ODU Men's Basketball Led in the Second Half, but Runs Out of Gas and Succumbs to App State Rally, 82-67

By Harry Minium
 
NORFOLK, Va. – For much of the game Thursday night, Old Dominion played on even terms with the Sun Belt's best men's basketball team. With 10 minutes left, ODU led Appalachian State, 56-53, and a Chartway Arena crowd of 6,157 was on its feet cheering.
 
But then the Monarchs ran out of gas, App State went on a 19-2 run, and the Mountaineers went on to defeat ODU, 82-67.
 
It was the sixth loss in a row for ODU (6-22 overall, 2-13 Sun Belt), which hosts its last home game of the season Saturday at 7 p.m. against Coastal Carolina.
 
App State (22-5, 13-2), which won for the 12^th time in its last 13 games, holds a one-game lead in the Sun Belt standings over second-place James Madison, which was idle Thursday.
 
ODU got nearly all of its points from three players – Devin Ceaser (22 points), Chaunce Jenkins (19) and Tyrone Williams (11).  And the Monarchs shot reasonably well, making 26 of 64 (40.6 percent) and 6 of 21 three-pointers (28.6).
 
App State shot far better from the field (30 of 62 for 48.4 percent) and three-point range (9 of 18 for 50 percent). The taller and strong Mountaineers also dominated play in the paint, outrebounding the Monarchs, 47-29.
 
Of App's 82 points, 36 came on shots from inside the paint.
 
But it was App's physical play on defense that allowed the Mountaineers to take control in the game's final minutes.
 
"I think we were physically tired," said ODU interim head coach Kieran Donohue.  "They beat you up, right? They're physical on defense. They outweighed us and were bigger than us at every spot and they play that way.
 
"They lean on you, they rub on you, they bang on you, and that takes a toll over a 40-minute game for sure.
 
"We weren't able to offer enough resistance when we got tired.
 
"That's a really good basketball team. They never got away from what they do best."
 
ODU took an early first-half lead but was outscored, 11-4, over the final 3:24 and trailed by seven at halftime.

App State led by eight early in the second half when the Monarchs made a comeback.
 
Ceaser and Jenkins made back-to-back layups and with 11:52 left, the score was tied. Bryce Baker picked up a loose ball and passed to Dani Pounds who dunked the Monarchs to a 56-53 lead with 10 minutes left.
 
But then App State went on its 19-2 run. By the time Williams made two foul shots with 4:39 to end the App run, the lead was 12 and the Mountaineers were in control.
 
"We didn't offer enough resistance," Donohue said. "We didn't offer enough resistance in the paint, on the glass, or on the perimeter. And their guys were able to rise up. I don't think it was for a lack of want to. I just don't think we had enough (energy) to be able to do it."
 
It will be Senior Night Saturday, and the last home games for Jason Wade, who is in his sixth season with the Monarchs, and Williams, who transferred to ODU from Oregon for his final year.
 
"Senior Night is always an interesting night, an emotional night," Donohue said. "It's always hard to play your last game at home. There's something about that that is disappointing.
 
"You want it to continue. I know I never want any season to end.
 
"We've got two guys, one who's been with us for only a year and one who's been part of the program a lot longer. They've both been valuable guys. I know it's going to be a hard night for them."
 
Guard Imo Essien, who had four points, said he and his teammates would like to send the two seniors out with a victory.
 
"We've won every Senior Night since I've been here," he said. "We would love to send them out with a bang, you know, on the right note."