Old Dominion (6-3) vs. East Carolina (5-4)
Game Info – Sunday, Dec. 15 at 3:30 p.m.
Location – Chartway Arena (Norfolk, Va.)
Watch – ESPN+
Listen – ESPN Radio 94.1
Live Stats – Click Here
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NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion women's basketball returns to its home court this Sunday when the Monarchs host East Carolina for the Anne Donovan Classic, scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. tip at Chartway Arena.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Chip Tarkenton providing play-by-play and Kim Aston adding color commentary. Matthew Hatfield and Shonda Deberry can be heard on ESPN Radio 94.1 and live stats will also be available.
Sunday marks a doubleheader at ODU as men’s basketball hosts Northeastern at 1 p.m.
The Series
ODU is ahead in the all-time series, 42-10. The team’s last met during the 2013-14 season when both programs were members of Conference USA. The Monarchs lost a close game in Greenville, North Carolina, 64-63 on Jan. 30 but responded with an 87-78 win over the Pirates on March 5 in what marked Senior Night for the team. Shae Kelley set a new career high with 32 points and pulled down eight rebounds, Becca Allison scored 11 points with seven rebounds, and Stephanie Gardner turned in a 10-point performance.
About ODU
The Monarchs (6-3) were in Raleigh, North Carolina last Sunday to take on NC State, which was ranked 24th in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches’ Poll. ODU opened the game with a 9-2 run and led 19-17 at the end of the first quarter, but the Wolfpack took over the game from there as the Monarchs came up short, 86-55. En’Dya Buford led ODU in the loss with 16 points.
Buford continues to lead the offense with 11.2 points per game. As of Dec. 13, the Memphis, Tennessee native was second in the Sun Belt in both free throws made (35) and free throw attempts (44). She also owns team highs in assists (32) and steals (19). Simaru Fields is next in scoring at 9.1 ppg and has knocked down 14 three-pointers, while Simone Cunningham averages 7.3 ppg and is ODU’s leading rebounder with 51 boards (5.7 rpg), 35 of them on the offensive end. Cunningham also owns five blocks and Mariah Clayton (6.6 ppg) has made seven.
The Monarchs are averaging 60.4 points per contest and are holding opponents to 58.9 points for a +1.6 scoring margin. ODU is shooting a combined 35.0% from the field, 24.2% from beyond the arc, and 66.5% at the free-throw line. Through games played on Dec. 12, the team is third in the country in three-point percentage defense (21.0%) and 10th in offensive rebounds per game (17.0). The Monarchs are the conference leaders in field goal percentage defense (36.9%) and are also second in the Sun Belt in scoring defense and rebounds per game (42.44).
For the third straight week, the Monarchs are receiving votes in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll. ODU is currently listed 133rd in the NET rankings.
About East Carolina
The Pirates (5-4) picked up their second-straight win on Thursday with a 79-47 decision at Hampton. Five players scored in double figures as Amiya Joyner led ECU with a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double. Jayla Hearp and Synia Johnson finished with 12 points each, Anzhané Hutton was next with 11 points, and Khia Miller had 10.
Joyner is ECU’s leading scorer and rebounder with 14.9 ppg and 8.6 rpg. Hearp (11.1 ppg) is the top threat from distance with 12 makes from the perimeter, followed closely by Miller (9.0 ppg) with nine threes. Johnson (5.9 ppg) has dished out 26 assists and also has a team-high 19 steals, though Hearp and Miller have 17 steals each. Joyner is up to eight blocks and ranks second in the American Conference in double-doubles (4) and fields goals (57) and third in field goal percentage (50.4%) and rebounds (77). Johnson is second in the AAC with 2.11 steals per game.
ECU averages 61.3 points while allowing 57.7 points for a +3.7 scoring margin. The Pirates come into Sunday shooting 38.7% from the floor, 29.8% from long range, and 65.9% at the line. The team leads its conference in steals per game (10.4) and turnovers forced per game (20.89) and ranks second in free throw attempts per game (19.56), rebounding margin (4.8), and scoring defense.
The Pirates are 100th in the latest NET rankings and were picked to finish sixth in the American’s Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Joyner was named to the conference’s Preseason Second Team.
Up Next
ODU will make the trip to Washington, D.C. this Tuesday for a 12 p.m. game at Howard.
Season Tickets Available Now
Men's and women's basketball season tickets for the 2024-25 season are available now at odusports.com/basketball-season-tickets.
Men's basketball season tickets cost $217 covering all 16 of ODU’s regular season home contests. Women's basketball season tickets cost $115 for adults and include tickets to all 16 of the Monarchs' home games. Discounted season ticket rates are available for ODU faculty and staff, ODU letterwinners, young alumni, band and spirit parents and military. Fans also have the option for mini-plans which consist of six men’s games for $84 and six women’s games for $42. Single-game tickets are also on sale. Call the ODU Ticket Office at 757-683-4444 for more information.