Old Dominion men’s basketball showcased an impressive performance against the Sun Belt’s top men’s team, Appalachian State. With 10 minutes remaining in the game, ODU had a three-point lead of 56-53. However, as the game progressed, the Monarchs seemed to have lost their steam, and App State went on a remarkable 19-2 run to seal the victory with a final score of 82-67.
This marked the sixth consecutive loss for the Monarchs, which currently holds a record of 6-22 overall and 2-13 in the Sun Belt. ODU’s last home game of the season is scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. against Coastal Carolina.
ODU’s performance began with a backcourt violation but quickly picked up with a three-point shot by Chaunce Jenkins in the second drive down the court, followed by a free throw by App State. Leeroy Odiahi added a layup to make it 5-3 for ODU. App State responded with a slam to tie the game, adding five more points to their tally, taking the lead to 10-5.
However, the Monarchs sparked a seven-point run, with Jenkins ending the Mountaineers’ scoring streak with a made layup. R.J. Blakney followed up by finishing a fast break with a slam dunk to reduce the deficit to one point. Devin Ceaser then added a three-pointer to give ODU a two-point advantage.
During the first half, both teams exchanged blows, with App State rebounding and out-scoring the Monarchs 16-6 in the final five minutes of the half. ODU was down 36-29 at the end of the half, following a five-point swing in the final minute.
ODU started the second half with multiple defensive stops while cutting into the Mountaineers’ lead. Blakney added a layup in the early minutes, followed by Imo Essien and Tyrone Williams getting on the board. App State nailed a three-pointer and earned another free throw to extend their lead to 43-35, but Caesar responded with a three-pointer of his own. After a pair of defensive stops, Ceaser drained an open shot from the corner to cut into App State’s lead.
With App State ahead 53-50, the game was bound to have an exciting finish. The Monarchs put together a six-point swing as Bryce Baker scored his first three-pointer of the game, Jenkins added a mid-range jumper, and Williams finished a powerful slam off a Mountaineer turnover to regain the lead at 56-54.
App State responded with another three-pointer to take a 57-56 lead and then went on a 19-2 run to seal the game. The Mountaineers’ physical play on defense allowed them to take control in the game’s final minutes, along with their success from beyond the arc.
ODU’s scoring mainly came from Devin Ceaser who had 22 points, Chaunce Jenkins had 19, and Tyrone Williams finished with 11 points. The Monarchs shot reasonably well, making 26 of 64 FGs (40.6 percent) and six of 21 from three (28.6.)
In a post-game interview, Kieran Donohue, the team’s interim head coach, spoke about the Monarchs’ performance and commended their opponents for the physicality they presented on ODU.
“I think we were physically tired. They beat you up, right? They’re physical on defense. They outweighed us and were bigger than us at every spot and they play that way,” Donohue mentioned. “We weren’t able to offer enough resistance when we got tired. That’s a really good basketball team. They never got away from what they do best.”
Next up for Old Dominion is senior night where they will take the court in Chartway Arena for the final time of 2024. They will host Coastal Carolina on Saturday night with tip-off slated for 7 p.m.
