Odu Hangs On To Defeat Florida

Top-seeded Old Dominion’s bid for a second women’s NCAA basketball championship is alive - barely.

The Monarchs, ranked second in the country, survived going scoreless for the final 6:35 Monday night to beat Florida 53-51 in the Mideast Regional title game.

Reserve Aubry Eblin scored 15 points, including three 3-pointers, for the top-seeded Monarchs, who opened a 14-point lead while Florida was missing 10 consecutive shots and making four turnovers.

Old Dominion reserves scored 22 points. All Florida’s points came from its starters.

“As ugly as it might have been, we’re fortunate to win,” said Old Dominion coach Wendy Larry. “The difference in tonight’s game was our bench stepped up.”

The Gators trailed 45-36 when DeLisha Milton hit a layup with 12:31 to play. But Milton picked up her third foul on a charge 19 seconds later and got her fourth with 11:26 remaining.

Milton, who finished with 18 points and 19 rebounds and was voted the outstanding player in the regional finals, sat on the bench as Old Dominion (33-1) headed toward its biggest lead, 53-39 with 6:35 left.

That was it offensively for Old Dominion.

“There were times when we stopped attacking the basket,” Larry said.