NORFOLK, Va. (WTKR) — It appeared as though the ball might finally be bouncing Old Dominion's way.
As Dani Pounds jammed home a basket while drawing a foul with 5:35 to play against Georgia State, the Monarchs took a 64-59 lead and looked to be in a winning form.
The remaining 5:35 of game time, however, became the latest entrant into a difficult season for the silver and blue.
After Pounds' dunk, ODU did not score a field goal for the rest of the game, only mustering a point on a free throw as the Panthers clawed their way back in. A Julian Mackey three with 1:23 completing the comeback as the visitors escaped with a 68-65 win.
After the game teetered back and forth, the Monarchs took the lead with 10:51 to play off a Tyrone Williams layup. They would stretch the lead to as much as seven afterwards, and when the Panthers made a run to close it back up ODU would respond with a crucial play.
Following its final field goal, however, the offensive plays just wouldn't break ODU's way.
With 17 seconds left in the game, Jason Wade blocked a Georgia State shot and caused a turnover in the process with a shot clock violation. Getting one more shot, the Monarchs got the ball to Chaunce Jenkins who took a stepback three with seven seconds left. A miss was quickly tipped by Williams but fell of the rim only to be tipped out of bounds by a visiting player.
After a pair of timeouts, Imo Essien's inbound pass on the ensuing play was tipped by Williams and landed in the hands of Georgia State's Jay'Den Turner.
Two free throws from the Panthers punctuated the game. A full court heave from ODU never got close enough to the basket.
Jenkins would finish the game with 22 points to pace ODU scorers followed by Devin Ceaser's 10 off the bench and nine from Williams. The Monarchs shot better than 45 percent from the floor but connected on just four of their 22 three-pointers in the game.
With the loss, ODU drops to 6-21 on the season. The team focuses on its final week of home games, which begin on Thursday with Sun Belt leaders Appalachian State coming to Chartway Arena. Saturday is the Monarchs' home finale agaisnt Coastal Carolina.
