On Wednesday evening, the Old Dominion men’s basketball team demonstrated a commanding performance on the offensive boards in their matchup against Texas State. The matchup was highlighted as fraternity and sorority night. ODU emerged victorious with a score of 75-64.
The Monarchs effectively leveraged their physicality, achieving a remarkable 23-9 advantage in offensive rebounds over their opponents. This assertive strategy resulted in the home team spending a significant amount of time at the free-throw line, where they successfully converted 19 of 23 attempts, compared to Texas State’s 5 of 9.
Notably, four out of five starters for ODU recorded double-digit points, with Sean Durugordon achieving an impressive 20 points along with 13 rebounds, thereby securing a double-double. Additionally, Robert Davis Jr. contributed 18 points, including four three-pointers; Jaden Johnson added 14 points, going 7 of 8 from the free-throw line; and Caelum Swanton-Rodgers recorded 10 points along with nine rebounds, narrowly missing a double-double himself.
Early in the first half, the Monarchs faced a deficit of 11-5 following a layup from Tylan Pope of the Bobcats. Although Pope led all scorers with 23 points, the Monarchs rallied to tie the game at 29 with 5:03 remaining in the half, courtesy of a layup from the Alberta native, Caelum Swanton-Rodgers. Following this moment, the Monarchs did not relinquish their lead, concluding the first half with a 38-35 advantage.
Robert Davis Jr. served as an offensive catalyst in the first half, accumulating 14 points through four three-pointers and a two-point jumper.
The second half largely mirrored the first as the Monarchs extended their lead to 50-39 with 15:46 left in the contest, aided by scores from freshman guard Jaden Johnson and wing Sean Durugordon. The visiting Bobcats made a determined effort to reclaim the lead, narrowing the margin to two points at 56-54 with 6:48 remaining in the game.
However, this proved to be the closest Texas State would come, as the Monarchs continued to assert their physicality and capitalize on opportunities at the free-throw line. With 2:07 remaining, Durugordon drove toward the basket, recovering his rebound multiple times before being awarded two free-throw attempts, both of which he converted.
This advancement established an eight-point lead at 69-61, effectively sealing Texas State’s fate. As the final buzzer sounded, the Monarchs maintained an 11-point lead, improving their record to 7-5 in Sun Belt Conference play and 11-13 overall.
After a hard-fought battle on the court, Old Dominion University men’s basketball head coach Mike Jones reflected on his team’s resilience and unity. Following a thrilling performance, Jones couldn’t hide his pride in the way his players came together under pressure.
“I have not been more proud of our team than I am right now sitting here tonight,” said Jones. “That was incredible. Once again, we had a great crowd and great energy. But I couldn’t be more proud of the toughness we showed tonight, the togetherness we showed tonight. I hope I feel like this a lot more this season.”
Looking ahead, the Monarchs will travel north to compete against Eastern Michigan in the Sun Belt Conference-Mid-American Conference Challenge on Saturday, February 8, at 2 PM.
