For a team still in flux, ODU still in good spot

Not much has come easily for Old Dominion this season.

The Monarchs have played five overtime games, lost one player, Nick Wright, to a three-game suspension; and another, Richard Ross, to academics. They had to muddle along while their best player, Kent Bazemore, played his way into shape while recovering from foot surgery.

They even had their home uniforms swiped.

Given all that, coach Blaine Taylor is appreciative of where his team finds itself at the mid-point of the Colonial Athletic Association schedule: 7-2, in a three-way tie for second place.

"Being 7-2, you've just got to kind of pinch yourself and appreciate some of the overtime wins, some of the close games that you ended up getting," he said.

Wins like ODU's 69-57 victory over Northeastern Monday night, the Monarchs' fifth in the last six games, and a much-needed bounce back from a 61-48 loss at Virginia Commonwealth on Saturday night.

"Our team is playing better," Taylor said. "We're like a prizefighter. We've got to keep answering the bell to every round. We're going to take a few wallops like we did (at VCU), but are we going to come out and answer the bell the next round?"

The next round is tonight, when ODU travels to UNC-Wilmington. The Seahawks (8-11, 4-5 CAA) have one of the conference's best players in forward Keith Rendleman and arguably the top freshman, guard Adam Smith.

The Monarchs haven't played at UNCW in two years, a product of the CAA's unbalanced schedule. It will be their first visit since a renovation of Trask Coliseum.

After committing 25 turnovers at VCU, ODU had 17 Monday, but just seven in the second half. When Northeastern got within two points, the Monarchs pulled away with a 15-3 run.

"We're turning into a seasoned team," guard Donte Hill said. "We're able to handle situations like that."

Hill, a transfer from Clemson who became eligible at mid-year, has been a big part of ODU's recent success. The Norfolk Collegiate graduate is averaging 8.7 points over his last four games, and is one of the team's best defenders and most versatile players.

"He gives them an added dimension, another ball handler in the back court and another athlete," Northeastern coach Bill Coen said. "Defensively, I think he adds a huge element to their game."

The 6-foot-4 Hill played sparingly in one season at Clemson. Taylor said he regards him as basically a first-year player, with plenty of upside.

"Every bit of game experience he has is going to benefit him," he said.

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