ODU women on the boards in win over Mean Green

NORFOLK, Va. — When it comes to burnishing your reputation, a December victory over Auburn of the SEC clearly was the biggest this season for the Old Dominion women's basketball team.

But where it counts for the Monarchs, in the Conference USA race, ODU likely claimed its biggest victory so far this season on Saturday afternoon. ODU hit the boards early and often and got some key contributions from its bench to claim a 67-57 triumph over North Texas at Chartway Arena.

ODU (14-3, 4-1 C-USA) won for the 12th time in its last 13 games. North Texas (7-8, 1-4) has struggled much of this season, in part because of COVID issues, but features Quincy Noble, the C-USA Co-Preseason Player of the Year, and standout guard Aly Gamez. The Mean Green were picked to finish third in the C-USA preseason poll, behind No. 2 ODU and No. 1 Charlotte.

"This was a big win," ODU coach DeLisha Milton-Jones said. "North Texas is a good team.

"They will beat a lot of people. We will see them later on, when it's for all the marbles."

The Monarchs held Noble to six points before she fouled out in the final minutes, but it was on the boards where the Monarchs won this game.

ODU outrebounded UNT, 50-29, including 24 offensive rebounds, and this on an afternoon in which the referees wore out their whistles. In all there were 48 fouls called. Three players fouled out and five finished with four fouls.

ODU bore the brunt of the fouls early on, and Milton-Jones responded with some choice words that earned her a technical foul late in the third quarter. At the time, UNT had outscored ODU, 14-5, from the foul line.

"I was deserving (of the technical) because I was looking for it," she said.

"I felt like I needed to step in and do something to change the momentum because I didn't like the way the game was going for either team.

"These women are strong, and they play strong. I don't want the officials to feel like they have to call it like these players don't lift weights and have physicality. I want them to ref the game just like they ref the men's game."

ODU shot poorly, making just 25 of 65 shots (38.5 percent) and was two for 17 on 3-point shots (11.8 percent), but whenever any shot was missed, the Monarchs owned the rebounding battle.

"I tell my players all the time, yes, we may miss shots, but I'm not worried because we have another ability as a team, and that's to crash the glass," Milton-Jones said. "That was big for us today, to get second-chance opportunities, get them in foul trouble, get to the free-throw line and just change the rhythm of the game."

ODU led 45-43 when Milton-Jones got her technical, the closest the game had been since the first quarter, and her outburst seemed to energize the Monarchs. Noble missed two technical free throws, and Joy Campbell then made two for ODU.

The quarter ended with Mariah Adams hitting a turnaround jump shot at the buzzer which put ODU ahead by six.

ODU led by five, 58-53, with 1:50 left when Iggy Allen made a layup that built the lead to seven. Adams extended the lead to nine, 62-53, with a pair of free throws and then drew a foul against UNT's Madison Townley with 49 seconds left that ended any UNT hopes for a comeback.

Allen missed her first eight shots, but eventually caught fire, making five of her last eight to finish with 13 points.

Brianna Jackson, the University of Miami transfer from Virginia Beach, continues to blossom in her new role as a starter. She had eight points, 12 rebounds and two blocked shots in spite of playing just 28 minutes because of foul trouble.

ODU was without Allen and Ajah Wayne (eight points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals in 25 minutes), its top two scorers, much of the game because they were in foul trouble, but two other starters scored beyond their per-game average to help take up the slack.

Adams, the senior guard from Little Rock, Arkansas, scored 11 points, pulled down seven rebounds and had six assists. Amari Young, a senior forward from North Augusta, South Carolina, added 13 points and eight rebounds in spite of being limited to 21 minutes by foul trouble.

Amhyia Moreland, who has played sparingly this season, came in to spell Jackson, who finished with four fouls, and had had three points and four rebounds in nearly eight minutes.

Saturday's game ended a tough stretch for the Monarchs. After being unable to practice for nearly a month because of COVID issues, ODU played five games in the last 10 days, including games in San Antonio and El Paso, Texas. They won four out of five, and finished strong Saturday.

"For us, it was much more the mental aspect than the physical aspect that was difficult" about playing so many games in 10 days, Young said. "I'm glad it's over."

"Coach always tells us that our mind is our strongest muscle," added Jackson. "As long as our minds are intact and focused, our body will do what our mind wants."

ODU has a two-game series with Charlotte this upcoming week, with the 49ers coming to Norfolk Wednesday and the Monarchs traveling to Charlotte on Saturday.

Charlotte (8-6, 4-0) beat ODU twice last season in overtime, including a game in which the Monarchs finished with just four players. ODU, however, ousted Charlotte from the C-USA tournament, 90-89, in two overtimes.

"That's a game we always look forward to," Milton-Jones said. "It's become a rivalry. I love the competition level. Let's put it on the court and see what takes place.""