By Harry Minium
NORFOLK, Va. – After playing essentially a WNBA-like schedule most of the last month, the Old Dominion women's basketball team is surely exhausted.
On Monday night, the Monarchs took the court for the tenth game in 25 days, and third in the last five days, but had enough gas in their tank to outlast FIU, 73-61, at Chartway Arena.
With eight Conference USA games left to play, Monday's game likely was a must-win for ODU (17-5, 7-3 C-USA) if the Monarchs are to finish among the top two teams in the East Division.
Doing so would guarantee them a bye into the conference tournament quarterfinals.
ODU has the most victories among the 16 league teams but is fourth in the East Division behind Charlotte (12-7, 8-1), Middle Tennessee (16-4, 8-2) and Western Kentucky (15-7, 8-3).
It was also the third game in five days for FIU (11-10, 3-7), which averages nearly 74 points per game, but shot poorly, in no small part because of ODU's defense.
Coming off a disappointing 71-57 loss at WKU this past weekend, the Monarchs overcame foul trouble (four players finished with four fouls) and outran, outrebounded and outshot the high-octane Panthers.
FIU made just 20 of 55 shots (36.4 percent) and only three of 12 three-pointers (25 percent).
ODU, meanwhile, made 28 of 62 shots (45.2 percent) and 5 of 11 three pointers (45.5 percent). The Monarchs out rebounded FIU, 41-36, had 15 assists to FIU's seven and blocked eight shots.
"We're very happy about this win and about how we played," coach DeLisha Milton-Jones said. "We redeemed ourselves from the loss at Western Kentucky.
"I was so glad to see us get out and play an up-tempo style. FIU forces you to do that because they run and press, but we really played well on the break.
"Yes, we're coming off a big loss, but we're beginning to jell. This team still is still trying to establish itself because it's such a young team.
"Tonight, we really played well."
Ajah Wayne and Amari Young each scored 15 points for ODU while Iggy Allen added 14. Young added nine rebounds and two assists.
ODU's schedule was compressed after a 22-day layoff in late December and early January because of COVID forced the postponement of several games.
And there is no rest for the weary. ODU hosts Middle Tennessee Thursday, likely another must-win game, before traveling to UAB on Super Bowl Sunday.
Milton-Jones said with eight games to go, she's not looking at the league standings.
"I'm not paying attention to the standings yet," she said. "When it's time to take a look, I will.
"If I'm worried about what Middle Tennessee is doing, what Charlotte is doing, I'm taking valuable focus away from our team."
ODU bolted to a 7-0 lead three minutes into a sloppy first quarter. FIU scored eight points in a row to lead for the first and only time, 8-7.
ODU then took the lead for good with 1:36 left, 12-10, on a layup by Ashanti Barnes-Williams. Allen made two 3-pointers in the final 36 seconds, and the Monarchs led 18-13 at the end of the first quarter.
The pace picked up for both teams in the second quarter, and the fastbreak favored the Monarchs, who made seven of 15 shots, outrebounded FIU 14-7 and took as much as a 15-point lead before Young put ODU ahead, 35-21, to end the first half on a jump shot with two seconds left.
FIU got hot in the final minutes, making two three-point shots and a layup on three consecutive possessions to trim what had been a 17-point lead to nine with 1:44 left, but did not score again.
Milton-Jones said ODU's training staff has kept the players fresh with hot and cold baths and massages.
"Coach is always telling us it's not going to be an easy season," Allen said. "We know we have a target on our back."
Added Young: "Coach told us not to think about how fatigued we are. A lot of other teams are going through the same thing.
"And nobody in the conferences cares how tired we are."
Game Notes
The Monarchs matched last season's conference win total with seven, doing so in six fewer games.
ODU's 73 points on Monday are the fourth-most most this season. The Monarchs are 6-0 this season and 12-5 under head coach DeLisha Milton-Jones when reaching 70 points in a game.
The Monarchs posted their third-highest shooting percentage (.452) and second-highest 3-point shooting percentage (.455) this season.
FIU (23 turnovers) became the 11th opponent to commit 20-plus turnovers against the Monarchs this season. ODU had nine steals on Monday – three from Mariah Adams and two from Amari Young.
Ajah Wayne and Amari Young shared the game high with 15 points. Wayne chipped in six rebounds, two assists and two blocks and now has 1,230 career points. Young fell one board shy of a double-double, was 7-of-13 from the field and dished out two assists. She now has 1,083 career points.
Amhyia Moreland set career highs with 12 minutes played, six rebounds and three blocks. She matched her personal best with four points.
ODU is 8-2 at home this season and 14-8 (.636) under Milton-Jones.
ODU Women's Basketball Team Outraces FIU, 73-61
