Old Dominion University’s men’s basketball team was unable to overcome a double-digit deficit in their game against Marshall, falling 97-88 on Tuesday night at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington, West Virginia.
KC Shaw and Jordan Battle led Old Dominion’s offense with 26 and 24 points, respectively. Shaw also contributed seven rebounds and two assists, while Battle added five rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Caelum Swanton-Rodger scored 17 points on efficient shooting and recorded three rebounds along with two blocks.
The Monarchs finished the game shooting 47.1% from the field but struggled from beyond the arc, making just four of eighteen attempts. They were effective at the free-throw line, converting 18 of 20 shots.
“We played eight different defenses tonight, and not one of them was able to sustain. We had two minutes here and two minutes there where we at least slowed them down, but it was not good enough,” said ODU head coach Mike Jones about his team’s defensive performance.
Shaw kept Old Dominion close in the first half with consistent scoring. After a three-point play by Battle tied the score at 18-18 with under twelve minutes left before halftime, Marshall responded with a run that gave them control for much of the period. The Monarchs trailed by as many as twelve points before closing the gap to seven at halftime.
“When we played them in Norfolk, we were the more physical team in the first half, especially on the defensive end. They scored 34 points. We did not have that physicality in the second half in Norfolk, and we did not have it in either half today. The physicality required to guard a team as good as they are, when they can just flow and move freely, they can score on NBA teams. We required physicality tonight and we didn’t get it,” Jones said.
Marshall extended its lead early in the second half after hitting several three-pointers. Old Dominion managed to reduce the margin to five points midway through the half following key plays from Swanton-Rodger and others but could not complete a comeback as Marshall answered with another scoring run.
“We had two or three turnovers in a row. Then because we’re scrambling, because we’re putting up such a fight in terms of playing hard, we gave up a couple buckets and it ballooned back,” Jones explained regarding late-game struggles.
Despite outscoring Marshall in points in the paint (52-44), second-chance points (17-10), bench points (10-9), and rebounding (34-31), Old Dominion trailed for most of the contest with only one tie and three lead changes throughout.
“We scored 88 points and didn’t shoot the ball well by any stretch, but were still able to do it. We got plenty of points in the paint. We’ve got to keep fighting and it’s going to require some momentum going into Pensacola and a special week. That’s what we believe we are capable of, so let’s get after it,” Jones added.
Old Dominion will conclude its regular season on Friday against Georgia State at GSU Convocation Center with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
