NORFOLK, Va. -- The Old Dominion women's basketball team battled Charlotte, a top-five team in the league last season, to the wire, but ultimately fell to the 49ers, 63-60, on Saturday evening at the Ted Constant Center.
Kelly Loftus' potential game-tying three with 10 seconds remaining went off the rim and Charlotte (6-9, 2-0 C-USA) grabbed the rebound to hold on for the victory.
"I told our team that this game was going to come down to taking care of the ball," said head coach Nikki McCray-Penson. "I thought for the most part we did that, until the last four minutes of the game."
Old Dominion (2-13, 0-2 C-USA) had just seven turnovers through the first three quarters and led, 49-45, entering the fourth. However, six fourth-quarter turnovers plagued the Monarchs, as the 49ers outscored ODU, 18-11, in the final quarter.
MaKayla Timmons led ODU with a career-high 18 points, breaking her previous high of 17 set in the last game against UAB. Timmons also added a team-leading six assists.
Victoria Morris and Ashley Jackson also finished in double figures for ODU. Morris tallied 14 points, including four threes, and Jackson posted 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
The 49ers were led by true freshman Octavia Wilson's 18 points.
"For the most part, our kids executed," said McCray. "We just didn't take care of the ball in the final hour."
Overall, ODU shot 45 percent from the field and held the 49ers to 38 percent. However, Charlotte outrebounded ODU, 32-28, and had 10 offensive rebounds. The 49ers held a 13-5 advantage in second-chance points.
"This was good for us," said McCray. "To be in a game with a team that was top five in the league last year, that shows a lot about our team."
Up next, the Monarchs hit the road for the first time in C-USA play next week, playing at North Texas and UTSA.
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