Minium: Victory Over FAU Was a Proud Moment for ODU’s Basketball Program as Well as its Fans

By Harry Minium

It will go down in the record books as Old Dominion University's eighth basketball victory of the season.

But anyone who watched ODU's 65-55 triumph over Florida Atlantic in Chartway Arena Saturday night knows it was more than that.
So much more.

This team has had so many tough breaks, undergone so much adversity and made so many mental mistakes this season that cost them half a dozen narrow defeats and bruised their self-confidence. They limped into this game with a 7-13 record.

It was the Monarchs' first game without Jason Wade, arguably their best player, who was lost for the season two nights earlier when he went down with a leg injury. 

"We were watching film and when we finished watching film, I broke the news to them and they were able to get with Jason in the training room," Jones said.

"It was touching. That's probably the only word I can think of. They care so much about Jason. They were crushed. There were some tears. "We'll try to support them through this."

With Wade out for the season, some on the ODU fans message boards said the season is essentially over.

But the Monarchs clearly did not agree. They put that all aside, played with as much emotion and energy as I've seen in a while and gutted out as gritty a basketball victory as you'll ever see.
It was perhaps their finest performance of the season.

The win was celebrated with unusual gusto by Jones, who thrust his arms up and out and screamed with glee as the clock hit double zeroes.

"Our guys have been through so much and for them to respond this way was pretty special," Jones said. "I'm proud of the guys. I would be just as proud if we had not won and played this hard.
"They keep getting up off the mat. To win, to play like we did, it's been a good day for Monarch basketball."

As well as for ODU's basketball following, which showed once again that Monarchs fans support their team regardless of the record.

The Monarchs lost eight-straight games earlier this season and had lost four of its last five entering Saturday night. Yet a crowd of 7,618 turned out and celebrated the victory with nearly as much enthusiasm as Jones.

There was a good turnout of students who made a lot of noise. Each time the Monarchs surged to a lead, the familiar chants of "ODU" would echo around the arena. 

"Monarch Nation showed what they are all about," Jones said.

"The fact that they turned out like that and supported a team that was 7-13, that has been struggling, that says a lot for our fans."

So does the bottom line.

For the second consecutive season, ODU appears poised to lead Conference USA in attendance. The Monarch's average of 6,113 per game is nearly twice the league average of 3,176 and well ahead of second place UTEP (5,594).

Fans don't appear by osmosis, and Jones noted that ODU's athletic marketing gurus – Jason Chandler and Carolyn Crutchfield – deserve a lot of credit, as does Todd McKeating, who does group sales for Chartway Arena.

"So much goes into our success," Jones said. "Some people get recognized but a lot don't.

"Without Carolyn, Jason and Todd, the crowd wouldn't have happened. They work their (butts) off."

Dave Twardzik, the former ODU All-American who does color commentary for the ODU Radio Network, said it would take several players to step up to replace Wade in part because he is the only Monarch who can play all five positions.

Several players stepped up in his absence both in the second half of a narrow loss to FIU on Thursday and again Saturday.

A.J. Oliver, the lanky transfer from Clemson who became eligible late last month, continues to make strides. He poured in a career-high 21 points against FAU.

Xavier Green continued to shake off what was a shooting slump by making 6 of 10 shots and scoring 14 points. Malik Curry, a transfer from Palm Beach College in Florida, was outstanding in the second half and had 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

Aaron Carver, the steady senior from Elizabeth City, N.C., started at center, had 12 rebounds and four points. 

Kalu Ezipke, a sophomore from suburban Atlanta, has made great progress this season, and can make more. He's so strong that my wife, Ellen, asked during the game "is he a weight lifter?"

He is. He added layers of muscle to his 6-foot-8 frame and is built like a football tight end.

Ezipke has a tremendous upside if he continues to work hard, and he did against FAU, scoring nine points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

Jones and the Monarchs hit the road for a Thursday game at Southern Miss and then travel to Louisiana Tech on Saturday.

Southern Miss (6-15, 2-6 C-USA) and LA Tech (15-5, 6-2 C-USA) are on opposite ends of the C-USA standings, but both games will be difficult in part because it's difficult to get to Hattiesburg and Ruston, and travel this time of the season can wear you down.

ODU is (8-13, 4-4 C-USA) is 1-7 on the road, but Jones said: "If we continue to play like we did against FAU, there's nobody on our schedule we can't beat." 

Wade sat next to me at Tuesday's practice and we talked while his teammates worked.

He's upbeat about his surgery, scheduled Thursday, and is already planning his recovery. His parents, Ronnie and Linda Wade, both ODU alums, and his grandparents are coming from Richmond to Norfolk to help care for him.

Dr. Bradley Butkovich, a Norfolk orthopedic surgeon, will do the surgery, and by the way, he did some serious work on an arm injury I had during the spring and he was fantastic in every way. Regardless, Wade isn't worried about his teammates.

"If we keep playing like we did Saturday, we're going to be fine," he said. 

Contact Minium: hminium@odu.edu