ODU outhustles, outmuscles VCU in 73-70 win

VCU's Ed Nixon tries to cut between reaching ODU defenders in the second half of their game at ODU on 02/27/10.

By: Tim Pearrell | Richmond Times-Dispatch
Published: February 28, 2010

NORFOLK -- Old Dominion's players climbed up a ladder and cut down one net to signify their Colonial Athletic Association regular-season title yesterday.

Virginia Commonwealth's players did not hang around to watch the celebration. The Rams had left the floor at the Constant Center, wondering about missed opportunities and thinking about postseason redemption.

VCU certainly had a right to do both. The Rams put themselves in prime position to come away with a rare, confidence-soaring victory on the Monarchs' home floor, where ODU hadn't lost in 22 games.

But the Monarchs, continuing a game-long trend, grabbed more offensive rebounds, secured more loose balls and made more plays in the final five minutes to take a 73-70 victory before a sellout crowd of 8,424.

ODU (15-3, 23-8) will be the top seed and have a first-round bye in next week's CAA tournament at Richmond Coliseum.

The Rams (11-7, 20-8), who had won the past three regular-season titles, will be the fifth seed and play No. 12 Delaware on Friday at 2:30 p.m. in the first round.

"If any team can win four games in the tournament," VCU point guard Joey Rodriguez said, "it's us." VCU certainly has proved it can beat just about anybody at home (15-1). The Rams, though, have struggled on the road (5-7).

This time might have been different. VCU had overcome a six-point second-half deficit and a huge rebounding disparity (34-22) and had a 68-64 lead with five minutes remaining.

The Rams scored just two points the rest of the way. ODU stepped up its defense and, as it had done throughout the game, got a sequence of key offensive rebounds and hustle plays.

ODU's Ben Finney missed two foul shots with 2:35 remaining and the Monarchs trailing 68-66. But Larry Sanders lost the rebound out of bounds on the second one, and Finney buried a 3-pointer.

A turnover led to Darius James' layup that made it 71-68. VCU cut it to 71-70 with Jamie Skeen's jumper with 1:04 left.

Sanders rejected James' layup attempt and Rodriguez saved the ball to Sanders. But Finney knocked the ball out of Sanders' hands, leading to a one-and-one by Gerald Lee.

Lee missed the first shot, but Kent Bazemore swooped in and got the offensive rebound, leading to another free throw that made it 72-70.

Frank Hassell's free throw with 6.5 seconds left gave ODU a three-point margin. VCU got the ball to Brandon Rozzell in the corner for a tying 3-pointer, but Rodriguez said the shot was tipped. It ended up grazing the rim, giving ODU the title outright.

Lee and Hassell combined for 38 points for ODU, which shot 56.6 percent. Bradford Burgess and Skeen had 13 and 10 points for the Rams, who shot 51.8 percent.

"You think about what might have been, could have been," VCU coach Shaka Smart said. "So many missed opportunities. I certainly give all the credit to ODU and the way they battled and made some huge shots down the stretch. As a coach, you think about if we'd just made this play or gotten this rebound or been able to corral that ball, the result might have been different."

Contact Tim Pearrell at (804) 649-6965 or tpearrell@timesdispatch.com.