1/20/10 Virginian-Pilot: ODU defeats Delaware in men’s hoops
Published on HamptonRoads.com |
Monarchs winning streak is 6 with rout of last-place Delaware
By Aaron Bracy
Special to The Virginian-Pilot
NEWARK, Del.
Three factors led to Old Dominion’s sixth straight victory.
One has been a constant, another is emerging and the third, perhaps, was a bit surprising.
Add them up and the result was a 68-49 victory for ODU (15-5, 7-1 CAA) over last-place Delaware (5-14, 1-7) on Wednesday night at the Bob Carpenter Center. The Monarchs, who have won 8 of 9, are tied for first place with George Mason and Northeastern. They’ll ride the hot streak into Saturday’s important showdown at William and Mary, which is one game behind the leaders.
First, though, ODU had to take care of business against the Hens.
The constant has been the Monarchs’ defense, and they showed again why they’re ranked fourth nationally in points allowed by holding an opponent to less than 50 for the eighth time.
“I really don’t go into the game saying, ‘Hey guys, let’s hold them under 50,’” ODU coach Blaine Taylor said. “We try to play good defense, but more from a percentage standpoint. It’s the net result of a lot of good things.”
The Hens shot 18 for 50 (36 percent) from the field.
“Thirty-six percent, I really like that,” Taylor said.
The emergence was the offense of Ben Finney, who followed up his season-high 19-point outburst in Saturday’s blowout over Drexel with a game-high 17 points against the Hens.
“I’m just comfortable,” Finney said.
His coach concurred.
“Sometimes guys go into seasons and they’re trying to be ‘all that,’” Taylor said. “What he’s trying to do right now is be Ben. He’s letting the game come to him better offensively, taking shots when they come and making plays when they’re there. His decision making has more of a calmness to it.”
And the surprise was the breakout of guard Darius James, who scored a season-high 15 points while still adjusting to his new role coming off the bench.
The Monarchs have gone to a big lineup, replacing the 6-foot-1 James with 6-5 Kent Bazemore at the point beginning with their win over Towson on Jan. 4. But James hasn’t viewed his departure from the starting five as a putdown.
“It’s a new role for me but like one of my coaches told me in high school, ‘Your role can change every night, through the course of the game or year to year.’ So I’m not too worried about my role,” said James, who played 30 minutes. “Wherever coach puts me, I fit in where I fit in and make sure we come out with a win.”
The positive attitude served James and the Monarchs well against the Hens. The lefty hit some long shots and a variety of athletic, driving banks on a night someone needed to step up with CAA Preseason Player of the Year Gerald Lee saddled with foul trouble, tallying just three points.
“He’s a feisty competitor and he wants to do well,” Taylor said of James. “He’s adjusting to his role with a good willingness to take on whatever is asked of him and make the most and the best of it.”
James’ layup 3:28 into the second half gave ODU a 34-24 advantage, capping a 17-3 run that spanned both halves. Delaware trimmed the margin to 39-36 with 13:01 left, but Marsharee Neely answered with the first of three crucial ODU 3-pointers to make it a six-point game.
The Hens twice got within two points over the next three minutes, but each time ODU responded with a 3-pointer, first by Keyon Carter and then, once again, by Neely.
Neely’s 3 gave the Monarchs a 48-43 lead with 9:14 left, and the visitors scored nine of the next 11 – appropriately, ending with a James bucket – to make it 57-45 with 3:48 left.
