Old Dominion (6-15, 3-6 Sun Belt) at Arkansas State (13-8, 5-4 Sun Belt)
Game Info – Wednesday, Jan. 28 – 8 p.m. ET
Location – First National Bank Arena (Jonesboro, Ark.)
Watch – ESPN+
Listen – ESPN Sports Radio 94.1 FM
Live Stats – Click Here
Social Media – Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion men’s basketball will be in Jonesboro, Arkansas this Wednesday as the Monarchs take on the Arkansas State Red Wolves in Sun Belt Conference action. Tipoff at First National Bank Arena is set for 8 p.m. ET.
Fans will be able to watch the game on ESPN+, or they can tune into ESPN Sports Radio 94.1 FM to hear Ted Alexander and Dennis Wolff. Live stats will also be available.
Series History
Wednesday will mark just the fifth meeting between the two programs with A-State ahead in the all-time series, 3-1. ODU won the initial meeting, 69-61 on Nov. 11, 2006 as part of the Cox Classic in Norfolk. However, the Red Wolves have claimed the last three games, including a 78-59 meeting on Jan. 2, 2025 last season in Norfolk. Sean Durugordon led the Monarchs in the loss with 21 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one block.
About ODU
The Monarchs (6-15, 3-6 Sun Belt) kept up with the league’s top-scoring offense, but ultimately fell just short to Troy, 83-77 in double overtime. KC Shaw scored a career high 34 points to lead ODU in the loss, adding four rebounds, two steals, one assist, and one block to his totals. Jordan Battle flirted with a double-double, scoring 16 points with nine boards, and LJ Thomas chipped in 12 points.
Shaw, a senior guard from Charlotte, North Carolina, leads the offense with 16.5 ppg. Following him are Battle with 13.4 ppg, Thomas at 11.2 ppg, and Robert Davis Jr. at 10.3 ppg. Davis Jr., the Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year, has knocked down 48 three-pointers this season and needs five more to overtake head coach Mike Jones for sixth place on the program’s all-time three-point field goal leaders list. He’s also sixth in the Sun Belt with 145 three-point attempts.
Battle has 39 makes from beyond the arc, and Jared Turner (5.8 ppg) is next with 33 triples. Battle enters the week ranked fourth in the league in free-throw shooting (86.5%) and sixth in both free throws made (96) and steals (33). He and Thomas are tied for the team lead in assists with 55 each, and Thomas ranks sixth in the SBC with a 1.67 assist-to-turnover ratio. Battle leads the Monarchs on the glass with 109 rebounds (5.2 rpg). Caelum Swanton-Rodger (7.0 ppg) is next with 96 boards (4.8 rpg) and has made a team-high 24 blocks.
ODU is scoring 74.1 ppg, but is allowing 77.6 ppg for a -3.4-scoring margin. As a team, the Monarchs are shooting 43.1% from the floor, are fifth in the conference in three-point shooting (33.9%), and make 71.5% of their shots at the free-throw line. Old Dominion ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in three-point percentage defense (31.5%) and is fifth with 11.1 turnovers per game.
Through games played on Jan. 26, the Monarchs are 246th in the NET rankings.
About Arkansas State
The Red Wolves (13-8, 5-4 Sun Belt) split their two games last week, winning 85-68 at Georgia Southern on Thursday before falling 82-81 at Georgia State on Saturday. Against the Eagles, A-State had five players score in double figures and outscored the hosts 46-33 in the second half. On Saturday in Atlanta, junior guard Christian Harmon scored 23 points while hitting six threes, but the Panthers put together a late 5-0 run to hold off the visitors.
A-State has five players scoring in double figures, with Matt Hayman leading the team with 12.0 ppg. Following him are Joey Chammaa (11.2 ppg), Harmon (11.0 ppg), Chandler Jackson (10.7 ppg), and Jaxon Ellingsworth (10.6 ppg). Harmon and Hayman are the top threats from distance with 45 and 34 threes, respectively. Jalen Hampton (7.8 ppg) is the top rebounder with 149 boards. The senior guard is second in the Sun Belt with 5.84 defensive rebounds per game and is third with 7.8 rpg. Jackson is currently third in the league with a 2.05 assist-to-turnover ratio and ranks sixth with 4.2 assists per game.
Arkansas State has the second-best scoring offense in the conference, netting 83.0 ppg. The Red Wolves are holding opponents to 79.3 ppg for a +3.7-scoring margin. The team is shooting 45.2% from the field, including 32.5% from long range, and are second in the SBC in free-throw shooting (77.0%). They lead the SBC and rank 10th nationally with 35.57 bench points per game, and are first in the conference and 23rd nationally with 13.67 offensive rebounds per game. A-State’s +6.5-rebounding margin is tops in the Sun Belt, they’re second in rebounds per game (39.71) and free throws made per game (17.9), and rank third in free-throw attempts per game (23.2) and assists per game (15.4).
The Red Wolves are led by first year head coach Ryan Pannone, who took over the program after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Alabama. A-State was picked to finish second in the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches’ Poll with Jackson earning a spot on the Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team.
Arkansas State is 146th in the latest NET rankings.
Up Next
ODU continues its road trip with a 5 p.m. ET game at Texas State this Saturday.
Season Sponsor
Bon Secours is the Presenting Sponsor of Old Dominion University’s 2025-26 Men’s Basketball Season. Bon Secours is proud to operate its four hospitals and medical centers in Hampton Roads and is even more proud to serve the surrounding community with exceptional care. It’s our mission at Bon Secours Hampton Roads to treat the whole person — mind, body and spirit, to bring compassion to health care, and to be good help to those in need. Bon Secours – the health care you deserve from a team you can trust.
SEASON TICKETS ON SALE
Men's Basketball Season Tickets: Secure your spot for all 14 of ODU’s home games this season for just $215.
Women's Basketball Season Tickets: Enjoy every moment of Monarchs basketball with season tickets for $120 (adults), which includes access to all 15 home games.
Discounted season ticket rates are available for ODU Faculty & Staff, ODU Letterwinners, Young Alumni, Band & Spirit Parents and Military. Call for more information.
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Call the ODU Ticket Office at 757-683-3375 or online at odusports.com/tickets to secure your seats today!