Monarchs turn back Cavaliers

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December 22, 2012

Monarchs turn back Cavaliers

Anonymous Associated Press Sat Dec 22, 2012, 11:26 PM EST

RICHMOND, Va. — Dimitri Batten scored 14 of his career-best 23 points during a 21-4 second-half run Saturday night and Old Dominion stunned Virginia 63-61 in the Governor’s Holiday Hoops C

The Monarchs (2-10) had lost nine in a row coming into the game at Richmond Coliseum, but became the third Colonial Athletic Association team to beat Virginia this season. The Cavaliers (9-3) have also lost at George Mason and at home against Delaware, but had won eight straight since that setback to the Blue Hens on Nov. 13.

Virginia thought it tied the game when Tevin Jones made a shot from the right corner with the Cavaliers trailing 62-59 and 3 seconds left, but while the Virginia bench erupted, the officials signaled that it was a 2-point shot.

Donte Hill made a free throw at the other end and when the Cavaliers pushed the ball upcourt, it glanced off Joe Harris’ hands and the upset was complete.

Old Dominion trailed 34-24 when Aaron Bacote, who finished with 17 points, scored to spark the 21-4 burst. Then Batten took over. He hit a 3-pointer, a basket in the lane and another 3-pointer, tying the game at 34 with 12:19 to play and riling up the sizeable Monarchs contingent.

Paul Jesperson’s 3-pointer gave the Cavaliers the lead back, but Hill hit a pair of free throws for Old Dominion, DeShawn Painter followed a Virginia free throw with a basket inside for the Monarchs and Batten added two more 3-pointers, giving Old Dominion a 44-38 lead with 8:20 to play.

The lead got as high as nine points, at 50-41, before Virginia slowly crept back, finally getting to 57-54 on Evan Nolte’s 3-pointer with 33.6 seconds left. A free throw by Painter made it 58-54, and Nolte’s three-point play off a rebound made it a one-point game. But Old Dominion made 5 of 6 free throws in the final 21 seconds and held on when the shot by Jones was ruled a 2-pointer. The officials never even checked video.

Virginia led 25-20 at the break and opened the second half on a 9-4 run. When Harris’ 3-pointer fell with 14:24 left to make it 34-24, it seemed likely that the Cavaliers had made adjustments at halftime and were poised to pull away.

Old Dominion led 12-9 early before Virginia used a 14-2 run to go ahead 23-14.

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Monarchs turn back Cavaliers

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