ppg/ 1.4 rpg
F 23 Richard Ross, 6-6, Sr., Wichita Falls, TX./ 8.2 ppg/ 5.7 rpg.
G 22 Ambrose Mosley, 6-2, RSo. Jacksonville, FL. 6.9 ppg/ 2.0 rpg
F 30 Nik Biberaj 6-8, Jr., Fairfax Station, VA. 2.1 ppg/ 1.8 rpg.
F 10 Javonte Douglas, 6-7, Jr., Charlotte, NC. 3.3 ppg/ 2.5 rpg
G 15 Deion Clark, 6-3, RSo. Naples, FL. 0.8 ppg/ 0.5 rpg.
F 11 Joe Ebondo, 6-7, Sr. Euless, TX. 0.3/ 1.0 rpg
G 2 Martin Shaw, 6-1, JR., Hampton, VA. 0.3 ppg/ 0.0 rpg.
MONARCH NOTES
ODU’s first appearance in NIT since 2006 – Advanced to semifinals
ODU has won seven of last eight games.
ODU won 22 straight at home (Constant Center Best), 17-0 this year (2nd in C-USA to LA. Tech)
Head Coach Jeff Jones won his 400th career game vs. Charleston Southern.
So. Miss 38 points is the second lowest by an opponent this year(MT. St. Mary’s held to 35)
ODU has shot .50 percent or better vs. FIU,FAU, So. Miss & NC A&T
ODU is the only C-USA team to hold both LA Tech & Charlotte below 60 pts. They lead C-USA in scoring
ODU home attendance average is 7,132, (3 sellouts) second only to UTEP at 8446
Aaron Bacote became the 49th Monarchs to reach 1,000 career points vs. Charlotte.
The Ga. State win was ODU’s first OT win since 2-22-12 at GSU & first at home since 2-14-08 vs. Drexel.
ODU RPI is 46 as of March 14 (6 top 100 wins including VCU & LSU)
81 points (.703 FG PCT) by UAB is the most ODU has allowed this year
ODU has been held under 50 points twice (Ill. State & at UTEP)
13-1 start was the best in ODU’s Div. I history.
ODU is 3-0 against the Atlantic 10 (beating VCU, Richmond & Mason)
ODU’s win over No. 14 VCU was the first since the 61-57 at 11th ranked Georgetown in 2010
Trey Freeman is C-USA Newcomer of the Year Player/ All-Academic/Two-time Player of the Week
Jeff Jones is second vice-president of the NABC
Asst. coaches John Richardson & Lamar Barrett were teammates at Elizabeth City St.
ODU basketball players hail from seven different states & Canada.
SERIES VS. ILLINOIS STATE
Illinois State leads 1-0. The only meeting between the two was on Nov. 23rd in the semifinal round of the Paradise Jam Tournament in St. Thomas, VI. The Red Birds are the only non-conference team to beat the Monarchs this season. ISU won, 64-45 with four players in double figures led by Devaugn Akoon-Purcell along with Bobby Hunter scored 12 each. ISU shot .490 from the floor while ODU shot .340. ISU also outrebounded ODU 35-26. Trey Freeman led ODU with 16 and Richard Ross added 15.
Jeff Jones record
Record at ODU: 43-25 (2nd season)
Career Record: 400-312 (22 years)
ODU NCAA NATIONAL RANKINGS
(10th) .56.7 Scoring Defense
(30th) +5.5 Rebound Margin
ODU C-USA RANKINGS
Scoring – Freeman (1st) 17.3
Field Goal PCT: Ross (4th) .580
Free Throw PCT: Bacote (2nd) .840
Rebounding: Taylor (14) 6.1
Assists: Freeman (8) 3.4
Steals: Freeman (9th) 1.4
Asst/TO Ratio: Freeman (5) 2.1
Blocked Shots: Ross (5th) 1.6
Offensive Rebs: Taylor (1st) 3.6
Team Scoring Def: (1st) 56.7
Team FG Def: (1st) .399
3 PT FG DEF: (2nd) .312
Team Rebounding: (5th) 36.2
Rebound Margin (1st) +5.5
COMPARING THE TEAMS
ODU ISU
Scoring 65.3 68.7
FGPCT .434 .436
FG DEF: .399 . 416
3 PT PCT .329 .347
FT PCT .673 .720
REBS 36.2 35.9
R-Margin +5.5 +4.5
ASTS: 13.5 11.7
Turnovers 10.8 12.9
Steals 6.3 7.4
Winner meets the winner of the Murray Sate-Tulsa game on March 25.