Monarchs Fall to Miami (Ohio) in Second-Half Collapse at MAC-Sun Belt Challenge
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A tale of two halves unfolded Monday night in Oxford, Ohio, as the Old Dominion Monarchs succumbed to a late surge from Miami (Ohio), falling 87-72 in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. Despite a dominant first-half performance that saw them lead by as many as 14 points, the Monarchs were undone by foul trouble, cold shooting, and a resilient RedHawks team.
First-Half Dominance Squandered
Old Dominion (0-1) exploded out of the gate, fueled by sharp shooting and aggressive play. Scottie Hubbard opened the scoring with a three-pointer, quickly followed by a layup from Caelum Swanton-Rodger and another three from Jared Turner, establishing an early 8-0 lead. The Monarchs continued their offensive onslaught, with contributions from LJ Thomas and Jordan Battle, extending their advantage to 13-3 midway through the first half.
Further three-pointers from Zacch Wiggins and Thomas pushed the lead to 21-10. Efficient free-throw shooting, including a 3-for-3 performance from the line by Battle, and a jumper from KC Shaw extended the Monarchs’ lead to a commanding 30-17. They ultimately entered halftime with a 45-37 advantage.
However, according to the head coach, the strong start wasn’t without flaws. “We shared the ball and did not play perfect,” he stated. “We had nine turnovers and gave up a few offensive rebounds in the first half. There were definitely some things that if we can hold on a little bit more, we can be up a little bit more.” He also acknowledged defensive shortcomings, noting that Miami (Ohio) scored 18 points in the paint during the first half, an area needing immediate improvement.
Second-Half Struggles Seal ODU’s Fate
The momentum shifted dramatically after the intermission. Early fouls on key Monarchs – Battle, Hubbard, and Swanton-Rodger – disrupted ODU’s rhythm. Coupled with a noticeable dip in shooting percentage, Miami (Ohio) seized control.
The RedHawks chipped away at the deficit, eventually taking their first lead of the game at 53-52 following a three-pointer from Almar Atlason. While ODU briefly regained a tie at 58-58 thanks to a layup by Thomas and free throws from Battle, a decisive 15-0 run by Miami (Ohio) proved insurmountable. The RedHawks extended their lead to 79-62, effectively ending the contest.
“For as many games as we will play on the road, you’re going to have the other team talking trash, the crowd yelling at you, a call here and there that you think is wrong,” a senior official stated. “You just can’t respond. You’ve got to believe that we’re good enough to stay with what we do, and that’s going to be enough to win.”
Balanced Scoring Not Enough for Monarchs
Despite the loss, four Monarchs finished in double figures. LJ Thomas led the team with 13 points, six assists, and three rebounds, while KC Shaw contributed 11 points. Caelum Swanton-Rodger and Jordan Battle each added 10 points to the tally. Battle also led the team in rebounding with seven boards and five assists, and Jared Turner chipped in with nine points, five rebounds, two steals, and one block.
ODU shot 47.2% from the floor and 42.9% from three-point range, but their second-half struggles saw them score just 27 points. The Monarchs controlled the game for 25 minutes and 23 seconds, but ultimately allowed 42 points in the paint and 28 points off of 19 turnovers.
Robert Davis Jr. and Stephaun Walker were unavailable for the game. The head coach downplayed their absence, emphasizing the importance of depth. “If we’re going to be the team that we believe we can be, and depth being such an asset to us, there’s going to be times in the season where somebody is going to be missing,” he said. “I’ll take the four guys in double figures and three other guys a bucket away from being in double figures.”
Looking Ahead
Old Dominion will return to action on Thursday, November 6, hosting Randolph College at 7 p.m. at Chartway Arena. .
