Chanticleers Survive in Norfolk, Hold Off Monarchs 76-74
In a game that was decided more by who took care of the ball than who actually shot it well, Coastal Carolina escaped Chartway Arena with a 76-74 victory over Old Dominion.
The Chanticleers (led by Rasheed Jones’ 23 points) held the lead for the majority of the contest, taking a 34-29 advantage into the break and refusing to give it back. Coastal’s strategy was simple: don’t turn it over, and make your free throws. They committed a miserly five turnovers all game and hit 21-of-24 from the charity stripe, proving that boring efficiency beats exciting chaos.
Rasheed Jones was clinical, shooting 7-of-13 from the floor and a perfect 7-of-7 from the line. He was flanked by Joshua Beadle (19 points) and AJ Dancler (12 points), who helped offset a frosty night from deep where the team shot just 18% (3-for-17).
For the Monarchs, it was a night of empty calories and "what-ifs." Jordan Battle lived up to his surname, pouring in a matching 23 points, including a blistering 4-of-5 from downtown. KC Shaw added 20 points, and Caelum Swanton-Rodger bullied his way to a double-double (10 points, 10 boards).
However, ODU’s generosity was their und
oing; the Monarchs coughed up 13 turnovers, giving Coastal just enough extra possessions to maintain a cushion. While the final score reads 76-74, don’t let the tight margin fool you—two late three-pointers by Battle in the dying seconds served mostly to make the box score look respectable after the Chanticleers had already iced the game.