March 23, 2006
Contact: Cory Blackson, Sports Information Director

USA South Drops Both Games of the ODAC/USA South Senior Basketball Challenge

Women's Game: ODAC 77, USA South 62 [Box Score]
Men's Game: ODAC 105, USA South 92 [Box Score]
(DANVILLE, Va.) - The USA South South Athletic Conference dropped both games of the inaugural ODAC/USA South Senior Basketball Challenge to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference on Wednesday evening at Averett University's Grant Center.

In the women's game the ODAC jumped out to a 20-10 lead after the first quarter.    Then ODAC extended their lead to 16points when they made the score 35-19 on a jumper by Eastern Mennonite's Amanda Renalds with 4:38 left in the first half.  The USA South then went on a 7-0 run capped by two free-throws by Peace's Tia Saunders with 40 seconds remaining in the half.  The teams headed to the lockers with the ODAC leading 35-28 at the half.

In the second half the USA South made runs at the ODAC, but the ODAC would answer the USA South's runs as the visiting Conference outscored the home Conference 42-24 in the second half to take a 77-62 victory in the first game of the evening. 

After scoring 19 points and pulling down nine rebounds, Saunders was named the USA South's Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the game.  Sirlena Moore from Greensboro also had a good night, scoring 10 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. 

On the ODAC side, Randolph-Macon's Megan Silva was named the ODAC MVP after leading three players into double-figures with 14 points.   Also in double-figures was Guilford's Jennifer King with ten points and ten rebounds and Randolph-Macon's Michelle Orton with ten points.

In the men's game the ODAC would use 47.3 percent shooting from the field in the first half to jump out to a 61-31 lead at halftime.  Trailing 95-69 with 8:54 left in the game, the USA South started to get some stops on the defensive end and hit some shots.  The USA South went on a 21-3 run over the next 5:37 to cut the ODAC lead to eight (98-90) with 3:17 to play in the game.  The USA South run was capped by a three pointer by Greensboro's Steve Berg.  The USA South couldn't get any closer as the ODAC hit some shots over the final 3:17 to take a 105-92 victory. 

Methodist's Eugene Grant led five USA South players in double-figures with 17 points and was named the USA South's MVP.  Other USA South players in double-figures was, N.C. Wesleyan's Jermaine Artis with 12 points, Averett's Sterling Williams with 11 points and Methodist's Seth Thomas and Greensboro's Brian Holloway with 10 points each.

Four ODAC players reached double -igures, led by the ODAC MVP, Jared Butler from Roanoke who scored 14 points.  Other ODAC players in double-figures was, Va. Wesleyan's Marques Fitch with 13 points, Hampden-Sydney's Aaron Lewek with 12 points and Bridgewater's Clay Michael with 10 points.

Next year's ODAC/USA South Senior Basketball Challenge will be hosted by the ODAC at a time and date to be announced later.