HARRISONBURG, Va. — For twenty minutes on Saturday, it looked like Old Dominion had cracked the code. Behind a hot start featuring solid ball-movement, the Monarchs built a 19-point lead over James Madison. But as has happened too often this season, one brilliant half was undone by an equally terrible half, and the Dukes stormed back to steal a 70-69 victory at the Atlantic Union Bank Center.
The High: The Robert Davis Jr. Show
The first half was some of the best basketball ODU has played all season. The ball was zipping around the perimeter, and Robert Davis Jr. was the primary beneficiary. Davis Jr. looked completely in rhythm, drilling four three-pointers and dropping 13 points before the halftime buzzer.
When ODU’s offense moves like that, sharing the ball and creating open looks through extra passes, they look like a Sun Belt contender. They shot a blistering 53.3% from deep (8-of-15) in the opening frame, taking a commanding 44-27 lead into the locker room.
The Injury: No Answer for the Interior
While the offense was clicking early, a looming problem was brewing under the rim. The Monarchs were forced to play without senior center Caelum Swanton-Rodger, who was sidelined with a knee injury. His absence left a gaping hole in the interior defense that JMU was all too eager to exploit.
JMU coach Preston Spradlin clearly made the interior his halftime priority. With no "big" to protect the rim, the Dukes began feeding their big men relentlessly. JMU finished with a staggering 42-22 advantage in points in the paint. Gabe Newhof was the primary beneficiary, finishing 8-of-9 from the floor for 17 points, including the game-winning jumper with just two seconds remaining.
The Low: Reverting to Old Habits
As the defensive stops dried up, ODU’s offensive rhythm evaporated. The transition opportunities that fueled the first-half lead disappeared as the game slowed to a crawl. In the half-court, the Monarchs reverted to the stagnant, 1-on-1 basketball that has plagued them throughout the season.
The stats tell the story: after making eight triples in the first half, ODU managed just one three-pointer (12.5%) in the second. The assist numbers bottomed out, and JMU’s Justin McBride capitalized on the frustration, exploding for 29 points to fuel the Dukes' comeback.
The Verdict
This was a game ODU gave away, leading by 17 at the break and 69-61 with under two minutes to play. While KC Shaw put up 18 points and 7 rebounds, the lack of an inside presence and a second-half offensive identity proved fatal.
At 5-13 (2-4 Sun Belt), the Monarchs have proven they can play solid basketball for a half, the challenge remains doing it for forty minutes.
Should ODU have been more aggressive in the portal for a backup big man? Sound off in the comments!