FORT WAYNE, Ind. – In a decisive second-round matchup, Old Dominion University women's basketball found their WNIT journey cut short after a tough 87-61 defeat to Purdue Fort Wayne on Tuesday night at the Hilliard Gates Sports Center. Despite a spirited first half, which concluded in a tie at 34-34, the Monarchs struggled in the second half as the Mastodons mounted a significant offensive onslaught.
The game began on a promising note for Purdue Fort Wayne, who jumped out to an early 6-0 lead. However, the Monarchs quickly recovered, with Simari Fields scoring the first points for ODU, ultimately narrowing the gap to 12-10 after a shaky start. By the end of the first quarter, ODU managed to take a 17-15 lead, thanks to a timely layup from Simone Cunningham.
As the match progressed into the second quarter, the Monarchs’ resilience remained apparent. ODU maintained a slight edge, leading 28-24 at the 5:03 mark until Purdue Fort Wayne clawed their way back with scores from Jazzlyn Linbo, regaining a slender lead at 31-30. The tension mounted as the teams exchanged buckets. En’Dya Buford hit a three-pointer, enabling ODU to take a 34-31 advantage with just over two minutes remaining, but the Mastodons leveled the score before halftime.
During halftime, ODU head coach DeLisha Milton-Jones expressed a mix of confidence and concern to her players. “We told them we are okay, we’re in a good place. We made some mistakes in the first half that are fixable,” she shared. Yet, she was aware of the challenges that lay ahead: “But for some reason they just couldn’t get it out of their head,” Milton-Jones noted after her team fell behind dramatically in the third quarter.
The third quarter marked a turning point in the match. The Mastodons erupted with a barrage of three-pointers, scoring six in total during the frame. After trailing 39-38, Purdue Fort Wayne executed a decisive 14-0 run that dismantled ODU’s defense and swung the momentum heavily in their favor. The Mastodons outscored the Monarchs 24-7 in this crucial period, heading into the final quarter with a 58-41 lead.
“It just seemed like the floodgates opened at that point,” said Milton-Jones, reflecting on the instant shift. The Monarchs, who struggled to find their rhythm offensively, missed 19 of their 22 attempts from beyond the three-point line, falling victim to Purdue Fort Wayne's newfound confidence from long-range.
In the fourth quarter, the Mastodons continued to assert their dominance. While ODU managed to find scoring opportunities, the home team executed a spell-binding 13-0 run, punctuated by eight consecutive free throws that further cemented their victory at 87-61. Purdue Fort Wayne showcased a balanced attack with Audra Emmerson leading the way with 17 points, joined by sharp efforts from Lauren Ross, Amellia Bromenschenkel, Jordan Reid, and Jazzlyn Linbo, all scoring in double digits.
The final statistics highlighted Old Dominion's struggles: they finished shooting 24-for-77 (31.2%) for the game and a dismal 3-for-22 (13.6%) from three-point range. Although they led in second-chance points, 21-15, the Monarchs were outpaced in critical areas including points off turnovers (18-7), points in the paint (38-30), and fast-break points (14-9).
With this loss, Old Dominion’s season concluded at an 18-16 record, marking the end of their journey in the WNIT. This defeat halted their streak of three consecutive seasons with 20 or more wins, a significant milestone the team will aim to reclaim in the upcoming season.
As she reflected on the game's outcome, Milton-Jones acknowledged the path forward for her squad, stating, “We had a lead at one point, but then we came down and we gave up a three in transition, and you can’t give a team like that any life.” Despite the disappointment, she emphasized the importance of the first-half performance, leaving room for hope in future endeavors.
