December 30, 2005

NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion guard Isaiah Hunter made four free throws in the final 13 seconds to ice the Monarchs' 58-55 victory over Virginia Tech Constant Convocation Center Friday evening, despite a spirited comeback by the Hokies.

The loss dropped Tech to 9-4 on the season, while ODU improved to 8-4.

The Hokies rallied from an 11-point deficit in the final 1:09, but came up short when Jamon Gordon's three-point attempt at the buzzer fell shy of the basket.

"I thought we did a good job to fight back and stay in the game," Tech head coach Seth Greenberg said. "But we just didn't play good basketball tonight. It was a game that was not reflective of who we are and what we're trying to do."

Greenberg is referring to his team's offensive struggles throughout much of the contest. Tech shot just 52 percent (12-for-23) from the free throw line and 3-of-17 from beyond the three-point arch.

The Hokies committed 17 turnovers and shot just 34 percent from the field. However, on the other side of the floor, Tech held Old Dominion to just 32 percent from the field, forced 12 Monarch turnovers and outrebounded the home team 44-42.

"I thought we were awfully tough on defense tonight, and just plain awful at times on offense," Greenberg said.

Gordon and fellow junior Zabian Dowdell scored 18 points each, including 10 by Gordon in the final minute of play. Center Coleman Collins tallied 12 points and seven rebounds, while Deron Washington tallied a career-high 11 boards.

The Hokies held ODU to just one field goal in the final 4:30 of the game and outscored the Monarchs 20-8 during that span, despite being whistled for a pair of questionable technical fouls in the final 69 seconds.

With 1:09 remaining, ODU's Arnaud Dahi drew a hard foul from Collins and came back swinging at the Hokie center. In an attempt to calm the situation, Greenberg left the bench area and was issued a technical foul.

Later, after Dowdell's three-pointer cut the lead to 56-55 with six seconds remaining, Gordon was given a technical when he tapped the ball back towards the Old Dominion basket and it rolled down the tunnel. The two ensuing free throws gave the Monarchs their margin of victory.

"Those were two calls that I didn't agree with, but there's nothing you can do about them," Greenberg said.

Tech (9-4, 0-1 ACC) will look to bounce back against another in-state rival Monday when it travels to James Madison University for a 4 p.m. tip.