Game 31 – Old Dominion (19-11) vs Texas State (14-18), 6 p.m., Thursday, Pensacola, Fla.
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Live Stats –click here
ODU Sports Radio Network – click here
NORFOLK, Va. – The sixth-seeded Old Dominion men's basketball team begins Sun Belt Conference Tournament play on Thursday evening when they face the 11th-seeded Texas State Bobcats at 6 p.m. EST at the Pensacola Bay Center.
ODU (19-11) enters after defeating Marshall 71-67 on Friday night, while Texas State (14-18) defeated Georgia State 81-76 in the first round of the tournament on Tuesday.
LAST TIME/SERIES HISTORY
This is the second all-time matchup with Old Dominion winning the first encounter 70-68 on February 11 as Imo Essien hit a floater as time expired to give the Monarchs the win. Essien got an inbounds pass from Tyreek Scott-Grayson, drove the length of the floor and threw up a floater inside the lane. The ball bounced around the rim a couple times before dropping in as the horn went off for the ODU win.
Chaunce Jenkins was the leading scorer for ODU with 19 points, followed by Scott-Grayson with 18 and Ben Stanley with 12 points.
STREAM/AUDIO
The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
The ODU Sports Radio Network will have the radio broadcast with Ted Alexander and Dave Twardzik on the call starting at 5:30 p.m. with the Toyota Pregame Show on Thursday.
LAST TIME OUT
Jenkins poured in 23 points with six rebounds and four assists as the Monarchs rallied from a nine-point second-half deficit to knock off Marshall, 71-67, Friday night before a raucous Chartway Arena crowd of 6,425. Scott-Grayson added 13 points, while Mekhi Long had nine points and 13 rebounds.
With five Bobcats in double-figures for scoring, No. 11 seed Texas State took down No. 14 seed Georgia State, 81-76, in the first round of the 2023 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Basketball Championship at the Pensacola Bay Center on Tuesday. Drue Drinnon paced the Bobcats with 16 points, followed by Jordan Mason (15), Tyrel Morgan (14), Mason Harrell (13) and Nate Martin (13)
ABOUT ODU
ODU heads into the tournament winners of its last three games and eight of its last 10. Jenkins leads the team in scoring (13.8 ppg), with Scott-Grayson (13.6 ppg) and Long (10.9 ppg) joining in double figures. On the boards, Long leads the team averaging 8.7 rpg, with Dericko Williams (5.8 rpg) and Scott-Grayson (4.7 rpg) joining.
From the field, Faizon Fields has the best percentage (.563), followed by Jenkins (.471) . From 3-point range, Scott-Grayson leads with 40, while Long (27) and Jenkins (26) are next.
ABOUT TEXAS STATE
Mason Harrell leads the team in scoring (15.9 ppg), steals (31), 3-pointers made (40), free throws made (114), attempted (131) and percentage (.870). Nigheal Ceasar (9.5 ppg) and Tyrel Morgan (9.1 ppg) are just off double figure scoring pace. Ceasar (6.2 rpg) and Morgan (6.1 rpg) lead the team on the boards.
ODU IN SUN BELT TOURNAMENT HISTORY (8-9)
| 1982-83 | L | 63-59 | Jacksonville | Birmingham, Ala. |
| 1983-84 | W | 79-68 | Jacksonville | Birmingham, Ala. |
| W | 78-72 | W. Kentucky | ||
| L | 62-60 | UAB | ||
| 1984-85 | W | 84-66 | S. Alabama | Hampton, Va. |
| W | 68-67 | UAB | ||
| L | 87-82 | VCU | ||
| 1985-86 | W | 76-67 | UNC Charlotte | Birmingham, Ala. |
| L | 67-61 | Jacksonville | ||
| 1986-87 | L | 60-58 | W. Kentucky | Bowling Green, Ky. |
| 1987-88 | W/OT | 86-84 | W. Kentucky | Richmond, Va. |
| L | 91-69 | VCU | ||
| 1988-89 | L/OT | 89-87 | UAB | Charlotte, N.C. |
| 1989-90 | L | 94-88 | Jacksonville | Birmingham, Ala. |
| 1990-91 | W/OT | 94-88 | UAB | Mobile, Ala. |
| W | 72-69 | S. Florida | ||
| L | 86-81 | S. Alabama |
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
| ODU | Texas State | |
| Record | 19-11 | 14-18 |
| Points Per Game | 67.9 | 66.1 |
| Opp. PPG | 66.2 | 67.7 |
| Scoring Margin | +1.7 | -1.6 |
| Rebounds Per Game | 38.1 | 32.5 |
| Rebound Margin | +3.2 | +1.8 |
| Assists Per Game | 10.7 | 9.9 |
| Turnovers Per Game | 11.2 | 11.8 |
| Blocks Per Game | 3.9 | 3.6 |
| Steals Per Game | 6.3 | 6.3 |
| Field Goal Pct. | .423 | .439 |
| Opp. FG Pct. | .411 | .452 |
| 3-Pt FG Pct. | .318 | .305 |
| Opp. 3-Pt FG Pct. | .312 | .364 |
| Free Throw Pct. | .684 | .728 |
| Opp. FT Pct. | .664 | .720 |
NET RANKINGS
Sun Belt Conference in the NCAA NET Rankings – as of 3/1
| Marshall | 78 |
| Southern Miss. | 82 |
| James Madison | 91 |
| Louisiana | 92 |
| South Alabama | 126 |
| Troy | 136 |
| Old Dominion | 144 |
| App State | 190 |
| Georgia Southern | 203 |
| Texas State | 215 |
| Arkansas State | 288 |
| Georgia State | 291 |
| ULM | 292 |
| Coastal Carolina | 293 |
NEXT GAME
With a win, the Monarchs will face Marshall at 6 p.m. on Saturday night in the quarterfinals.