Welcome to the ODU Unfiltered Throwback Thursday Series!
As we gear up for the madness of the postseason and the long wait through the offseason, we’re launching a brand new weekly series here at ODU Unfiltered to keep the Monarch spirit firing on all cylinders.
Starting today and running every single week right up until the kickoff of the 2026 football season, we’re opening the vault. We’ll be looking back at the gritty upsets, the championship thrillers, and the unbelievable, unforgettable moments that define Old Dominion basketball and football.
Whether you were in the stands losing your mind, watching from a bar in the 757, or you’re a newer fan learning the history of the program, this series is for you.
Get ready, because our first trip down memory lane drops today—and we are heading straight back to the Richmond Coliseum for an absolute heavyweight CAA Championship clash.
Let's ride, Monarch Nation!
— BN
The rest of the country remembers VCU’s 2011 Final Four run. But around here, we remember exactly who left the Richmond Coliseum with the CAA hardware.
Welcome to Week 1 of our Throwback Thursday series! Since it's officially conference tournament week, it’s only right that we take a trip back to the absolute peak of the Colonial Athletic Association.
If you made the drive up I-64 on Monday, March 7, 2011, you know exactly what it felt like walking into the Richmond Coliseum. It wasn't just a basketball game; it was a heavyweight prize fight. A record-breaking sellout crowd of 11,200 packed the arena, splitting the stands straight down the middle—a chaotic, deafening sea of Monarch blue and silver clashing against VCU black and gold.
The tension was suffocating. This was the ultimate rivalry at its absolute zenith.
As history goes, VCU barely snuck into the NCAA Tournament that year as a First Four team and caught fire, making a Cinderella run to the Final Four. The national media still talks about it. But whenever a Rams fan brings up 2011, ODU fans get to drop the ultimate trump card:
Yeah, but who actually won the conference? We did. Because when the lights were brightest in Richmond, the Monarchs owned the paint.
The Blueprint vs. Havoc
This game was a masterclass in contrasting styles. Shaka Smart’s VCU squad wanted to speed the game up with their press; Blaine Taylor’s Monarchs wanted to grind you into dust in the half-court.
In the first half, ODU ran a clinic. The Monarchs shot an unbelievable 63.6% from the floor in the opening 20 minutes. But more importantly, they bludgeoned the Rams on the glass. By halftime, ODU had out-rebounded VCU by a staggering 20-6 margin. Senior Ben Finney sliced through the defense for a layup in the final minute of the half, sending the Monarchs to the locker room with a commanding 39-26 lead.
The Tank Imposes His Will
The ultimate difference-maker, however, was Frank "The Tank" Hassell.
VCU had absolutely no answer for the senior forward. When ODU pushed its lead to a game-high 18 points (46-28) just three minutes into the second half, it was Hassell leading the charge. He finished the night shooting 9-for-13 from the floor, racking up 22 points and 9 rebounds to secure Tournament MVP honors. He didn't just play through contact; he sought it out, physically overwhelming a fierce VCU frontcourt.
Weathering the Storm
But you didn't think VCU was just going to roll over, did you?
Backed into a corner, the Rams caught fire from deep, eventually hitting 10 three-pointers on the night. Bradford Burgess (19 points) and Jamie Skeen (18 points) engineered a furious 15-5 run. With 4:27 left on the clock, Burgess drained a contested three-pointer that sent the VCU half of the Coliseum into an absolute frenzy.
The scoreboard read 55-54. The 18-point lead was gone. The momentum had completely shifted.
How did the Monarchs respond? With the exact grit that defined the Blaine Taylor era. They didn't panic; they went to work on the offensive glass. In the most critical sequence of the game, Chris Cooper and Kent Bazemore (11 points, 6 assists) ripped down consecutive offensive rebounds and converted them into tough, second-chance buckets. That pure, blue-collar hustle pushed the lead back to 59-54, breaking VCU's spirit.
Cutting Down the Nets
ODU clamped down defensively, holding the Rams scoreless in the final minute to seal the 70-65 victory. The Monarchs finished the game shooting 58.5% from the field and dominated the overall rebounding battle 38-23.
Watching the team celebrate, claim their second consecutive CAA Championship, and cut down the nets in front of a stunned, silent VCU section is a memory that will never get old. It was physical, it was exhausting, and it was a beautiful testament to the toughness of Old Dominion basketball.