MBB at Old Dominion, Thur, Feb. 22, 2024, 7 p.m., ESPN+, Chartway Arena, 4320 Hampton Blvd, Norfolk, VA, a royal test

[T-Dog]

Chartway Arena info

Parking info



The last 13 minutes Saturday was cathartic. One of App State's boogeymen got routed to the tune of a 21-point differential down the stretch, giving the Mountaineers a giant step toward clinching top four.

Now it's not 100% yet. There's some crazy scenarios where App could finish tied for 4th and end up as the 5-seed, but take care of business on Thursday, and then top four is 100%. But Bobby Marlin will 100% whine about that game for a long time.

Of course, the goal now isn't top four, it's top one. And the math is simple. Play four + win four = outright conference championship and 1-seed. It's winning season everyone.

Winning season starts Thursday on the oceanfront ...er ...bayfront? Or is it riverfront? But which river? Either way, long trip to Old Dominion University.

You look at ODU's record and you smile, right? 6-21 overall and 2-12 in the Sun Belt, almost a mirror of App State in the other direction. But it's not that simple. It never is.

ODU wasn't light the world on fire to start the season, but then the weekend before Christmas at the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, ODU Head Coach Jeff Jones had a heart attack. After getting a stent and travelling home, Jones found out in January he had prostate cancer for the fifth time and is out the rest of the season.
 
Prostate cancer early detection tips

With all that hanging overhead, ODU has gone 2-12 in the Sun Belt, with both those wins coming over Marshall. The first one was a 25-point thumping where Marshall actually led at halftime.

If you look at the Sun Belt losses, only four have been by double digits, so the Monarchs don't roll over and die. They were close with Louisiana throughout and had chances to beat Georgia State last week.

Regardless, ODU is probably going to finish last and open the Sun Belt Tournament on that Tuesday. They don't have a lot left to lose. Which according to every pessimist ever, makes them dangerous.

The Monarchs don't score a lot compared to the rest of the league, averaging 70.5 PPG while giving up 75.9 PPG. ODU actually has a slightly worse FT% than App, 66.4% to 66.2%. ODU is last in the Sun Belt at giving up rebounds at 40.0 a game and last in assists at 10.37 a game. Everything else they're not great but not terrible.

However, one thing ODU is first at is attendance, averaging 5,679 a game. The Monarch has a rich basketball history and for the longest time, were a basketball-first school. They will show up and have Thursday circled on the calendar. Gotta get use to it.

I'm thinking this could be a Mantis game. He's due for a good game and we'll need him. Defense has improved, but shooting has been cold. And give me a double-double for either Spillers or Abson.

End of the season is approaching fast. Get your tickets for ODU in Boone next Wednesday and Senior Day versus Arkansas State next Friday

[Bootsy]

Thanks for the fine write up. Regarding Mantis, I certainly hope you're right...would love to see him get red hot from the arc and finish the season strong.

ps - If anyone is there for the game and wants a decent meal, allow me to share these recommendations:

• Beach Bully - 601 19th Street, VB - probably the only decent BBQ restaurant on the Southside...and a quick ride down I-264 to/from Norfolk)

• Wicker's Crab Pot - 4201 Indian River Rd, Chesapeake, VA - Great seafood and a local's favorite, plus the best blue crab mac & cheese you'll ever eat. Not far from ODU

[Saint3333]

Worst team in the SBC, would be great to get up early and rest players for the Marshall game.

Watched their second half versus ULL and they are athletic. Our size down low should give them issues.

Anyone know if we will fly from Norfolk to Huntington (7 hours)?

[biggie]

Hope we do not play down to the level of the opponent for this one as we have previously. Please get up to a comfortable lead early and keep it there.

[AppStFan1]

Worst team in the SBC, would be great to get up early and rest players for the Marshall game.

Watched their second half versus ULL and they are athletic. Our size down low should give them issues.

Anyone know if we will fly from Norfolk to Huntington (7 hours)?

I know what matters most is to just win but I would love to see that happen and win by a good margin. For those who like to follow the polls and noticed we lost a vote in the coaches poll, we can reverse that trend with some impressive margin of victory down the stretch as long as we don't play down to competition.

[AppStFan1]

Hope we do not play down to the level of the opponent for this one as we have previously. Please get up to a comfortable lead early and keep it there.

Amen. ODU has not been good at all so I hope this is not a trap game. We are at least 20 points better than them and I just hope we get up on them early and not play down to their level.

[BambooRdApp]

App by 15

[Bigdaddyg1]

Worst team in the SBC, would be great to get up early and rest players for the Marshall game.

Watched their second half versus ULL and they are athletic. Our size down low should give them issues.

Anyone know if we will fly from Norfolk to Huntington (7 hours)?

I know what matters most is to just win but I would love to see that happen and win by a good margin. For those who like to follow the polls and noticed we lost a vote in the coaches poll, we can reverse that trend with some impressive margin of victory down the stretch as long as we don't play down to competition.

In the long history of polls the coaches poll might be the dumbest ever. I've heard that many of the coaches don't actually fill out their own numbers but turn it over to an assistant. Are these coaches actually watching all of the games particularly those involving mid major programs? App for example received votes one week, won both of our games the following week and dropped out completely? Yeah that makes sense.'

[hapapp]

Over their last four games, which they have lost all four, their largest margin of defeat is eight. The other three were 1, 3, and 5. Playing at home, I expect them to make it competitive. Lately, we have finished strong and hopefully that trend continues.

[APPdiesel]

Hope we do not play down to the level of the opponent for this one as we have previously. Please get up to a comfortable lead early and keep it there.

Playing down / not winning comfortably over bad teams is certainly one of the reasons App’s NET is in the 70s while JMU is in the 50s. The AP voters love head to head, they love winning streaks, but the NETA and kenpom want to see you handle business the way their model expects you to.

[appgrad95&97]

Hey, if we end this season on a nine game winning streak...

[Saint3333]

Hey, if we end this season on a nine game winning streak...

What is our ceiling for the year?

While it is difficult winning three games in the three days, winning the SBC seems very achievable. Then getting a favorable opponent or two outside chance at the sweet 16 would be incredible.

Floor today appears to be losing in the SBC semis and making a first round exit in the NIT. No matter what the outcome it's been the best season in the last 15 years and great for the program.

[311neers]

Don't look ahead.

Me looking ahead- Marshall game just announced for ESPN2 this Saturday. What an excellent opportunity. Beat ODU first please!

[hapapp]

Worst team in the SBC, would be great to get up early and rest players for the Marshall game.

Watched their second half versus ULL and they are athletic. Our size down low should give them issues.

Anyone know if we will fly from Norfolk to Huntington (7 hours)?

Just a trend and doesn't mean it will continue but in our last six games, we have trailed at the half in four of them, were tied in one, and lead by two in the other. The second half of games is when we tend to pull away. Five of those six games were wins, and in those five wins, we outscored the opposition by 10+ in the second half. Don't be surprised by a competitive first half. It would be nice to break that trend and win both halves convincingly.

[AppStFan1]

Worst team in the SBC, would be great to get up early and rest players for the Marshall game.

Watched their second half versus ULL and they are athletic. Our size down low should give them issues.

Anyone know if we will fly from Norfolk to Huntington (7 hours)?

I know what matters most is to just win but I would love to see that happen and win by a good margin. For those who like to follow the polls and noticed we lost a vote in the coaches poll, we can reverse that trend with some impressive margin of victory down the stretch as long as we don't play down to competition.

In the long history of polls the coaches poll might be the dumbest ever. I've heard that many of the coaches don't actually fill out their own numbers but turn it over to an assistant. Are these coaches actually watching all of the games particularly those involving mid major programs? App for example received votes one week, won both of our games the following week and dropped out completely? Yeah that makes sense.'

Agree. I have been one of the vocal ones telling people during football not to worry about where we are ranked and it is true about basketball as well. I just think it is good to be listed for marketing.

Us losing our vote does not make sense after the week we had but I know some unranked teams pulled some upsets and passed some schools like us by. As long as we keep winning I would think we are mentioned and the more we are listed the more brand recognition we get, which makes us more relevant in media. We are known in the football world and I really would like to see us become a brand name in basketball as well.

[appgrad95&97]

We're up to 74 in NET. I think we have a vote in the last AP poll. This game and the game at Marshall are important. We're not going to move up much on NET. But in terms of making the NIT, should we not win the conference tournament, the next five games really matter. Starting Thursday!

[app97]

Anyone think free throws will matter in this one?

[Bigdaddyg1]

We are currently in first. They are currently in last. If we lose to them by 4 and shoot 10-20 from the line and should have shot a more reasonable 15-20 some will say we lost because of that. The reasonable and basketball knowledgeable fans will point to either a drop off in defense that allowed them to score too much or a drop off in our offensive execution which resulted in us not scoring enough. Everything matters and we should absolutely beat a team like this even if we don't shoot 75-80% from the line.

[AppStFan1]

We are currently in first. They are currently in last. If we lose to them by 4 and shoot 10-20 from the line and should have shot a more reasonable 15-20 some will say we lost because of that. The reasonable and basketball knowledgeable fans will point to either a drop off in defense that allowed them to score too much or a drop off in our offensive execution which resulted in us not scoring enough. Everything matters and we should absolutely beat a team like this even if we don't shoot 75-80% from the line.

If we lose to ODU it won't be just one thing wrong but a lot of them. I am interested to see if Troy gets revenge or if Arkansas State is able to sweep them and give us some cushion but I hope we win out so it won't matter what anyone else does.

[Cro-Magnon App]

Just win, baby!!