WHERE TO WATCH:
-----Thursday, Jan. 3 (7PM): Marshall at Old Dominion-----
Please see attached document for a complete list of channels picking up Thursday’s game.
In Hampton Roads (WTVZ-2):
COX Cable: 111
Verizon Fios: 820
STREAM: https://watchstadium.com/live/marshall-at-old-dominion-2/
-----Saturday, Jan. 5 (7PM): Western Kentucky at Old Dominion-----
Stadium Facebook Live Exclusive: https://www.facebook.com/StadiumCollegeBasketball/
NORFOLK, Va. – The Old Dominion men’s basketball team (10-3, 0-0 C-USA) will tipoff league play by hosting the top two teams in the Conference USA Preseason Poll, starting on Thursday, Jan. 3, when the Monarchs welcome defending C-USA champs Marshall (7-6, 0-0 C-USA) to the Ted Constant Convocation Center for a 7:00 p.m. start on Stadium (please see attached document for a complete list of channels picking up the game). Then on Saturday, Jan. 5 at 7:00 p.m., ODU will take on Western Kentucky (7-6, 0-0 C-USA), which will stream live exclusively on Stadium’s Facebook page.
“Our fans have a reputation of being very supportive,” ODU head coach Jeff Jones said. “You throw in the fact that these are our first conference games and they were picked ahead of us, we really need our fans to come out in full force to support this team. Let’s make it the best environment in Conference USA by a mile. Let’s help these young guys so that while they’re playing this really difficult schedule, we can get every possible win towards fighting to be in the NCAA tournament.”
ODU students can purchase as many guest tickets as they want for $5 apiece for both games.
OLD DOMINION:
The Monarchs enter Thursday’s contest on an eight-game win-streak, as their last loss came on Nov. 19. Old Dominion is a perfect 7-0 at home this season. Senior captains Ahmad Caver (18.0 ppg, 5.5 apg) and B.J. Stith (17.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg) have led the way for ODU so far.
The Monarchs rank second in the nation for holding teams to 35.2% shooting from the floor for the season. Old Dominion’s defense also ranks fourth in the country for scoring defense, allowing just 56.5 points per game. ODU turns the ball over just 10.8 times per game, which ranks 29th in the country.
"We need our fans this week in a big way," Jones continued. “This group of guys is working hard and doing good things. If the fans come out and get into it for these games, they can really help this basketball team do special things.”
Read more from Harry Minium’s recent article about the magnitude of these two games HERE.
MARSHALL:
The Herd won the C-USA Tournament last season and won its first-round NCAA matchup against No. 4 seeded Wichita State. Marshall is led by the C-USA Preseason Player of the Year, Jon Elmore, who is averaging 19.2 points per game, followed by teammate C.J. Burks, who is going for 17.5 ppg. The Herd enters Thursday night’s contest with a 7-6 overall record, while averaging 80.6 points per outing.
ALL-TIME SERIES:
-Thursday will mark the 20th all-time meeting between the two schools.
-ODU leads the all-time series, 11-8.
-ODU beat Marshall twice last season.
-ODU has won three of the last four in this series.
-ODU is 7-1 all-time against Marshall when playing at home.
-These two schools first met during the 1966-67 season.
WESTERN KENTUCKY:
The Hilltoppers enter the week with a 7-6 record, with wins over No. 13 West Virginia, No. 15 Wisconsin and Arkansas. Western Kentucky was picked as the favorite to win the C-USA in the preseason. WKU finished last season with a 27-11 record and advanced to the semifinals of the NIT at Madison Square Garden.
Western Kentucky has been led by Taveion Hollingsworth (15.9 ppg), Jared Savage (14.8 ppg) and Charles Bassey (14.5 ppg, 9.1 rpg). Bassey, a 5-star McDonald’s All-American, was tabbed as the C-USA Preseason Newcomer of the Year.
ALL-TIME SERIES:
-Saturday will mark the 38th all-time meeting between these two schools.
-WKU leads the all-time series, 19-18.
-WKU defeated ODU three times last season (ODU had won six straight over WKU prior to last season).
-ODU is 11-3 all-time against WKU when playing at home.
-These two schools first met during the 1970-71 season.
2018-19 MBB Preseason Poll
- WKU (9)
- Marshall (5)
- Old Dominion
- North Texas
- UTSA
- Louisiana Tech
- Southern Miss
- UAB
- Middle Tennessee
- FIU
- UTEP
- Florida Atlantic
- Charlotte
- Rice