Dec. 18, 2009
Complete Game Notes in PDF Format
Game 8
Sunday, December 20th - 2:00 p.m. (EST)
Ted Constant Convocation Center (8,600) - Norfolk, Va.
Old Dominion University Lady Monarchs (1-6, 0-0 CAA) vs.
Hampton University Lady Pirates (2-6, 0-0 MEAC)
TV: None
Radio: ESPN Radio 94.1 FM
Online Audio: Monarch TV
Online Video: Monarch TV
NORFOLK, Va. -- In the final home game before the Lady Monarchs take off for holiday break, ODU will host the Hampton Lady Pirates (2-6) at 2:00 p.m. this Sunday, December 20. Old Dominion hosts HU in a battle between the two Hampton Roads area squads for the first time since 2002.
Old Dominion will have one more gmae before the break, as they travel to Philadelphia to face St. Joseph's on Tuesday, December 22 at 1:00 p.m. to kick off a four-game road swing.
The Lady Monarchs have gotten double-doubles out of sophomore forward Tia Lewis in each of the last two games, both coming against SEC opponents. She is leading the league in rebounding with 9.3 per contest and is second on the team in scoring with 12.6 points per game. Junior guard Shadasia Green is leading the way with 12.7 points per game.
Hampton has started 11 different players this season and is being led offensively by Whitney Hill. Hill has started three games and is averaging 16.3 points per game. The Lady Pirates rank 26th in the nation in turnover margin and are averaging 11.1 steals per game, ranking them 34th in the nation.
Today's Game:
All-Time Series -- ODU and Hampton have faced eachother just four times before tonight's game, with ODU winning all four, posting 90 points or more in each game. The two teams haven't faced eachother since 2002, when Old Dominion defeated the Lady Pirates at the Paradise Jam tournament by a final score of 90-54.
About Hampton -- After jumping to a quick 2-0 start over a pair of Colonial Athletic Association squads, the Lady Pirates have struggled and lost six straight. Hampton defeated William & Mary in the season opener and UNC Wilmington before falling in four straight on the road including a heartbreaking 47-48 loss at Howard. The most recent losses have come by 3 points to Temple at home and by 4 points to East Carolina at home.
As a team, Hampton is averaging 58.4 points per game, but despite the 2-6 record, are only suffering a -4.0 scoring margin. Hampton ranks 26th in the nation in turnover margin at +5.1 and also 34th in the nation in steals per game, with 11.1 per contest.
Eleven different players have made it into the starting lineup for head coach David Six so far this season. Leading the way offensively is Whitney Hill, who is posting 16.3 points per game in four games. Laura Lewis (9.5), Jerika Jenkins (9.5) and Bernadette Fortune (9.3) all are also averaging over nine points per game.
Welcome to the Ted
Since the doors opened at the Ted Constant Convocation Center in 2002, the Lady Monarchs have enjoyed a 93-18 record. Last season, ODU suffered just its second CAA loss ever at the Ted, when JMU defeated the Lady Monarchs 72-67 on January 25, 2009. Of the 18 losses in the Constant Center, TEN have been to nationally ranked opponents.
Losses at the Constant Center
11/22/02VirginiaL, 55-63
1/7/03 #5 TennesseeL, 63-91
1/31/03 RutgersL, 59-67
3/22/03 Boston College (NCAA)L, 72-73
1/2/05 #8 TennesseeL, 58-68
1/9/05 DelawareL, 70-73
11/20/05 #1/2 DukeL, 56-93
12/4/05 #19/20 VanderbiltL, 77-82
12/29/05 #5 North CarolinaL, 80-88 (OT)
3/19/06George Washington (NCAA)L, 72-87
11/18/06 #21/24 KentuckyL, 55-69
12/22/06 #5 TennesseeL, 59-75
12/18/08#11/13 TennesseeL, 76-81
12/21/08#15/16 MarylandL, 65-74
1/25/09James MadisonL, 67-72
11/13/09#2/2 StanfordL, 56-89
11/23/09NC StateL, 52-62
12/11/09 Florida L, 67-81
Milestone March
Not only are the Lady Monarchs just seven wins shy of 100 in the Constant Center, but the Old Dominion women's basketball program is just nine wins shy of 900 at the start of its 41st year. Old Dominion women's basketball boasts an all-time record of 891-306 (.745) in 40 years of play. Head Coach Wendy Larry is also approaching yet another milestone, just 30 wins shy of her 600th.
CAA Preseason Poll
The Lady Monarchs were picked to finish third in the CAA Preseason Rankings, as voted on by the head coaches. Defending champions Drexel were pegged as the top team heading into 2009-10 with James Madison also selected ahead of ODU.
2009-10 Preseason Predicted Order of Finish:
1. Drexel
2. James Madison
3. Old Dominion
4. Delaware
5. VCU
6. Towson
7. Hofstra
8. UNC Wilmington
9. William and Mary
10. Northeastern
11. Georgia State
12. George Mason
Magic Number 24
Three players have tallied new career highs early this season, all with 24 points scored. Jasmine Parker scored 24 against Maryland to set a new career-high, while Tia Lewis and Shadasia Green both scored 24 against Louisville to set their new mark.
Toughest Schedule in the Nation
Though it's early, the Lady Monarchs schedule has been ranked the toughest in the nation so far, by rpiratings.com. According to the same source, ODU has the 74th best RPI, even with just the 1-5 record. Through six games ODU has faced four teams receiving votes in the national rankings and the six teams combined have gone 39-8 so far this season.
17 Again...
Sophomore forward Tia Lewis tied her career-high with 17 rebounds against Ole Miss, taking over the top spot in the CAA with 9.2 rebounds per game. Lewis had 17 in a game against North Florida during her freshman year while playing for Central Florida and the 17 hauled in against Mississippi tied that mark for the first time as a Lady Monarch. She also posted her first double-double in the game, scoring 15 points for Old Dominion.