BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (ODUSports.com) – Down 43-22 at the half, the Old Dominion women’s basketball team made a concerted push in the third quarter only to fall 71-57 at WKU on Saturday afternoon. The Monarchs (16-5, 6-3 C-USA) opened the half on a 12-0 run and netted 19 of the first 20 points, cutting the deficit to three points on two occasions.
“Individuals did not come to answer the bell when the game started,” head coach DeLisha Milton-Jones said. “Defensively, we were scattered and chaotic, and no one was following the scheme. We did not step up to the call.”
ODU’s run began late in the second quarter when Kaye Clark knocked down a triple with 2:23 to play, and Ajah Wayne finished the half with a layup inside the final minute. Those five points shaved a 26-point margin down to a 21-point one, 43-22, at the break.
The Monarchs kept the Lady Toppers (15-7, 8-3) without a point for the first 5:58 of the third quarter. WKU made just one of its 16 attempts from the field (.063) in the period and did not score that basket until the 23-second mark of the quarter. Offensively, ODU shot 8-of-17 in the third and was 3-of-6 from deep. Iggy Allen scored 10 of her 22 in the third and made all three of her shot attempts, including a pair from long range.
Allen’s trey at the 4:35 mark began a run of seven straight points from the guard from Pompano Beach, Florida. She hit two foul shots with 2:29 to play to make the score 44-38. Almost 30 seconds later, Aziah Hudson hit a three, and ODU was within three points, 44-41. WKU scored the next three, all from the foul line, but Allen hit a triple with 50 seconds left to make the score 47-44. Alexis Mead scored inside the last 30 seconds to make the score 49-44 after three quarters.
The Monarchs couldn’t sustain their push in the fourth period as the Lady Toppers pulled away. WKU made 62.5-percent of its shots in the fourth, including a 3-of-3 mark from deep.
WKU shot 56 percent in the first quarter and led 27-11 after 10 minutes. Mariah Adams and Wayne scored back-to-back baskets to make it a 6-4 score in favor of the hosts, but from there WKU rattled off a 6-0 run. Wayne broke the run with another layup to make the score 12-6, but the Lady Toppers responded with 10 straight. Allen ended the period with a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
The Monarchs guarded the 3-point line tighter in the second quarter, holding WKU to a 1-of-4 mark, but entered the break trailing 43-22. Clark and Allen combined for nine of ODU’s 11 points in the second on 4-of-8 shooting. The teams went back-and-forth to start the quarter, but the Lady Toppers pieced together a 9-0 run to take a 43-17 lead with 3:12 to play.
Allen led all participants with 22 points and chipped in eight rebounds to match the game high. She also had two steals and one blocked shot.
Old Dominion forced 17 turnovers, scoring 24 points off those Lady Topper miscues. WKU won the rebounding battle 52-31.
Mead paced WKU with 15 and eight rebounds. Four of the Lady Toppers’ starters scored in double figures, and Hope Sivori chipped in 11 off the bench.
The Monarchs face a short turnaround and a Monday home game with FIU at 6:30 p.m.
