NORFOLK, VA — NORFOLK, Va. (WTKR) — A season of change and new for Old Dominion is about to hit the home stretch. With a new Sun Belt Tournament format, finishing strong becomes an even bigger priority.
On this week's edition of the Beyond the Arc with Mike Jones and the Monarchs, ODU gets set for a two-game swing through the Peach State with Georgia State and Georgia Southern. Thursday night's game against the Panthers is the first time the two will play this season, and the two will do battle again in Norfolk just a week later. On Saturday, the silver and blue will get a shot at revenge after dropping their first matchup against the Eagles 67-63 at Chartway Arena last month.
A key point for ODU's late run will be the play of its bigs, especially with Stephaun Walker out with an injury. That puts even more onus on transfer Cal Swanton-Rodger, who has seen plenty of chances to grow through responsibility this season. After spending two years at Maryland with an inconsistent role, Swanton-Rodger following Jones to ODU and immediately getting starting minutes. The 6'10 Canadian has played through growing pains and mistakes in his first year with a larger role, and that level of trust has s helped him find his confidence once again.
Another player with a new role is Imo Essien. The veteran point guard for the Monarchs announced in November he would miss the entire season after another flare up of an unspecified cardiovascular issue. He first experienced it in 2023 during a road game at Georgia Southern, and doctors advised him this offseason to sit out the year. Essien has remained around the team in a mentor role, using his infectious personality to still impact the game that's been taken from him.
ODU tips off with Georgia State at 7:00 on Thursday night, then gets back on the floor on Saturday afternoon against the Eagles at 3:00.
Beyond the Arc with Mike Jones and the Monarchs airs every Wednesday during News 3 at 11:00 through the end of college basketball season. Click on the video above to view this week's episode.
