Old Dominion (9-2, 1-0 Sun Belt) vs. Louisiana (4-6, 0-1 Sun Belt) | vs. Southern Miss (7-4, 0-1 Sun Belt)
Game Info – Thursday, Jan. 4 at 6:30 p.m. | Saturday, Jan. 6 at 1 p.m.
Location – Chartway Arena (Norfolk, Va.)
Watch – ESPN+ (Game 1 | Game 2)
Listen – Fox Sports Radio 1310 AM, 100.9 FM
Live Stats – Game 1 | Game 2
Social Media – Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion women's basketball returns to Norfolk for a pair of home games this week as the Monarchs host Louisiana for a 6:30 p.m. tip on Thursday and Southern Miss in a 1 p.m. meeting on Saturday.
Both contests will be streamed on ESPN+ with Chip Tarkenton and Kim Aston on the call. Fans can also hear Matthew Hatfield and Shonda Deberry on Fox Sports Radio 1310 AM, 100.9 FM or follow along with live stats.
The Series
ODU and Louisiana met for the first time on Jan. 19 last season in Lafayette. Jordan McLaughlin made a long jumper to tie the game at 50-50 with 3:44 left in the game, but the Ragin' Cajuns went on an 8-0 run and held on for a 61-51 final. Jada Duckett made 5-of-6 shots from the floor to lead ODU in the loss with 13 points and a team-high six rebounds. Amari Young finished with 10 points and Jatyjia Jones was next with nine points.
The Monarchs are up 6-4 in the all-time series with the Lady Eagles and won 65-55 in Hattiesburg last season on Feb. 2. The two sides were tied at 26-26 at the break, but ODU outscored the hosts 39-29 in the second half. Makayla Dickens went 4-for-11 from the field, 2-for-6 from beyond the arc, and 6-for-8 at the line to lead the Monarchs with 16 points. She also added four rebounds with two assists and three steals.
About ODU
The Monarchs (9-2, 1-0 Sun Belt) opened conference play with a 62-56 victory at South Alabama last Saturday in what marked the 100th career win for head coach DeLisha Milton-Jones. ODU trailed the Jaguars 32-28 at halftime, but a pair of three-pointers from Brenda Fontana early in the third quarter helped ignite the Monarch offense. McLaughlin paced Old Dominion with 12 points, Kaye Clark scored 10 points with a season-high eight steals, and En'Dya Buford also finished with 10 points and five rebounds.
ODU enters Thursday's game shooting .342 from the field, including .286 from distance, and .670 at the free-throw line. The Monarchs own a +6.6 scoring margin and a +3.5 rebounding margin. The team also ranks 12th in the nation in scoring defense (52.4 ppg), 16th in three-point percentage defense (.242), and 23rd in field goal percentage defense (.350). ODU is also ranked 16th in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll and is 119th in the NET rankings.
Buford is the leading scorer for the Monarchs with 10.9 points per outing. McLaughlin follows her with an average of 8.7 points and Clark is third at 8.0 ppg. Buford and Mimi McCollister (5.2 ppg) have both made 13 threes, and McLaughlin and Fontana (5.7 ppg) have made nine each. Simone Cunnigham averages 5.0 ppg and leads ODU on the glass with 7.0 rebounds per game. Through games played on Jan. 1, Clark is seventh in the country with 3.45 steals per game and 17th with 38 total steals. McLaughlin has dished out 26 assists, Lanetta Williams (3.5 ppg) has recorded 10 blocks, and Cunningham is right behind her with nine blocks.
About Louisiana
The Ragin' Cajuns (4-6, 0-1) are coming off a 69-56 loss to App State last Saturday at the Cajundome. UL outscored the Mountaineers 32-20 in the second half, but it wasn't enough to overcome a 34-point second quarter by the visitors. Brandi Williams and Destiny Rice led the Cajuns with 15 and 11 points, respectively.
As a team, Louisiana is shooting .378 from the field, .305 from the perimeter, and .653 at the line. The Cajuns have been outscored by their opponents by an average of 2.7 points and have been beaten on the boards by 9.1 rebounds per game. UL comes into Thursday's game ranked second in the league in three-point percentage defense (.255) and third in scoring defense (60.5 ppg). Louisiana is also 243rd in the NET rankings.
Individually, Tamera Johnson is scoring 13.3 ppg while Williams, who has knocked down a team-high 19 threes and leads the Sun Belt in three-point shooting with a .422 clip, averages 12.0 ppg. Johnson is also Louisiana's leading rebounder with 65 boards, ranks third in the conference with 8.1 rebounds per game, and is also third in minutes per game (33.96). Tamiah Robinson (3.9 ppg) owns 23 assists, Johnson leads the Cajuns with 16 steals, and Mariah Stewart has blocked five shot attempts.
Louisiana was picked to finish sixth in the Sun Belt's Preseason Coaches' Poll with Lanay Wheaton named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team. Head coach Garry Brodhead is in his 11th season leading the program.
About Southern Miss
The Lady Eagles (7-4, 0-1) have dropped four in a row and hosted Marshall for their conference opener last Saturday, falling 87-72 to the Thundering Herd. A season-high 13 threes proved too much for Southern Miss to overcome in what was the team's first loss at home this season. Dominique Davis turned in a 29-point effort, Melyia Grayson contributed 15 points, and Jacorriah Bracy recorded a 12-rebound, 10-point double-double.
Southern Miss starts off its week at Coastal Carolina on Wednesday night. The Lady Eagles are receiving votes in the Mid-Major Poll and are 115th in the NET rankings. The team leads the Sun Belt with a .445 field goal percentage and is also first with 15.4 fouls per game. Southern Miss is shooting .336 from deep and .719 at the charity stripe, has outscored opposing teams by 9.2 points, and owns a +6.0 rebounding margin.
Davis, the Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year, is netting 21.7 points per outing. Also averaging double figures is Grayson with 11.2 ppg. Morgan Sieper (7.3 ppg) is the top threat from distance with 19 made three-pointers so far, and Grayson is the top rebounder with 7.1 rpg. Davis and Noelani Cornfield (7.8 ppg) have combined for 83 assists. Davis enters Wednesday's matchup with the Chanticleers with 20 steals, and Grayson has the high in blocks with 11.
Southern Miss was picked to finish just ahead of ODU in third place in the Preseason Poll. Head coach Joyce Lee-McNelis is in her 20th season with the program.
Up Next
ODU begins a four-game road swing next Wednesday when the Monarchs head to Conway, South Carolina for a 6 p.m. meeting with Coastal Carolina.
Monarchs Host Louisiana on Thursday, Southern Miss on Saturday
