NORFOLK — Whether it’s late blooming, sheer coincidence or brilliant timing, one thing is perfectly clear about Old Dominion.
The long-struggling Monarchs are starting to peak.
Jordan Battle scored 27 points and ODU pulled away late Monday in an 83-72 Sun Belt Conference victory over Louisiana at Chartway Arena.
The Monarchs (10-18, 6-9 Sun Belt) won for the second straight time and the third time in four games. They had won consecutive games just once this season, in November against Randolph and Norfolk State.
Four other players scored in double figures for ODU, which shot 57% to the Ragin’ Cajuns’ 40% in the last home game of the season.
“I think it’s the most balanced we’ve been in two years,” second-year coach Mike Jones said. “It’s beautiful basketball. Beautiful basketball.”
In what had been a seesaw game, the Monarchs made all eight of their free throws in the final 41 seconds to put it away.
Jaxon Olvera scored 21 points for Louisiana (9-18, 6-8), which pulled to within 59-57 with 8:50 left. The Monarchs, who hadn’t led by more than six points all game, scored six straight to create some long-awaited space.
KC Shaw scored 16 points for ODU. Caelum Swanton-Rodger, a 7-foot senior center, added 15 while playing through foul trouble.
The game was originally scheduled for Jan. 24 but was postponed because of anticipated inclement weather. It marked the end of a five-game homestand in which ODU went 3-2.
Only three regular-season road games, at Southern Miss, Marshall and Georgia State, remain for the Monarchs. The Sun Belt Tournament opens March 3 in Pensacola, Florida, where the battle promises to be decidedly uphill for a lower-seeded team.
Battle, a senior from Norfolk likely playing his final game at Chartway, performed before a large contingent of family members. After one 3-pointer, he pointed at his mother in the stands.
“Honestly, that was amazing,” Battle, a Norfolk Collegiate product, said. “I’m not going to lie to you. That’s everything any kid from the 757 would dream of, honestly. I’m a senior. I got to play in front of my family, and I had a good game. And we got the win. The important thing was the win, honestly. We’ve been losing a lot this season.”
The Monarchs led 34-33 at halftime after Louisiana’s Karris Bilal converted a three-point play aided by a goaltending call with 26 seconds left.
ODU shot 46% in the first half to the Cajuns’ 39%, with both teams making 2 of 7 from 3-point range.
Louisiana bolted to a 17-8 lead before the Monarchs scored nine straight points to tie it midway through the half.
“I’m just so proud of the progress we’re making, and we’re making it at the right time now,” Jones said. “We’ve got to keep going.”
Harry Minium, a longtime Virginian-Pilot reporter who now writes for ODU’s athletic department, was honored during a first-half timeout for covering his final basketball game at the school. Minium plans to move to Germany this summer.
David Hall, [email protected].