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GAME THREAD: Old Dominion vs FAU - 01/18/14 @ 7:00 PM

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What: Old Dominion (8-9, 2-0 C-USA) vs FAU (6-11, 2-1 C-USA)

When: Saturday, January 18th @ 7:00 PM

Where: FAU Arena

TV: None

Live Video: Here *FEE

Radio: ESPN 106.3

Live Stats: Here

Monarchs Team Site: Here


Probable Starters:


ODU

G Aaron Bacote 18.6 ppg
G Keenan Palmore 10.7 ppg
G Dimitri Batten 11.8 ppg
F Denzell Taylor 5.1 ppg
F Richard Ross 9.2 ppg


FAU

G Marquan Botley 8.3 ppg
G Jackson Trapp 10.3 ppg
G Pablo Bertone 18.6 ppg
F Kelvin Penn 4.6 ppg
C Justin Raffington 9.1 ppg


The series:

The Owls and the Monarchs have faced off once before in November of 2006, when the Monarchs dominated and grabbed a 15-point home victory.

Old Dominion (0-1) 11/17/06 A L 55-70


Monarchs at a Glance:

The Monarch’s travel to Boca Raton after thrashing FIU 52-36, and are looking to stay undefeated in south Florida over the weekend.

Old Dominion started the season off 5-1, and after dropping six straight since then squad is just now catching stride heading into conference play.

The Monarchs are a young group this year with only one senior and the majority of the minutes taken up by freshman and sophomores, but the team Jeff Jones has thrown together is impressive.

After spending his first year as more of a rotation player, sophomore guard Aaron Bacote now leads the Monarchs in scoring with 17.5 ppg. ODU’s new leader is 5th in all of Conference USA in scoring, but Bacote is not scared to pass the ball. Bacote averages 3.4 assists per game and that attributes to the high point averages of ODU’s other 2 guards.

Keenan Palmore and Dimitri Batten make up the rest of the Monarch backcourt. Palmore and Batten are near identical players, both average around the same points, rebounds, and assists per game. The only major difference is Palmore’s FG% is significantly higher with 52.5% on the floor.

Old Dominion protects the key with two forwards who, similar to the backcourt, have nearly the same stats.

Big Man Richard Ross leads the way with aggressive play in the post on both offense and defense. Ross racks up nearly 3 blocks a game and that is good enough to land him with the 2nd most in C_USA with 46 swats this year.

Freshman Denzell Taylor is a 6’7” Canadian who is setting himself up for a great career at ODU. Although he scores about half as many points as junior Richard Ross he picks up about as many boards and assists while playing an average five less minutes per game. The freshman leads the team in FG% with 60.3.

Jeff Jones and the Monarchs have limited the upsets this season. Through the rough 6 game-losing streak ODU dropped losses to many tournament veterans such as West Virginia (60-78), St. Louis (52-62), Virginia Commonwealth (48-69), and Georgia State (73-79) who is ranked number one in the Sunbelt Conference.


FAU at a Glance:

The Owls take on Old Dominion Saturday in the Burrow after grabbing a huge win Thursday night after finishing off ECU 78-67, and it was the backcourt that led the way.

Guards Marquan Botley and Jackson Trapp combined for 40 points with 10 three pointers. Trapp kept the Owls in the game during the first half, but when the second period came around it was all Botley taking shots from around the arc and helping to add to the 11-point deficit the Owls handed the Pirates.

“Botley can really shoot,” said head coach Mike Jarvis. “I get so mad at him when he doesn’t make aggressive shots. If we are going to be good he has to be aggressive shooting the ball, when he does that he makes us that much better because then Pablo, Jackson, and Justin become that much tougher.”

Center Justin Raffington finished the night with 12 buckets and 14 boards securing his 5th consecutive double-double. If Raffington can string together one more double digit effort he will tie the program record for consecutive double-doubles.

FAU faces a similar opponent in Old Dominion. Both ODU and East Carolina have an explosive offensive weapon and multiple 10-point shooters in the backcourt, and a solid-aggressive frontcourt, but Jarvis boils all that down to coaching.

“I knew Old Dominion was going to be good before the season began because they have a coach by the name of Jeff Jones,” said Jarvis. “Jeff Jones is a heck of a coach and any team that Jeff Jones coaches is a well coached team.”

Jones was the long time coach of American University before making his way to the Monarchs for the programs first year in Conference USA.  However, it will be the fifth year in a row that the Owls have faced a Jeff Jones coached team.

Although Pablo Bertone has knocked back-to-back double digit performances, he has seemed to be off his game since his zero point 1st half in the Louisiana Tech game. Bertone is vital for the Owls' success, it will be interesting to see his game against an impressive scoring defense like Old Dominion.


Latest Line:

FAU -1


Owl's Nest Prediction

The Owls had a great finish against ECU, though the slow start is something to be concerned with. ODU's backcourt can hurt you quick and if the Owls aren't careful the Monarchs might get the best of them. FAU needs to get back on the rebound train and win the glass tomorrow if they have a chance of beating Old Dominion.


FAU -2

I love dropkicks and fat guy touchdowns.

Twitter: @jakobsansom
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I love dropkicks and fat guy touchdowns.

Twitter: @jakobsansom
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It's cold outside, hopefully the Owls are not!

Would be great to get three in a row under the belt.
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Pick up your 3-point card in the lobby at The Burrow.  Trying to get some fan interaction going.  The cards are to be held up when the Owls hit a 3-pointer!  Shhhhhh-don't tell anyone...there is a big coupon on the back for The Store...

Go Owls!!
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Leading scorer Bacote is game-time decision (ankle).  While ODU has several productive guards, Bacote is the best scorer.
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This site covers ODU Basketball and Football.

No Bacote is good for the Owls.

I love dropkicks and fat guy touchdowns.

Twitter: @jakobsansom
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Tonight's Starters:

ODU:

G Ambrose Mosley
G Keenan Palmore
G Dimitri Batten
F Denzell Taylor
F Richard Ross


FAU:

G Marquan Botley
G Jackson Trapp
G Pablo Bertone
F Kelvin Penn
C Justin Raffington

I love dropkicks and fat guy touchdowns.

Twitter: @jakobsansom
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Owls are in all red tonight.

Lets see if the Owls can drain the 3-pointers like Thursday!

Go Owls!

I love dropkicks and fat guy touchdowns.

Twitter: @jakobsansom
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Botley strikes first with a floater over top.

Draws the foul and makes the most of it!

FAU 5  ODU 0

I love dropkicks and fat guy touchdowns.

Twitter: @jakobsansom
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Not a 3 but Jackson Trapp takes a lesson from Botley and puts it over the key.

Owls on a 7-0 run.

I love dropkicks and fat guy touchdowns.

Twitter: @jakobsansom
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