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THE MATCHUP: Old Dominion (4-12, 1-3 Sun Belt) vs. Coastal Carolina (8-8, 1-3 Sun Belt)
WHEN: Thursday, Jan. 8 | 7:00 PM ET
WHERE: HTC Center | Conway, SC
WATCH: ESPN+
CONWAY, S.C. — If you’re looking for a silver lining as the Monarchs head to the beach, you’re going to need a very powerful telescope. Old Dominion enters Thursday night’s clash against Coastal Carolina on a four-game skid, having most recently watched a 1-3 Sun Belt start turn into a full-blown existential crisis.
This isn't just a mid-week conference game; it’s a rematch of the Dec. 20 heartbreaker in Norfolk, a game ODU should have won. Instead, they handed the Chanticleers a 76-74 gift. Now, they have to go into the HTC Center to get it back.
The "Slow Start" Epidemic: Is a Lineup Shakeup Coming?
We’ve talked about it until we’re blue in the face: ODU’s first-half performances have been catastrophic. Trailing 20-2 against Georgia Southern last Saturday wasn’t just a bad start; it was an indictment of preparation.
Coach Mike Jones hinted after that loss that "things have to change," suggesting he might finally pull the trigger on a starting lineup shakeup. If we see the same five guys trotting out there and falling into another 10-point hole in the first four minutes, Monarch Nation might literally meltdown.
The Stat That Matters: The Turnover Bug
In the December loss to Coastal, ODU led 63-62 with four minutes left. What happened? Turnovers. The Monarchs coughed it up on multiple critical possessions down the stretch. Coastal Carolina isn't a team that will blow you out with elite shooting, they shoot a mediocre 40% from the floor, but they are 4th in the nation in defensive rebounding. If you miss, you don't get a second chance. If you turn it over, they punish you.
The Unfiltered Verdict
Coastal Carolina has lost two in a row and is just as desperate as ODU. The difference? Coastal has a defensive identity (ranking 19th nationally in FG% defense). ODU has... a lot of questions.
If Mike Jones actually shakes up the lineup and the Monarchs can somehow avoid a double-digit deficit by the first media timeout, they have the talent to win this. But until we see a 40-minute effort, it’s hard to trust this squad on the road (where they are a winless 0-9).
Prediction: Another close one that comes down to the final two minutes. If ODU plays like they did in the second half against Georgia Southern, they win. If they play like the first half? We’ll be talking about a five-game losing streak on Friday morning.