By Harry Minium
NORFOLK, Va. – After a lackluster performance in its last outing, a 64-48 home loss to Marshall, Old Dominion women's basketball coach DeLisha Milton-Jones vowed the Monarchs would play much harder and better next time out.
And Saturday afternoon her team delivered.
Playing on Senior Day, and ODU's annual Hoops for the Cure salute to breast cancer survivors, the Monarchs blew past Western Kentucky, 75-55, at Chartway Arena.
ODU broke out to an 11-0 lead in the first four minutes, built the margin to 21 at halftime and was never seriously threatened by WKU. ODU led by as many as 29 points in the second half.
The victory gave the Monarchs a measure of revenge for a 71-57 loss at WKU two weeks ago.
Aziah Hudson, a 5-foot-4 senior guard from Baldwin, New York, scored a season high 22 points. She made eight of nine shots, including four of five 3-point shots.
ODU played relentlessly, outrebounding WKU 51-39 and forcing 18 turnovers, including 14 that were steals.
Senior Iggy Allen had 16 points and 14 rebounds, and senior Amari Young added 12 points.
"She was the Windex woman, the cleanup woman on the glass," Milton-Jones said of Allen. "To see her going out there and play with the effort and energy she does, it was contagious."
The victory moved ODU (20-6, 10-4 C-USA) past WKU (17-9, 10-5) into third place in the Conference USA East Division standings.
ODU has already clinched a first-round bye into the Conference USA Tournament, but would clinch a bye into the quarterfinals by finishing among the top two in the East Division.
With four games left to play, ODU is just behind Charlotte (14-8, 10-2) and Middle Tennessee (19-5, 11-3) in the East.
ODU paid homage to seven seniors – Allen, Hudson, Young, Mariah Adams, Amaya Register, Maggie Robinson and Ajah Wayne – but it was far from a normal senior day.
First, the Monarchs have another home game to play, on March 2, when ODU hosts LA Tech.
Secondly, five of the seven young women who marched onto the court with their famiiles, received flowers and a standing ovation from the crowd of 2,085 could be back next season.
The NCAA granted all athletes an extra year of eligibility because of the pandemic. Only Allen and Register (who is out with an injury) clearly won't return. Robinson, who had knee surgery earlier this season, would need to win an NCAA appeal for another season.
Wayne, Young, Adams and Hudson could all return, and Milton-Jones said she wants them all to come back.
"I'm hoping and praying that they do come back," she said. "They have more basketball to play, and we have more opportunities to reach higher goals.
"Our goal is to go dancing this year (in the NCAA Tournament) and I think we have the team that can do it.
"They would have three years under their belt with me, and we can only get better. It's like wine, it only gets better with age."
Allen said the seniors were able keep the emotion from the pregame ceremonies from interfering with their focus because they played so poorly against Marshall.
"It was great that we had senior night and we were playing for the cure, but our minds were set on coming out and doing what we needed to do today," she said.
"Our minds were set on one goal and that was redemption."
Hudson said that Milton-Jones had tough words for the Monarchs following the Marshall game, but added: "It's all good. She did it out of love."
Hudson was red hot from start. She made two of three 3-point shots in the first 2 ½ minutes and had 13 points by halftime.
With 2:46 left, Milton-Jones cleared her bench, and all five seniors got a long and sustained standing ovation.
Asked if this is a game she'll ever forget, Hudson shook her head no.
"I won't ever forget this one," she said. "It will always hold a special place in my heart."
"We celebrated all of our cancer survivors but also all of our seniors," Milton-Jones added. "I'm so proud of the women they are becoming and so proud of the winners they have grown into.
"Tonight was a spectacular showcase of who we are as a team and a program."
Game Notes
Aziah Hudson fell one point shy of matching her career high with 22. It is the third 20-point game of her career and the first this season. She set season highs with four 3-pointers and three steals.
Iggy Allen's 16-point, 14-rebound double-double was her seventh this season. She came one rebound short of matching her season high and sank two 3-pointers.
Mariah Adams dished six assists for her 14th game this season with five or more assists. Adams also set the game high with four steals.
The Monarchs turned WKU over 18 times and had 14 steals. ODU scored 19 points off those 18 giveaways.
After being outrebounded 52-31 in the first meeting, Old Dominion owned a 51-39 edge on the glass on Saturday, including 21 offensive rebounds. The Monarchs held an 18-4 advantage in second chance points.
Alex Rouse scored her first collegiate points and finished with five on 2-of-2 shooting. She also set a personal best with two rebounds.
ODU Women's Basketball Celebrates Seniors, Hoops For The Cure with a 75-55 Win Over WKU
