NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- Trailing by seven points with 6:53 to play in the game, Jeff Jones and Old Dominion didn't panic, but they sure did rally.
The Monarchs used a late 9-0 run to take the lead over Southern Mississippi and held on to upset the Sun Belt's top team, 69-64, at Chartway Arena on Wednesday night. The win marks ODU's seventh victory in its last nine games.
The silver and blue started strong, opening up a double digit lead on two occasions in the first half. Dericko Williams's free throw with 3:39 to play in the opening frame gave the Monarchs a 31-20 advantage, but the Golden Eagles closed the stanza on a 12-3 run of their own to trim Old Dominion's halftime lead to two.
USM's surge would continue early in the second half, scoring the first five points of the frame to move in front. They would hold that advantage until the 11:12 mark of the second, when Mekhi Long's layup tied the game at 44.
Southern Miss would quickly take the lead back and swell it to seven with 7:30 remaining on the clock, but the Monarchs would rally. Down 59-52 with 6:53 left to play, Chaunce Jenkins hit two free throws, Long knocked down a three pointer and Tyreek Scott-Grayson connected on a pull-up jumper to tie the score back up. Williams put ODU in front with 3:16 to play, taking a beautiful pass from Scott-Grayson and laying it in for two.
After the Eagles went up by two and Jenkins tied it back up with two free throws, Williams was fouled coming down with a defensive rebound. The big man was clutch, connecting on both of his free throws to give the Monarchs a 65-63 lead with 42 seconds left. ODU would seal it at the line and cap off the upset victory.
Long paced the Monarchs with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Jenkins added 16 points.
"Speechless after the game," Jones said. "I couldn't really find the words. As I told the guys, I'm wearing proud out and I'm trying to find another one."
Old Dominion improved to 18-11, 10-7 in Sun Belt play, and currently sits in a fifth place tie with Troy in the conference standings. The Monarchs cap off their regular season on Friday when they host Marshall at 7:00.
