Old Dominion (15-6, 7-4 Sun Belt) vs. Troy (12-9, 9-2 Sun Belt) | at Kent State (13-6, 8-2 MAC)
Game Info – Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 10 at 1 p.m.
Location – Chartway Arena (Norfolk, Va.) | Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center (Kent, Ohio)
Watch – ESPN+ (Game 1 | Game 2)
Listen – Fox Sports Radio 1310
Live Stats – Game 1 | Game 2
Social Media – Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion women's basketball will host Troy on Wednesday night before heading to Kent State on Saturday for the second round of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. Wednesday's Sun Belt matchup is slated for a 6:30 p.m. start, and Saturday will tip off at 1 p.m.
Fans can watch both games on ESPN with Chip Tarkenton and Kim Aston covering the game against the Trojans. Matthew Hatfield and Shonda Deberry will call both games on Fox Sports Radio 1310 and live stats will also be available.
The Series
ODU and Troy are meeting for just the second time. The two programs faced off in the Quarterfinals of last season's Sun Belt Championship in Pensacola, Florida, with the Monarchs advancing with an 86-83 final. Amari Young led the way with 29 points and nine rebounds, both team highs, and Makayla Dickens followed with a 14-point outing.
Saturday will be the third-ever meeting with Kent State, a series that ODU leads 2-0. The Monarchs earned a 99-74 road win over the Golden Flashes on Dec. 21, 1988 and then beat KSU 89-53 in Norfolk on Dec. 16, 1989.
About ODU
The Monarchs (15-6, 7-4 Sun Belt) split their two road games last week. After a 66-58 comeback win at Texas State last Wednesday, the team suffered a 76-63 setback at Arkansas State on Saturday.
En'Dya Buford is still the team's leading scorer with 11.4 ppg. The senior guard has also made a team-high 25 three-pointers and 71 free throws. Jordan McLaughlin is next in scoring with 9.9 ppg, Kaye Clark is third with a 9.0 average, and Brenda Fontana is fourth with 8.2 ppg. Simone Cunningham (5.9 ppg) owns 140 rebounds (6.7 rpg) with 16 blocks, and Lanetta Williams (3.6 ppg) is right behind her with 15 blocks. Through games played on Feb. 5, Clark leads the Sun Belt and ranks ninth in the country in both steals (68) and steals per game (3.24). Buford is currently second in the league and 51st nationally in steals per game (2.38), and she's third in the league and 48th in Division I in steals (50).
ODU enters the week averaging 62.5 points per game and is atop the conference standings in scoring defense with 58.1 points allowed per game. The Monarchs are also second in the Sun Belt and 27th nationally in steals per game (10.8) and they rank second in the league and 32nd in the country in three-point percentage defense (.270). The team is shooting .369 from the field, .268 from beyond the arc, and .678 at the free-throw line.
ODU is currently in a three-way tie for fourth place in the conference standings alongside ULM and Georgia State and is 124th in the NET rankings. The Monarchs defeated Buffalo 59-48 on Nov. 11 in the first round of this season's MAC-SBC Challenge.
About Troy
The Trojans (12-9, 9-2 Sun Belt) were on a nine-game winning streak following a 94-83 win at ULM last Thursday, but saw that streak come to an end on Saturday as they fell 72-63 at Southern Miss.
Troy has four players averaging double-digit scoring: Makayla Hallmon is first with 16.6 ppg, Tai'Sheka Porchia is second at 15.1 ppg, Ja'Mia Hollings averages 13.1 ppg and Nia Daniel is at 12.8 ppg. Hallmon and Daniel are the top two shooters from long range with 25 and 22 made threes, respectively. On the glass, Hollings has pulled down 131 rebounds and her 8.5 rpg are second in the conference. Porchia is the league leader and ranks 11th nationally with 4.3 offensive rebounds per game and she is also second in the Sun Belt in field goal percentage with a .506 clip. Shaulana Wagner (5.0 ppg) has dished out 98 assists and is first in the SBC with a 2.09 assist-to-turnover ratio. On defense, Hollings and Sharonica Hartsfield (2.2 ppg) have combined for 63 steals and Hollings is the leader in blocks with 18.
Troy enters this week averaging 78.9 points per game, but is 14th in the Sun Belt in scoring defense with 77.5 points allowed per outing. The Trojans are one of the SBC's top rebounding teams though: they're fifth in the country in rebounds per game (46.29) and sixth in offensive rebounds per game (16.8). The team is shooting .406 from the field, .265 from distance, and .692 at the line.
Head coach Chanda Rigby is in her 12th season leading the program and Troy was picked to finish second in the Preseason Coaches' Poll. Hallmon represented the Trojans on the Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team while Hollings and Porchia were named to the Second Team. Troy is currently second in the Sun Belt standings and 119th in the NET rankings.
About Kent State
The Golden Flashes (13-6, 8-2 MAC) dropped their game at Ball State 57-46 last Wednesday. Kent State was then supposed to host Central Michigan last Saturday, but the game was canceled and the Chippewas had to forfeit due to not having enough available student-athletes. As a result, KSU was credited with a conference win, but the team's overall was not impacted as per NCAA policy.
KSU will open its week at home against Western Michigan on Wednesday. Katie Shumate (14.2 ppg) and Jenna Batsch (12.6 ppg) are the top two scorers, though Corynne Hauser (9.6 ppg) and Janae Tyler (9.2 ppg) are close to double figures. The Golden Flashes have multiple three-point shooters to choose from. Bridget Dunn (6.4 ppg) has knocked down 29, Shumate is next with 25 made threes, Batsch is at 24 and Hauser has hit 23. Shumate and Dunn have pulled down 126 rebounds each and lead the team at 6.6 rpg. Hauser owns the team high in assists with 80, and Abby Ogle (2.5 ppg) and Shumate have 53 steals between the two of them. Shumate, Batsch and Tyler have combined for 36 blocks.
The Golden Flashes score 72.4 ppg while holding opposing teams to 60.7 ppg. They're shooting a combined .418 from the field, including .304 from long range, and .705 at the charity stripe. KSU is first in the MAC in field goal percentage defense (.377), three-point percentage defense (.284), and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.13). The team is also first in their conference and 23rd nationally with 13.0 turnovers per game. The first round of the MAC-SBC Challenge saw KSU secure a 64-55 win at Louisiana on Nov. 12.
Kent State was picked to finish third in the MAC's Preseason Coaches' Poll with Shumate earning Preseason All-MAC First Team honors. The Golden Flashes sit in third place in the league standings and are listed 111th in the latest NET rankings. Head coach Todd Starkey is in his 17th season overall and his eighth with the program.
Up Next
The Monarchs have a pair of home games next week as they host Coastal Carolina for a 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 14 and Marshall at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17.
Monarchs Host Troy Wednesday, Continue MAC-SBC Challenge at Kent State on Saturday
