Blue Knights Swept by ODU
COLUMBUS (Feb. 9, 2008) – The Blue Knights trailed by just seven to open the second half, but Ohio Dominican imposed its force on the boards and pulled away for a 95-76 American Mideast Conference South Division win Saturday.

The Panthers (14-10, 5-5 AMCS) won the battle of the boards in the contest, 44-31, with the help of a 27-rebound second-half performance; 11 of which came on the offensive glass.

The first half was tightly contested and saw eight ties and four lead changes. Urbana (5-19, 3-7 AMCS) held a two-point advantage on a Charles Jefferson lay up with 12:05 to play in the first stanza to make the score, 14-12. It would be the Knights’ last lead of the contest. David Brown knotted the game at 31-all on a lay up with 4:57 to play in the half. Brown blocked a three-point attempt on ODU’s next offensive series, but Donald Suel collected the rebound for the Panthers and dished to Jim McCurdy who drained a three-pointer at the 4:40 mark and gave Ohio Dominican the lead for good.

With steals hard to come by – both teams combined for just 22 turnovers (12 for Urbana and 10 for ODU) – each possession counted big. Urbana shot 54 percent in the first half, but just 38 percent in the second period, while the Panthers shot 53 percent in the first and 49 in the second.

Urbana’s three leading scorers for the season, continue to pace the Blue Knights in scoring. Senior Allen Drake (third in scoring with 9.4 ppg) tied a career high with his 18-point scoring burst. Juniors Dorian Hoover (leads Urbana with 11.9 ppg) and Brown (second with 11.1 ppg) each put up 17 points. Hoover also pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds to garner his second double-double of the season. Brown had a team-high five assists. Senior Joe Williams had a game-high four steals.

ODU’s Suel scored a game-high 28 points and pulled in a game-high 13 rebounds. He combined with the AMC’s leading rebounder, Brian Busch (26 points, 10 rebounds) for 54 of ODU’s 95 points and 23 of its 44 rebounds.

The Panthers swept the series this year, beating Urbana, 83-67, on Jan. 19. The Blue Knights play at Cedarville in a crucial, must-win AMC game this Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

[Back to Urbana University Men's Basketball ]