25 random thoughts about Old Dominion's 83-64 victory over Hampton Sunday afternoon
1. Hampton guards Bernadette Fortune and Jerica Jenkins may be listed at 5-4, but since they both come up to Jasmine Parker's clavicle, we'd say that's stretching things a bit.
2. Hampton has now lost seven in a row, but the 19-point margin was the closest thing to a blowout in that streak. And as anyone who witnessed it can attest, this was no blowout.
3. Speaking of witnesses, there were 28 of them in stands behind one of the goals at tipoff, 50 if you add in the ODU pep band. Attendance was announced as 3,458. With all due respect to ODU officials, yeah, right.
4. That said, the crowd that was there was an appreciative bunch, responding to the Lady Monarchs as if they were 6-1, not 1-6.
5. Jessica Canady fired her lone 3-point attempt so hard we feared it might shatter the backboard. Otherwise, ODU's recovering All-CAA forward looked the best she has all season.
6. The Lady Monarchs made due with just two assistant coaches. Storm-related issues prevented a recruiting Belle Koclanes from making it out of New York.
7. The Lady Pirates continue to make due without injured starters Laura Lewis and Whitney Hill, who combined have averaged nearly 25 points this season.
8. Mairi Buchan's 3-pointer shot from the top of the key is a real weapon.
9. So is a Carolann Cloutier bomb from the baseline. When the rest of her game catches up with her stroke, ODU is going to have itself a baller.
10. When ODU's long-legged center Tia Lewis opened throttle and sprinted down the floor, even Hampton roadrunners Fortune and Jenkins couldn't keep up with her.
11. Hampton entered the game ranked last in Division I in field-goal percentage. Based on their marksmanship Sunday (30.9 percent), the Lady Pirates should retain that distinction for at least another week.
12. Given the Lady Pirates' reliance on pressure and turning defense into offense, they really could have used a friendly whistle. Instead, they were tagged for 29 fouls. "It takes us out of what we want to do, and that's the only way we can play," Pirates coach David Six said.
13. You know how they say that pressing teams don't like to be pressed? Well, Hampton sure didn't like it when the Lady Monarchs fed them their own medicine in the second half.
14. What happened to Jasmine Parker's offense? Poor girl isn't even looking for her shot these days.
15. Lewis hit 7 of 10 free throws. ODU's other four starters combined to make 15 of 15.
16. When Hampton saw Cloutier bringing the ball up the court, it was as though they smelled blood. Fortune picked the freshman clean once; another time Fortune and Jenkins sprinted about 20 feet to create a trap so secure Wendy Larry had to save the possession by calling a timeout.
17. On the other hand, when the Lady Monarchs used quick, decisive passes against Hampton's press, they carved it up.
18. ODU's "Dynasty Dancers" were in fine form at halftime. Of course, anyone would look good performing to Beyonce's "Sweet Dreams." Love that song.
19. Lady Pirates forward Quanneisha Perry is a fine player who appears even finer because she's lefthanded. A lefty J just looks sweeter, don't you think?
20. ODU forward Vicki Collier was instrumental in the game's defining sequence. With ODU ahead 42-40, her tip-in of a Lewis miss ignited the decisive 13-0 second-half run. Two possessions later, she stripped Jenkins at halfcourt and fed Shadasia Green for a layup that put ODU up eight.
21. Starting and turning in pivotal performances is probably what Collier dreamed about when she arrived at ODU in 2006. Now, several injuries and a pair of matching knee braces later, the redshirt junior's dream is finally coming true.
22. Every time a Lady Monarch hit a 3-pointer, freshman Becca Allison hopped out of her seat and double high-fived every player on the ODU bench.
23. The sound system was a little muddy for the halftime "Ask the Lady Monarchs" feature displayed on the Constant Center's overhead scoreboard, but as best we could tell Collier's all-time favorite Christmas present was an Easy-Bake Oven.
24. Statistics Lie Dept. - Hampton won the rebounding battle 44-36. Even Six couldn't believe it, as after the game he lamented "we got killed on the boards."
25. Not sure what ODU's future plans are, but Six would love to make Hampton-ODU games an annual habit. "Hopefully, they'll play us again," he said.
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