Old Dominion (11-4, 3-0 SBC) vs. Coastal Carolina (11-2, 2-1 SBC) | vs. Marshall (5-9, 0-3 SBC)
Game Info – Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 6:30 p.m. | Saturday, Jan. 11 at 2 p.m.
Location – Chartway Arena (Norfolk, Va.)
Watch – ESPN+ (Game 1 | Game 2)
Listen – ESPN Sports Radio 91.1 | Fox Sports Radio 1310
Social Media – Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion women's basketball opens a four-game homestand this week as the Monarchs host Coastal Carolina at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Marshall at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Fans can watch both games on ESPN+ with Chip Tarkenton on play-by-play and Kim Aston providing color commentary. Matthew Hatfield and Shonda Deberry will also cover Wednesday’s game on ESPN Sports Radio 94.1 and Saturday’s game on Fox Sports Radio 1310. Live stats will also be available for both games.
The Series
ODU is up 3-1 in the all-time series versus Coastal Carolina and won both meetings last season. Kaye Clark and En’Dya Buford scored 14 points apiece as the Monarchs defeated the Chanticleers 71-57 on Jan. 10, 2024 in Conway, South Carolina. ODU then hosted CCU on Feb. 14, 2024, a game that went to the Monarchs 65-58. Brenda Fontana went 4-for-6 from beyond the arc to finish with 18 points, Simone Cunningham contributed 12 points with seven rebounds, and Clark added 10 points.
The Monarchs are 14-9 when playing the Thundering Herd. The two teams met three times last season. Marshall took the first game 90-60 on Jan. 18 in Huntington, West Virginia and then won 89-75 on Feb. 17 in Norfolk. The two programs then faced each other in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Championship on March 10. ODU led by eight at halftime and put together a 13-3 run in the fourth quarter, but Marshall held on for a 76-70 final and went on to win the Championship final. Clark led the Monarchs in the loss with 16 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, four steals and two blocks. Jordan McLaughlin was next with 15 points, and Mimi McCollister tallied 10 points.
About ODU
The Monarchs (11-4, 3-0) are off to their best start to conference play since the 2010-11 season when they won their first five CAA games. ODU is looking to build on its five-game win streak and is coming off a pair of road wins at Southern Miss (65-47) and at ULM (72-68) last week.
ODU’s leading scorer is Buford at 12.6 points per game. The Memphis, Tennessee native is currently second in the conference in free throws made (60), free throw attempts (76), free throw percentage (78.9), and steals (34). She’s also fourth in the Sun Belt with 2.27 steals per game and owns team highs in rebounds (90; 6.0 rpg) and assists (48). Simaru Fields (9.3 ppg) has made 23 three-pointers, followed by Buford with 15. Kelsey Thompson is next in scoring at 7.7 ppg and Cunningham is fourth with 6.9 ppg to go along with 87 rebounds (5.8 rpg) and 12 blocks.
Through games played on Jan. 5, ODU ranks ninth in the nation with 43.93 rebounds per game, 16.7 offensive rebounds per game, and a three-point percentage defense of 24.1. The team is also 21st in Division I with a field goal percentage defense of 35.4. The Monarchs score 64.3 ppg while allowing the fewest points by a Sun Belt program at 58.6 ppg and are third in the league with a scoring margin of +5.7. ODU enters the week shooting 37.1% from the field, 26.9% from long range, and 67.7% at the free-throw line.
ODU is 113 in the latest NET rankings and is in a three-way tie for first in the Sun Belt standings alongside James Madison and App State. The Monarchs also broke into this week’s CollegeInsider.com Mid Major Top 25 Poll, coming in at the No. 24 spot.
About Coastal Carolina
The Chanticleers (11-2, 2-1) have also had a strong start to the season and split their two conference games last week. After a 92-84 overtime loss at Troy last Thursday, the team responded with a 73-58 win at South Alabama on Saturday.
Coastal has three players scoring in double figures: Savannah Brooks (15.1 ppg), Alancia Ramsey (10.4 ppg) and Kristin Williams (10.1 ppg). Williams has made a team-high 29 threes, though Brooks is close behind her with 22. Ramsey leads the team on the glass with 79 boards (6.1. rpg). Jayden Marable averages 9.1 ppg, owns 59 assts, and is second in the nation with assist-to-turnover ratio. On defense, Brooks is up to 31 steals and Riley Stack (4.9 ppg) has blocked 23 shots.
The Chants score 79.5 ppg and allow 61.2 ppg for a league-leading +18.4-scoring margin. The team is shooting 42.5% from the field, including 30.5% from distance, and 69.7% at the line. CCU is also 10th nationally in turnover margin (9.23), 11th in three-point attempts per game (29.0), 12th in steals per game (13.2), and 15th in turnovers forced per game (23.46). They’re 96th in the NET rankings and are receiving votes in the Mid Major Top 25 Poll.
Coastal Carolina was picked to finish ninth in the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches’ Poll with Ramsey representing the Chants on the Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team.
About Marshall
The Thundering Herd (5-9, 0-3) is looking to snap a three-game losing streak and will play at James Madison on Thursday night. Marshall fell 66-56 at Arkansas State last Thursday and 80-69 at Troy on Saturday.
Pacing Marshall’s offense are Aislynn Hayes (17.2 ppg), Meredith Maier (12.0 ppg), and Madison Kellione (10.1 ppg). Hayes is the Sun Belt leader in points (223), points per game, free throws (66), and free throw attempts (95) and she’s second in field goal attempts (205). Maier is the team’s top three-point shooter with 42 makes from beyond the arc and Kellione is next with 33. Maier ranks sixth in Division I in three-point attempts (122), is 10th in threes per game (3.00), and 17th in threes made. She’s pulled down 84 rebounds and averages 6.0 rpg. Blessing King (2.9 ppg) has recorded 12 blocks.
The Herd nets 68.9 ppg while giving up 67.1 for a +1.7-scoring margin. Marshall is shooting 38.3% from the floor, 32.3% from the perimeter, and 67.0% at the charity stripe. The team is fourth in the country with 30.8 three-point attempts per game and 11th in threes per game with 9.9. They’re also second in the Sun Belt with 12.79 free throws per game and third with 19.07 free throw attempts per game.
Marshall is 199th in the NET rankings and was picked sixth in the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Hayes earned Preseason First Team honors. The Herd is led by first year Head Coach Juli Fulks.
Up Next
ODU rounds out its homestand with a 6:30 p.m. game against App State next Wednesday, Jan. 15 and a 1 p.m. meeting with Texas State on Saturday, Jan. 18.