A Pattern of Struggles for Old Dominion

NORFOLK — Like a classic car on a cold morning or an aging athlete, Old Dominion is increasingly seen as a team that starts slowly. However, this habit has become a problematic one for the Monarchs.

In a recent game against Georgia Southern at Chartway Arena, the Monarchs fell to 93-86 in a Sun Belt Conference matchup. Alden Applewhite led the Eagles with 17 points, and they managed to hold off a late rally from ODU. This loss marked the fourth straight for the Monarchs, who are now 4-12 overall and 1-3 in conference play. On the other hand, Georgia Southern improved to 12-5 and 4-0 in the Sun Belt, with four players scoring in double figures.

The game started poorly for ODU, as they trailed 20-2 after just seven minutes and missed all eight of their field-goal attempts. The Eagles extended their lead to as much as 23 points in the second half, but the Monarchs fought back to close the gap to 85-80 with 1:04 remaining. Unfortunately, Georgia Southern quickly responded with three easy baskets, sealing the victory.

This was the third consecutive game where ODU fell behind early, came back, and ultimately lost. Second-year coach Mike Jones described the situation as “same old story.” He emphasized the need for the team to avoid digging themselves into early holes and instead focus on consistent performance throughout the game.

Key Players and Performance Issues

KC Shaw led the Monarchs with 23 points, but ODU struggled from the field, shooting 39% compared to Georgia Southern’s 47%. The Monarchs were even worse from beyond the arc, making only 8 of 27 three-pointers, including just 2 of 12 in the first half.

ODU guard Robert Davis Jr., who scored 15 points, was direct when asked about solutions for the slow starts. “Sacrifice,” he said. “That’s it. What are you willing to give up for this team?”

The Eagles dominated the first half, taking a 47-30 lead after closing the period with a 15-6 run. ODU didn’t score a basket until Drew McKenna converted a three-point play with 13:02 left in the first half.

Shaw identified discipline as the team’s top issue. “Once we get that together,” he said, “I feel like we’re going to be all right.”

Looking Ahead

The Monarchs are set to begin a four-game road swing starting Thursday against Coastal Carolina. They won’t return home until Troy visits on January 21.

Until then, Coach Jones and his staff will continue working on getting 40 minutes of solid effort from a team that has shown flashes of competitiveness but often falls short.

Jones made it clear that something must change. “Something’s going to have to change,” he said. “Back to the drawing board. What that is, we’ll figure that out by the time we tip it off in Conway, South Carolina, in a few days. But we cannot continue to just show up and just be like, ‘Hey, fellas, we need a better start,’ and hope that happens.”

David Hall, david.hall@pilotonline.com.

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