Sloppy Monarchs fall at VCU
Old Dominion hadn’t played in a week and a half before Saturday.
It showed in more ways than one, but the issues could be more wide-reaching than that.
Bones Hyland scored 15 points and Virginia Commonwealth made quick and easy work of the discombobulated Monarchs in a 77-54 non-conference victory at Richmond’s Siegel Center.
The Rams (5-2) led wire to wire and forced 17 turnovers to improve to 52-44 in a rivalry series that dates back to 1968-69.
With last Monday’s game at James Madison canceled because of a positive COVID-19 result in JMU’s program, ODU (2-2) hadn’t played since a Dec. 2 win at Norfolk State.
On Saturday, the Monarchs shot just 39% from the floor and couldn’t overcome a disastrously slow start.
“We just flat-out got our butts kicked,” ODU coach Jeff Jones told the school’s radio network. “VCU is a very good team. They’re young, but they exert pressure on you in every aspect of the game.”
The Rams, who got double figures from three players, including Hyland, shot 47%.
Joe Reece, Kalu Ezikpe and Austin Trice scored 12 points each for ODU, which surrendered 18 points off turnovers.
Leading 42-30 early in the second half, VCU went on a 10-1 run to take full command. The Rams led by as many as 24 points after a Jamir Watkins transition dunk with 1:26 remaining.
VCU held junior guard A.J. Oliver II, the Monarchs’ second-leading scorer, without a point. Oliver, playing in foul trouble from early on, took just two shots before fouling out.
Playing before a crowd limited to 250 by pandemic restrictions, ODU struggled against the Rams’ handsy press and suffered from chronically poor shot selection.
Jones, whose players will have 72 hours to live with the performance as they take final exams, took responsibility.
“They’re a good team, and they just kicked our butts,” he said. “But this one is on me. We weren’t
ready to play this one. We weren’t ready to play against a team like VCU. I’ve got to find a way to push the right buttons, and clearly, I have not been doing that.”
Vince Williams’ 3-pointer from the left wing as the first half expired gave the Rams a 40-22 lead, matching their largest of the game to that point.
A 21-4 run that ended with a Hyland 3 gave VCU a 28-10 advantage midway through the half.
The Monarchs shot 36% from the field in the half, which they began by missing 9 of their first 12 shots.
ODU didn’t convert its first fieldgoal attempt until Ezikpe’s follow dunk nearly seven minutes in.
The trouble started right away, when the Monarchs dug a 7-0 hole at the start. Jones, whose team has focused on itself during the long layoff, will continue to reflect.
“We’ve got to look in the mirror,” he said. “We’ve got to do a better job. ”