HUNTINGTON, WV (WTKR)- For the second time in a six day span, Old Dominion and Marshall met on the hardwood and for the second time in six days, the Thundering Herd handed ODU a loss.
Marshall used a 14-0 second half run to separate itself and pull away, downing the Monarchs, 83-66, Tuesday night. The loss drops the silver and blue to 11-19, 7-10 in Sun Belt play.
The game was hotly contested in the opening frame, with no team leading by more than five points. Robert Davis Jr.'s turnaround jumper with 11:30 remaining in the half gave Old Dominion an 18-16 advantage and the squads battled back and forth. Marshall opened up a five point lead with 1:06 left in the stanza, but the Monarchs chipped away and went into halftime, trailing 39-38.
Davis knocked down two free throws with 17:14 remaining in the game to put ODU back up, 42-41, but that would end up being the silver and blue's final advantage of the contest. A dunk by Cal Swanton-Rodger with 13:03 remaining cut a Thundering Herd lead to 47-46, but that's when Marshall went on its run, holding ODU scoreless for 6:22 and opened up a 15 point gap on Mike Jones and company.
Marshall would keep the Monarchs at arm's length for the rest of the way and send them to their sixth straight loss and seventh defeat in the last eight games.
The Thundering Herd shot 58 percent from the floor to fuel the victory and won the battle of the boards, 34-24.
Davis Jr. led the way with a game-high 23 points, while Jaden Johnson added 14 points. Sean Durugordon chipped in 11 points. Marshall's Dezayne Mingo led four Thundering Herd players in double figures with 22 points.
Old Dominion caps off its regular season Friday at Coastal Carolina. Tipoff is set for 7:30 PM.
