ODU (7-24, 3-15 Sun Belt) vs Texas State (14-17, 7-11 Sun Belt)
WHEN: Tuesday, Mar. 5 – 8:30 p.m. EST
WHERE: Pensacola Bay Center (Pensacola, Fla.)
LIVE STATS: Click here
WATCH: ESPN+
LISTEN – Priority Auto Sports Radio 94,1 FM
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NORFOLK, Va. – The Old Dominion men's basketball team begins Sun Belt Conference Tournament action on Tuesday night as they face Texas State at 8:30 p.m. at the Pensacola Bay Center.
ODU (7-24, 3-15) enters the tournament as the 14th-seed, while Texas State (14-17, 7-11) comes in as the 11th-seed. The winner of this game faces sixth-seeded Southern Miss on Thursday night at 6 p.m. EST.
You can watch tournament games on ESPN+ and fans can also listen to Priority Auto Sports Radio 94.1FM with Ted Alexander and Dennis Wolff on the call at 8 p.m. on Tuesday night.
The series with Texas State is even at 1-1 after the Bobcats defeated the Monarchs in the first round of the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Tournament 65-36. ODU defeated Texas State 70-68 in San Marcos, Texas on Feb. 11, 2023 as Imo Essien went coast-to-coast with a floater at the buzzer.
ABOUT ODU
Old Dominion fell 92-75 to Georgia Southern to close the regular season. Chaunce Jenkins had 24 points, while R.J. Blakney added 12 and Tyrone Williams chipped in with 11. Jason Wade had a season high nine points and a team-high seven rebounds as well.
For the season, Jenkins leads the team in scoring at 16.2 points per game and team-highs of 79 assists, 46 3-pointers and 117 free throws made. Williams follows at 12.7 points and a team-high 5.5 rebounds and 41 steals, while Devin Ceaser is at 9.0 points per game. R.J. Blakney is next at 7.9 ppg and second on the team with 4.3 rebounds per contest, while leading in blocked shots with 27.
As a team, the Monarchs are averaging 70.5 points per game and allowing 76.5. From the floor, the Monarchs are hitting 812-of-1936 (41.9%) from the field, 215-of-674 (31.9%) from 3-point range and 346-of-527 from the foul line (65.7%). The opposition is hitting 798-of-1832 from the field (43.6%), 274-of-779 from 3-point range (35.2%) and 502-of-698 (71.9%) from the line. ODU is being outrebounded 40.6 to 35.2 per game. The Monarchs average 10.7 turnovers per game and force 13 per contest.
ABOUT TEXAS STATE
The Bobcats have won their last three games, including a win on the final night of the regular season defeating Troy 82-79 in overtime at home. Davion Sykes had 30 points and 12 rebounds going 10-of-15 from the floor and from the foul line to lead Texas State. Dontae Horne added 17 points off the bench for the hosts who outrebounded Troy 42-33 in the contest.
Against ODU in the tournament last year, Texas State jumped out to a 32-14 halftime lead holding the Monarchs to 16.7% shooting from the floor en route to the 65-36 win.
Jordan Mason leads Texas State in scoring averaging 12.3 points per game, to go with 3.2 rebounds and a team high 33 steals. Sykes is next at 11.3 points per game and a team-high 7.2 rebounds per game. Brandon Love is next at 10.3 points per game, 5.5 rebounds and a team-high 96 assists.
As a team, Texas State is averaging 68.9 points per game and allowing 69.9. From the floor, they're hitting 779-of-1772 (44%), 141-of-440 (32%) from 3-point range and 437-of-636 from the line (68.7%). Their opponents are hitting 756-of-1728 from the floor (43.8%), 191-of-607 from 3-point land (31.5%) and 466-of-635 (73.4%) from the line. On the boards, Texas State is averaging 35.7 rebounds per game to their opponents 33.6. They average 13.3 turnovers per game and force 12.5 per contest.
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
For more information on the 2024 Sun Belt, click here.
Men's Basketball Opens Sun Belt Tournament Facing Texas State Tuesday Night
Imo Essien