NORFOLK, Va. — Georgia Southern used a dominant opening run to withstand a late second-half rally from Old Dominion, defeating the Monarchs 93-86 on Saturday afternoon at Chartway Arena.
The victory marks the ninth consecutive win for the Eagles (12-5, 4-0 Sun Belt), while Old Dominion (4-12, 1-3 Sun Belt) suffered its fourth straight defeat.
Early Deficit and Response
The game began with a significant scoring drought for the Monarchs, who missed their first eight shots and committed four turnovers in the opening seven minutes. Georgia Southern took advantage of the cold start with an 18-0 run, building a 20-2 lead.
Old Dominion responded midway through the first half with a 17-7 run, led by eight points from KC Shaw, to trim the deficit to 27-19. However, the Eagles reestablished their double-digit cushion behind perimeter shooting from Khayri Dunn and Nakevieon White, carrying a 47-30 lead into halftime.
Second Half Surge
Georgia Southern extended its lead to as many as 23 points midway through the second half. Facing a steep deficit, the Monarchs found offensive rhythm late in the period. Shaw and Robert Davis Jr. led a high-scoring surge—ODU outscored GSU 56-46 in the second half—that brought the Monarchs within five points at 85-80 following a three-point play by Davis Jr. with 1:02 remaining.
Old Dominion utilized full-court pressure in the final minute to force turnovers, but the Eagles sealed the victory when Dwayne Williams Jr. broke free for a dunk to push the lead back to seven.
Statistical Summary
Georgia Southern: The Eagles shot 47.0% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc. They were led in scoring by Alden Applewhite, who finished with 17 points and eight rebounds. Georgia Southern also controlled the boards, outrebounding ODU 47-39.
Old Dominion: KC Shaw led all scorers with 23 points. Robert Davis Jr. added 15 points, while freshman Drew McKenna contributed 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Jordan Battle also reached double figures with 10 points.
The Monarchs finished the game shooting 38.7% from the floor and 29.6% from three-point range. While ODU limited its turnovers to nine, the early shooting struggles proved insurmountable against the conference-leading Eagles.
Up Next: Old Dominion travels to Conway, S.C., to face Coastal Carolina on Thursday, while Georgia Southern returns home to host Appalachian State.