ODU has enough left to hold off UNC Wilmington

WILMINGTON, N.C.

This is what can come from playing three games in five days.

Many opens looks, few makes. Teams that combine for 35 points at halftime.

On leg-weary nights like these, it pays to have a deeper bench and a few seasoned, more physically mature players who can tough it out, which is basically what Old Dominion did in a 53-48 win Wednesday night at UNC Wilmington.

"The experience factor," coach Blaine Taylor said. "We're 5-1 on the road in the league. Our kids expect to have a chance. They don't expect anything handed to them. They expect to have a chance."

Both teams had one in the second half, after a first half that screamed for intervention from a shot doctor. ODU hit 26 percent, the Seahawks 23.

The Monarchs (13-9, 8-2 CAA) goosed their offense with their defense in the second half, pressing occasionally and getting transition baskets that loosened them up from the field.

The Seahawks, slighter of build and with three freshmen and a sophomore in the starting lineup, hung around behind the energy of guard Adam Smith (18 points) and a strong effort on the backboards. Junior Keith Rendleman led the way inside with 17 rebounds.

ODU made plays when needed, though. Plays like Donte Hill knifing through a full-court press and finding Chris Cooper for a dunk with 5:50 left. Like Kent Bazemore pulling up in the lane and hitting a late shot-clock jumper with 3:28 to go.

Like Nick Wright scoring on a layup with 1:52 to go.

UNCW (8-12, 4-6) had pulled to within four on a Smith 3-pointer before Wright's basket. The Monarchs did just enough at the foul line to close it out, making 4 of 9.

The win leaves ODU with the best conference road record in the CAA. The Monarchs remain a game out of first place, tied with Drexel and Virginia Commonwealth behind George Mason.

"When things don't go right, we've learned the hard way how to come from behind and play in close games," Taylor said.

Taylor reached into his bench early, using freshmen Jason Pimentel and Breon Key in the first half. On a night when fresh legs were hard to come by, the move paid off late.

"We kind of wore them down, like we typically do with a lot of teams," Bazemore said. "We kept fresh players in there, and kept pushing the ball."

The 6-foot-5 senior led ODU with 17 points. Senior Chris Cooper had his 12th double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

The 6-8 Rendleman, generally one of the CAA's more efficient players, scored 12 points, but needed 15 shots to get them. Cooper, Wright and Richard Ross guarded him at various times. In ODU's zone, he often found himself surrounded.

The Seahawks shot just 30 percent. ODU shot 38, and that was after shooting 50 percent in the second half.

"I thought we got smarter as the game went with the shots we took," Taylor said.

Both teams missed their share of makeable ones in the first half. Neither team scored over the final 3:49. ODU led 18-17 at the break.

"It was kind of tough tonight," Cooper said. "We weren't hitting shots, but we still stuck to it."

Ed Miller, 757-446-2372, ed.miller@pilotonline.com