Cold-shooting Lady Monarchs no match for Longhorns

AUSTIN, Texas

A hideous scoring drought left the Old Dominion Lady Monarchs with a dreadful outing, outdone 78-44 by a deeper Texas team in the final game of the World Vision Classic at the Erwin Center on Monday.

The 25th-ranked Lady Monarchs (2-1) went without a field goal for 26 straight trips down the floor, as No. 14 Texas (3-0) held ODU scoreless for 10:59. Behind a 19-3 run, the Longhorns headed into the break up 35-23.

"When they went to get a second wind, we put in a second wave," said Longhorns coach Gail Goestenkors, whose bench scored 33 points to ODU's nine. "We had fresh legs all night long, so I think our depth was definitely a factor."

The bench had been ODU's biggest concern coming into a tournament that requires three games in three days. While Texas plays 10 players, ODU has a rotation of six and goes only seven deep when freshman Mairi Buchan subs in. That wasn't good enough against Texas, whose veteran starters were more rested coming into Monday night and with subs good enough to start.

"I don't believe there's an ocean in Texas, but if there was, we couldn't throw anything in it," ODU coach Wendy Larry said. "Our short bench took its toll in this game. When you miss shots short, it's because of legs."

Who knew that Jasmine Parker's 3-pointer with 14:44 remaining would be the last field goal for the Lady Monarchs until Jen Nuzzo made a 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds on the clock? In between, turnovers and fouls wrecked what had been a solid Lady Monarchs start, which had them on top until Kathleen Nash's three-point play with 8:45 left in the half.

Texas rolled after that, and ODU couldn't rally. Nuzzo picked up a second and third foul in the period, while Parker's shots banged off the front of the rim. Jazzmin Walters, who scored six points in the opening six minutes, took a seat with two fouls with 11:17 left in the first half, and the offense never recovered.

"No offense to Jen Nuzzo, who played her heart out, but it's a different tempo," Larry said. "It was a shame because Jazz got out to such a good start."

The second half was like brick work. Texas kept piling it on with ODU unable to close to within single digits. Sophomore Jessica Canady, who put up 27 against Dayton on Saturday, struggled to get touches and was limited to six.

"Tonight a lot of my shots weren't falling," Canady said. "They usually fall and they usually are easy buckets. But today, it seems, it just wasn't happening."

The yeoman effort came from Tiffany Green, named to the all-tournament team along with Canady. Green, the only Lady Monarchs player in double figures, bulled her way inside for 17 points to go with four blocks. The senior was 7 of 12 from the field and Walters 3 of 5, but the rest of the ODU starters finished 5 of 22. Parker shot 14 times but hit only two.

Smooth-shooting Texas had two starters go scoreless, but the other three combined for 45 points, led by Brittainey Raven's 20.

Raven, who scored the Longhorns' first 12 points, was the event's MVP.

Larry talked about learning a lesson from this Texas road trip, but ODU doesn't have much time to do that. Fresh off an upset of defending national champion Tennessee in Thompson-Boling Arena on Monday, Virginia will be the Lady Monarchs' next opponent on Friday in ODU's home opener.

Vicki L. Friedman, (757) 477-6874, VickiL120@cox.net