NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- The stretch between the Final Four in April and November can be brutal for college basketball fans, but Monarch Nation finally got to see Old Dominion hit the court at Chartway Arena on Wednesday night.
Ben Stanley scored 18 points and pulled down seven rebounds in his first action in front of fans in an Old Dominion uniform, leading the Monarchs to a 77-58 win over Christopher Newport in an exhibition game.
12 ODU players saw the floor during Wednesday's final tune-up prior to the Monarchs' regular season opener on Monday. Dericko Williams chipped in 13 points, Tyreek Scott-Grayson added 11 points, while Chaunce Jenkins contributed 10 points off the bench. Mekhi Long scored nine points and pulled down 12 boards to help fuel the victory as well.
A rough-shooting second half from Old Dominion kept the Captains around. Jamaal Madison's three-pointer pulled CNU to within 12 points with 7:06 to play in the game, but ODU was able to keep the visitors at arm's length and cruise to the 19 point win.
Jason Wade entered the game in the second half to a loud ovation from the fans on hand. Wade, playing in front of a crowd for the first time in more than two years, scored four points in seven minutes.
Three transfers started for the Monarchs in Stanley, Williams and Scott-Grayson. Long and Imo Essien rounded out the starting five, which will likely be the opening line-up during Monday's opener, according to Jones.
Transfer guard Tre Brown did not dress on Wednesday night. Jones said the senior guard is working through an eligibility issue that the Monarchs were not aware of until August. An initial waiver was denied and Old Dominion is in the process of resubmitting/appealing. Jones made it clear that the program did its homework and Brown did everything he was supposed to do. Whether the Monarchs will have Brown this season remains to be seen.
Old Dominion tips off its regular season on Monday when Maryland-Eastern Shore visits Chartway Arena for a 7:00 PM tipoff.
