NORFOLK, Va. -- Jennie Simms hit a go-ahead three with 40 seconds remaining to lead the Old Dominion women's basketball team over Hampton, 61-58, on Sunday evening at the Ted Constant Center.
"It was a great atmosphere," said head coach Karen Barefoot. "Two teams really going after it. I credit them, Coach Six always does a great job with his program. They play hard defense and you have to really earn it. I'm just proud of our team in the way we played through toughness."
With the score tied 56-56 with under a minute to go, Simms drained a triple from the top of the arc to give Old Dominion (5-3) the lead. Hampton (5-6) closed the gap to one at 59-58 with 27 seconds remaining. After an intentional foul, Simms hit both free throws and Hampton's last-second three could not find the target to give ODU the 61-58 victory.
Simms finished with 28 points and a career-high 17 rebounds to lead Old Dominion (5-3), while Gianna Smith scored 12 points and Odegua Oigbokie added a season-high nine points and six rebounds.
ODU jumped out to an early lead thanks to six first-quarter points from Oigbokie, as the Lady Monarchs carried a 25-23 lead into halftime. In the first half, ODU held Hampton to just 27 percent shooting, while rebounds were even at 28-28.
ODU then opened the second half with a 7-0 run to take its biggest lead of the game at nine early in the third quarter. However, the Lady Pirates clawed back and closed the gap to two at 43-41 at the end of the third quarter.
The teams then exchanged baskets and runs in fourth, before Simms' decisive triple. Overall, the Lady Monarchs shot 39.1 percent from the field, while holding Hampton to 27.3 percent. ODU held a 53-44 advantage on the glass, including a 25-16 edge in the second half.
The Lady Monarchs also outscored Hampton, 32-16, in the paint and the ODU bench outscored Hampton's, 23-14.
"Our leader in Jennie Simms really made some great plays," said Barefoot. "We battled and I could not be more proud of the way that we were tough and how we finished the game."
UP NEXT
The Lady Monarchs head to Winter Park, Florida, for the Florida Sunshine Classic Dec. 20-21. ODU plays No. 21/18 Syracuse on Tuesday at 3:15 p.m. and then Dayton on Wednesday at 1 p.m.