NORFOLK, Va. – A back-and-forth game throughout finally went Old Dominion's way at the end, as a closing 18-3 run for the Monarchs gave them a 61-50 win over the Norfolk State men's basketball team on Friday night in a crosstown contest at Scope Arena.
 
NSU's last game before Christmas saw a total of 15 lead changes. The last one, though, was the dagger for the Spartans. The Monarchs got a pair of free throws from Trey Porter with 7:12 left to ignite the closing stretch. NSU shot just 1-of-10 during that time as ODU pulled away at the end.
 
The Spartans held the Monarchs to just 30 percent shooting for the game. But a 25-of-32 night at the free throw line for ODU, compared to 8-of-13 for NSU, proved to be the difference in the first meeting between the two teams at Scope in 18 seasons.
 
NSU (1-12) got 14 points from senior Kyle Williams and 11 points and six boards from junior Alex Long. The Spartans shot 38 percent for the game (19-of-50) but were done in by 18 turnovers. The Monarchs outscored them 15-6 in points off turnovers as a result.
 
ODU (9-3) was led by B.J. Stith with 17 points and eight rebounds. The Monarchs used just seven players all game, getting all but two points from its starting five.
 
They finished 16-of-53 (30.2 percent) for the game and held a 42-34 edge on the glass. ODU doubled up NSU 18-9 in offensive rebounds, leading to a 19-5 advantage in second-chance points.
 
The second half featured eight of the game's 15 lead changes. ODU was up 23-22 at the break before NSU scored the first two buckets of the second half. The Monarchs responded with a pair of 3-point plays to take the lead back. But down 31-28 a short time later, the Spartans responded with an 8-1 run for a 36-32 advantage. Whitley connected on a jumper from beyond the foul line with 11:48 left for NSU's largest lead of the game.
 
ODU went ahead at 40-38 when Stith hit a trey from the left wing as the Monarchs inbounded the ball with only one second on the shot clock. Senior Preston Bungei hit a long jumper and then found Williams at the rim for two to give the Spartans the lead back, 42-40.
 
After the lead changed hands twice more on baskets by each team, the Monarchs began their final closing stretch. A trey by Williams at the end made it a final 11-point margin.
 
The Spartans made 43 percent in the second half but were just 1-of-8 from deep.
 
Neither team could get much going on offense early in the first half. ODU was up by just a 13-7 margin nine minutes into the game. The Spartans were still down by six at 16-10 when they used a 10-2 run to take a 20-18 lead. Williams nailed a trey with exactly 4:00 left to give them their second lead of the game.
 
Stith's fastbreak dunk with 41 seconds left put the Monarchs up by one going into the locker room. They led despite hitting just 23 percent in the first half.
 
Ahmad Caver totaled 15 points, six assists and four steals, and Porter added 14 points and six boards while shooting 8-of-10 from the line for ODU.
 
The teams combined to hit 8-of-35 from beyond the arc.
 
NSU returns after the Christmas break to take on Stony Brook on the road on Dec. 30 at 7 p.m.