Lady Monarchs Host VCU Friday

NORFOLK, Va. -- The Old Dominion women's basketball team hosts former CAA rival VCU on Friday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. at the Ted Constant Center.

The game will be streamed live on CUSA.tv and can also be heard on ESPN Radio 94.1. Both the video and radio broadcasts will feature commentary from Doug Ripley (pbp) and Susan Montgomery (color).

Old Dominion (3-3) is coming off of a 66-56 loss at No. 18/16 Miami (FL) on Sunday. The Lady Monarchs led the top 25-ranked Hurricanes at the half, but a series of second-half rallies propelled the Canes to the victory. 

Jennie Simms leads ODU, and ranks second in the NCAA, in scoring with 26.0 points per game, while Destinee Young is averaging a double-double with 12.8 points and a Conference USA leading 11.0 rebounds. As a team, the Lady Monarchs are shooting 44.2 percent and holding opponents to 37.6 percent. ODU is also outrebounding opponents by a margin of 8.3 boards per game, which ranks second in C-USA.

VCU (5-4, 0-1 A-10) snapped a two-game losing skid on Thursday night with a 75-61 victory at Furman. The Rams previously lost to Iona, 59-57, and at George Washington in the Atlantic 10 opener, 81-67.

Keira Robinson leads the Rams with 13.2 points per game, while six additional players average five points or better. VCU owns a +5.4 rebounding margin and force over 16 turnovers per game defensively. On the offensive end, the Rams are shooting 40.1 percent and average over 19 free throw attempts per game.

Recap last week and preview the VCU with the Karen Barefoot Coach's Show, Episode 3.

OLD DOMINION (3-3) NOTES

• Karen Barefoot is just one win shy of 300 for her career
• ODU is shooting 44.2% from the field, while holding opponents to 37.6% shooting
• Jennie Simms is second in the NCAA in scoring (26.0ppg)
• Jennie Simms earned her second straight C-USA Player of the Week honor on Monday
• Jennie Simms is 17th on the ODU all-time scoring list and is eight points shy of passing Hamchetou Maiga for 16th and 17 from passing Donna Harrington for 15th
• ODU is outrebounding opponents by a margin of 8.3 boards per game
• Destinee Young leads C-USA in rebounding (11.0rpg)
• Freshman Manaya Jones is averaging 10.8 points and 6.0 rebounds in her last four games
• Old Dominion is 1-1 vs. Virginia opponents this season (W vs. Norfolk State, L vs. William & Mary)

VCU NOTES

• Head coach Beth O'Boyle is in her third season
• Keira Robinson is the only Ram averaging double figures with 13.2 points per game
• VCU is outrebounding opponents by a margin of 5.4 rebounds per game
• The Rams force over 16 turnovers per game
• VCU averages over 19 free throw attempts per game
• VCU is 2-1 on the road with wins over Campbell and Furman and a loss to George Washington
• 10 different Rams average 10 or more minutes per game

SERIES HISTORY

• ODU leads the all-time series, 57-16
• VCU has won eight of the last 11 matchups, including last year in Richmond
• From 1975 to 2009, ODU won 46 of 48 matchups
• From 1995 to 2012, ODU and VCU met annually as members of the CAA
• VCU redshirt senior guard Galaisha Goodhope transferred to VCU from ODU prior to 2014-15 season
• VCU assistant coach Richard Fortune coached under Karen Barefoot for three years at ODU