HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Kelly Loftus scored a season-high 24 points and the Old Dominion women's basketball team cruised to a dominant 74-55 win at Southern Miss on Saturday afternoon at Reed Green Coliseum.
Old Dominion (6-19, 4-7 C-USA) posted a banner performance offensively, setting season highs in field goal percentage (61%) and three-point percentage (69%). The win was ODU's first on the road this season.
"Experience is the best teacher," said head coach Nikki McCray-Penson. "Our execution is so much better. It feels really good to come on the road and get a victory."
Aside from the Monarchs' impressive three-point attack, ODU also controlled the glass, outrebounding Southern Miss (13-10, 5-5 C-USA), 39-19.
The Monarchs used a dominant second quarter in which they outscored Southern Miss, 28-9, to build a double-digit halftime lead. ODU ended the first half on a 19-2 run and led 42-25 at the break.
ODU built its lead to as much as 28 in the third quarter and would lead by double digits for the remainder of the game.
"I feel like this is our time," said McCray. "We are locked in."
Loftus led ODU's three-point attack, connecting a season-high-tying six triples. Overall, ODU shot 9-of-13 from beyond the arc as a team.
Ashley Jackson and Taylor Edwards both scored 14 points and Victoria Morris added 10 points.
Defensively, ODU held Southern Miss to 55 points, its lowest total during conference play, on 34 percent shooting.
"I'm really proud of the defensive effort on this road trip," said McCray. "To go to Western Kentucky and hold them to 62 points and to come here and hold this team to 55 points. Our team does not back down from a challenge."
Up next, the Monarchs return to Norfolk to host Florida Atlantic on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Buy tickets now at YNotTix.com.
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