NORFOLK, Va. -- The Old Dominion women's basketball team dropped its season finale to UTSA, 81-68, on Senior Day on Saturday afternoon at the Ted Constant Center. Jennie Simms, Destinee Young, Annika Holopainen, Rhaven Kemp and team manager Jana Lambson were all honored in a pregame ceremony.
With the loss, ODU will be the No. 6 seed in the Conference USA Tournament and will face No. 11 seed UTEP in the first round. ODU defeated UTEP, 87-68, on Thursday night.
Simms led Old Dominion (16-13, 11-7 C-USA) with 31 points, while Holopainen recorded her first career double-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. However, the Lady Monarchs shot just 35 percent from the floor, snapping a 10-game streak of 40 percent or better shooting.
"I just felt like we were trying too hard," said head coach Karen Barefoot. "As a result, we turned the ball over or we would miss a shot. We couldn't get into a good rhythm."
UTSA (14-15, 10-8 C-USA) jumped out an early lead, as the Roadrunners forced ODU into 29 percent shooting in the first quarter. UTSA carried an 18-11 lead into the second quarter and extended the lead to nine early in the second, but the Lady Monarchs closed the half on a 10-4 in the final 2:14 to cut the lead to 32-31 at the half.
In the second half, the teams exchanged rallies in a third quarter that featured six lead changes, as UTSA carried a one-point lead at 59-58 heading into the fourth. The Roadrunners then pulled away midway through the fourth, using a 7-0 run to extend its lead to 70-60 with 5:26 remaining. The Lady Monarchs cut the lead to eight twice, but the Roadrunners would hold on for the victory.
"Right now, we just have to refocus," said Barefoot. "We need to get back to being us and take that on the road to Birmingham."
UP NEXT
The Lady Monarchs head to Birmingham, Alabama, for the Conference USA Tournament March 8-11. ODU will play UTEP in the opening round on Wednesday, March 8.