ODU upsets VCU at home

The 78th matchup between arch-rivals Old Dominion University and Virginia Commonwealth University was a classic. After losing at home to the Rams last month, tonight (Saturday) the visiting Monarchs dealt out an upset to the Rams before a sold-out (7,592) Siegel Center crowd. VCU was ahead of ODU by six points with 2:10 remaining in the […]

February 16, 2008; 11:52 PM • by FTRea

The 78th matchup between arch-rivals Old Dominion University and Virginia Commonwealth University was a classic. After losing at home to the Rams last month, tonight (Saturday) the visiting Monarchs dealt out an upset to the Rams before a sold-out (7,592) Siegel Center crowd.

VCU was ahead of ODU by six points with 2:10 remaining in the contest, but the home team couldn’t close the deal. The Rams lost on their floor for the first time this season: ODU 67, VCU 66.

Monarchs guard Brian Henderson (Varina High) took over the game in the last two minutes, hitting three jumpers for eight points and stealing the ball from Eric Maynor on the Rams’ last possession.

Henderson hit eight of 10 shots from the field to pace ODU’s offense with 20 points.

“I’ve been waiting for this a long time,” said Henderson, a senior, referring to the fact this was his first win on the Rams floor.

“It was a tough way to lose,” said VCU head coach Anthony Grant, who had a costly technical foul called on him in the middle of the second half. “We’ve got to do a better job of managing the end of the game.”

Eric Maynor, VCU’s star guard, scored 25 points and grabbed six rebounds. But in the last minute, after being knocked down hard, he turned the ball over twice and scored no points to hold off ODU’s furious rally.

It was a physical game in which the referees let the players play, which may not have been such a good thing for the Rams.

The atmosphere for the tilt was quite noisy with lots of yellow on display in the partisan crowd. It was carried by ESPN2 nationally and, as it turned out, the two hours of action was a good showcase for the Colonial Athletic Association.

Although VCU maintained its two-game lead on Mason and UNC-Wilmington with three league games remaining, this loss dealt a serious blow to the Rams chances to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA postseason tournament, should VCU not win the league’s tournament in Richmond next month.

February 16, 2008 11:52 PM 0