Game 1 – Old Dominion (8-5) at Appalachian State (4-7)
Game 2 – Old Dominion (8-5) at James Madison (10-2)
Game Info – Thursday, Dec. 29 at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 31 at 2 p.m.
Locations – Holmes Convocation Center (Boone, N.C.)
Atlantic Union Bank Center (Harrisonburg, Va.)
Watch – ESPN+ (Game 1 | Game 2)
Listen – ODU Sports Radio Network
Live Stats – Game 1 | Game 2
Social Media – Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Game Notes – ODU
BOONE, N.C. – Old Dominion women's basketball is on the road to start Sun Belt conference play, starting with a 6:30 p.m. game at App State this Thursday. James Madison will then host ODU for a 2 p.m. contest on Saturday.
Both games will be streamed on ESPN+, and fans can also hear Matthew Hatfield call the action on the ODU Sports Radio Network. Live stats will also be available.
The Series
ODU is 2-0 when playing App State. The two programs first played each other on Nov. 30, 1988, with ODU securing an 85-65 win at home. ODU then won 85-49 at App State on Dec. 18 last year. Iggy Allen and Ajah Wayne paced the offense with 23 and 21 points, respectively while Brianna Jackson contributed 10 points. The Monarchs built an early 32-10 lead after shooting 14-for-16 (.875) in the first quarter.
The Monarchs are ahead 52-25 in the all-time series versus JMU, but the Dukes have won the past five meetings and seven of the last eight. The two teams last squared off during the 2012-13 season when they were both members of the Colonial Athletic Association. ODU dropped its Feb. 12 home game to the Dukes 68-56, then came up short 77-61 on Feb. 28 in Harrisonburg. Jackie Cook led the Monarchs in the loss with 13 points, Shae Kelley finished with 10 points, and Mairi Buchan and Ashley Betz-White added nine points each.
About ODU
The Monarchs (8-5) were listed at No. 23 in the most recent edition of CollegeInsider.com's Mid-Major Top 25 poll and are currently 154th in the NCAA's NET rankings. ODU wrapped up its non-conference slate at the Sun Coast Challenge, where the team suffered an 83-47 setback to Mississippi State on Dec. 19 before falling to New Mexico 74-57 on Dec. 20.
ODU has two players averaging double-digit scoring: Amari Young is netting 10.5 points per game and Jordan McLaughlin is at an even 10.0 points per outing. Not far behind them are Makayla Dickens (9.5 ppg) and Kaye Clark (9.2 ppg). Dickens has made a team-high 21 three-pointers, and Clark is next with 16. Young leads the team on the glass with 102 rebounds (7.8 rpg) and McLaughlin has dished out a team-best 48 assists. On defense, Young and Jackson have combined for 17 blocks. Clark ranks seventh in the nation in steals (40) and 15th in steals per game (3.08).
As a team, ODU is averaging 63.7 points per game and has outscored its opponents by 3.9 points. The Monarchs are shooting .382 (307-for-803) from the field, .273 (65-for-238) from beyond the arc, and .634 (149-for-235) at the free-throw line. ODU also ranks 21st nationally in turnovers forced per game (21.92) and 31st in steals per game (11.1).
About App State
The Mountaineers (4-7) lost a close game at North Carolina Central 72-70 on Dec. 15, then fell 77-49 at No. 19 Michigan on Dec. 17. However, App State got back into the win column with an 87-81 home win versus Gardner-Webb on Dec. 20. Down 41-36 at halftime, the Mountaineers outscored the Runnin' Bulldogs 22-16 in the third quarter and 29-24 in the fourth. Chaé Harris led the way with 17 points, Janay Sanders scored 16 points, A'Lea Gilbert turned in 15 points, and Emily Carver and Brooke Bigott recorded 14-point efforts each.
Sanders paces the Mountaineers' offense with a 14.3-point average. Lauren Carter is the second-best scorer with 9.6 points per contest and Carver is third at 9.1. Bigott has made 15 shots from distance, Carver is close behind her with 13 threes and Carter has knocked down 11. Bigott has pulled down a team-high 60 boards (5.5 rpg), though Carter has the better average with 45 rebounds and 6.4 per game. Sanders' 86 free-throw attempts put her 10th in the country. Five different players own double-digit assists, led by Faith Alston's 21. Sanders, Carter and Bigott are responsible for 33 combined steals, while Carter and Harris have teamed up for 13 blocks.
App State is currently 248th in the NET rankings, ranks 21st nationally in three-point attempts per game (26.0), and ranks 29th in free-throw attempts per game (21.73). The Mountaineers are averaging 70.8 points and own a -2.2 scoring margin. Collectively, the team is shooting .399 (278-for-696) from the floor, including .266 (76-for-286) from long range, and .615 (147-for-239) at the charity stripe.
The Mountaineers received 102 points and were picked to finish eighth in the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches' Poll. Sanders earned Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team honors and Alston landed on the Preseason Third Team.
About James Madison
The Dukes (10-2) are the only other Sun Belt team ranked in the Mid-Major Top 25 poll, coming in at No. 12 thanks to a seven-game win streak. JMU finished its non-conference schedule at Saint Joseph's Hawk Classic on Dec. 20-21. After cruising to a 78-43 win over Eastern Michigan that Tuesday, JMU defeated the hosts 78-66 on Wednesday.
Kseniia Kozlova earned Sun Belt Player of the Week honors yesterday after picking up MVP honors at the Hawk Classic. She had 18-point outings in both games, which marked career highs for the Moscow, Russia native. Kiki Jefferson, who has garnered Sun Belt weekly honors twice this season, leads the Dukes with 18.3 points per game. Peyton McDaniel follows with 11.2 points per game and is the deep threat for the team with 29 made three-point field goals. Jefferson is also the top rebounder at 7.8 boards per game, and her 35 assists are tied for the team lead alongside Caroline Germond. Claire Neff anchors the defensive effort with 14 steals and eight blocks.
The Dukes enter the week at No. 81 in the NET rankings. They're also 11th in the country in rebound margin (12.2), 16th in field goal percentage defense (34.3), 19th in defensive rebounds per game (30.2), and 23rd in rebounds per game (43.75). JMU owns a +15.0 scoring margin and averages 71.8 points per game. The team is shooting .425 (308-for-725) from the field, .323 (81-for-251) from long range, and .695 (164-for-236) at the line.
JMU was picked sixth in the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches' Poll with 130 points, and Jefferson was named to the Preseason Second Team.
Up Next
ODU will host ULM for a 6:30 p.m. conference game on Jan. 5. The Monarchs will then welcome South Alabama to Chartway Arena for a 2 p.m. meeting on Jan. 7.
Women’s Basketball Travels to App State and James Madison to Begin Sun Belt Play
