ODU (5-8, 1-0 SBC) vs. A-State (10-3, 1-0 SBC) | ODU (5-8, 1-0 SBC) vs. So. Miss (6-7, 1-0 SBC)
WHEN: Thursday, Jan. 2 - 7:00 p.m. | Saturday, Jan. 4 - 4:00 p.m.
WHERE: Norfolk, Va. - Chartway Arena
ALL-TIME: A-State leads 2-1 | ODU leads Southern Miss 12-4
Live Stats: Click Here! | Click Here!
LISTEN - ESPN Radio 94.1
SOCIAL MEDIA - X, Facebook, Instagram
NORFOLK, Va. – The Old Dominion men’s basketball team will start the new year by taking on two Sun Belt opponents in Norfolk, battling the Arkansas State Red Wolves (10-3, 1-0 SBC) at 7 p.m. on Thursday Jan. 2, and Southern Miss (6-7, 1-0 SBC) on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 4 p.m.
Both games will have live stats(A|B) and stream on ESPN+(A|B). Ted Alexander and Dennis Wolff will be on the call for ESPN Radio 94.1.
LAST TIME OUT
Old Dominion fell to A-State 90-75 on Jan. 6, 2024 in Jonesboro. The game was tied 17-17 at the 12:57 mark of the first half. The home team went on a 14-2 run over the next four minutes of play and never looked back. The Red Wolves had four scorers in double-figures and shot 46% from deep.
On Feb. 7, 2024 the Monarchs dropped a 78-73 decision in Hattiesburg fueled by Austin Crowley’s 30 points. Chaunce Jenkins dropped 22 points in the loss. The first half was a back and forth affair, with both teams taking a five point lead but were unable to expand upon it as the half ended 34-33 in favor of the home team.
ABOUT ODU
ODU has won two-straight and finished December with a 3-2 record. Robert Davis Jr. has averaged 25.5 points over the last two games and was the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week for his performance in the win over ULM.
Davis leads the team in scoring with 14.8 ppg, three-point attempts, and makes (46-for-115). He averages 3.83 threes per game which ranks 4th in the nation on 40% shooting from deep. His 32 points against ULM is tied for the highest scoring performance in the Sun Belt this season. The transfer from UMass leads the Sun Belt in three-pointers made (46) and is sixth in scoring (14.8). Sean Durugordon is the team’s second leading scorer, averaging 12.5 ppg. The native of Harlem, New York, is the team’s second leading rebounder averaging 6.8 rpg. His average of 3.54 orpg is 15th best in the nation and ranks first in the Sun Belt. He is the team’s leading free throw shooter, hitting an .821 at the stripe. Stephaun Walker is the team’s leading rebounder, grabbing an average of 8.2 per game. His 3.1 orpg average ranks 55th in the NCAA. The transfer from Robert Morris ranks third in the Sun Belt in rebounds per game (8.2) and offensive rebounds (3.1). Caelum Swanton-Rodger, the transfer from Maryland, protects the paint by swatting away 1.8 blocks per game, his 24 blocks this season rank 33rd in the nation and are tied for first in the Sun Belt. Freshman Jaden Johnson has started all 13 games this season at point guard and leads the Monarchs in assists per game (4.15) and is fourth in the Sun Belt in minutes played (33.23).
As a team, ODU scores an average of 69.9 points per game, shoots 41% from the floor and 30% from behind the arc. They hold a +2.2 rebounding margin and grab 39.5 per game while dishing out 11.5 assists per game. The Monarchs have swatted away 42 shots this season while swiping 65 steals. In the Sun Belt, ODU ranks first in offensive rebounds per game (14.31) and they have the second-best rebounding offense (39.54). Chartway Arena has been home to the highest attendance in the Sun Belt with an average crowd size of 4,824.
ABOUT A-STATE
The Red Wolves (10-3, 1-0, SBC) were picked to finish first in the Sun Belt Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The team is currently on a five game win streak heading into the matchup in Norfolk. A-State is 97 in both the NCAA Net Rankings and in Kenpom, and has a 5.5 BPI.
A-State’s Kobe Julien, the redshirt senior out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana was named the Sun Belt Conference’s Preseason Player of the Year. Julien, Taryn Todd, and Izaiyah Nelson were all named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Teams. Todd leads the Red Wolves in scoring, averaging 15.6 ppg, and is shooting 36.1% from deep. Julien is the team’s second leading scorer, averaging 13.6 ppg.
As a team, the Red Wolves are shooting a combined 41.6% from the field while conceding an average shooting percentage of 39.3%. From deep, A-State averages 31.9% per game while shooting 70% from the stripe. Only four players have played in all 13 of their games so far and have shuffled their lineups around with eight players averaging more than 15 minutes per game. The Red Wolves have the top ranked scoring offense in the Sun Belt. They rank second in scoring margin (+9.15), blocked shots (63), and three-pointers made (125).
ABOUT SOUTHERN MISS
The Golden Eagles (6-7, 1-0 SBC) were picked to finish fifth in the Sun Belt Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Southern Miss is 2-2 in their last four games. The team is ranked 307th in NCAA Net Rankings, 287th in Kenpom, and has a -7.3 BPI.
Denijay Harris is the team’s leading scorer, averaging a double-double with 17.2 ppg and 10.3 rpg. Harris also protects the paint and has made 24 blocks this season. Neftali Alvarez leads the team with 47 assists and is the team’s second leading scorer (12.1 ppg). Andre Curbelo was selected to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team but is working his way back into the team having played in only five games this season.
As a team, the Golden Eagles shoot a combined 44.1% and concede a shooting average of 45.3%. From deep, Southern Miss is firing at a .309 clip and averages 6.9 three-pointers per game. From the free throw line, the team shoots 66% and averages 37.7 rebounds per game. Southern Miss leads the Sun Belt in blocked shots (68) and ranks 2nd in assists (196). They rank fifth in defensive rebounds per game.
UP NEXT
The Monarchs will gear up for a pair of road Sun Belt Conference games, traveling to Lafayette, Louisiana on Jan. 9 to face the Ragin Cajuns before heading to Mobile, Alabama to play South Alabama on Jan. 11.
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 of ODU’s regular season home contests. Women's basketball season tickets cost $115 for adults and include tickets to all 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 now on sale. Call the ODU Ticket Office at 757-683-4444 for more information.