ODU Headed Back To NCAA Tournament With Win 78-70 Over JMU

Monarchs capture 16th consecutive Colonial Athletic Association championship

March 11, 2007

NEWARK, Del. (AP) - T.J. Jordan scored 17 points and Tiffany Green added 16 to help Old Dominion beat James Madison 78-70 and capture its 16th consecutive Colonial Athletic Association championship on Sunday.

The Monarchs (24-8) will make the program's 24th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The second-seeded Dukes lost in the CAA finals for the second straight year.

The top-seeded Monarchs are now 47-0 in CAA tournament games since they joined the league in the 1991-92 season.

Lesley Dickinson and Meredith Alexis scored 17 points apiece for James Madison (27-5).

Old Dominion grabbed a 16-7 lead to start the game after sinking seven of its 10 shots from the floor. Tish Lyons' 3-pointer with 14:41 remaining in the half capped an 8-0 run by the Monarchs.

But James Madison answered with a 10-0 run of its own later in the half to go up, 26-23. The final 4:18 of the half featured three lead changes before Jordan's 3-pointer at the buzzer gave the Monarchs their 33-30 halftime advantage.

There were a total of four lead changes and four ties in the first 20 minutes. Jordan scored nine first-half points as Old Dominion shot 50 percent (14-of-28) before intermission.

In the second half, James Madison closed within one point, but never pulled even.

Old Dominion's clung to a 63-61 lead with 3:20 left before scoring eight straight points to put the contest out of reach. Jordan's two free throws gave Old Dominion a 71-61 lead with 1:08 left.