Norfolk, VA – Old Dominion hosted VCU in an exhibition game that resulted with a 71–57 VCU win. ODU looked comfortable in the beginning, moving the ball well, making several good passes, and created an early lead. VCU then raised its defensive pressure and became more aggressive offensively. Lazar Djokovic’s three-point shooting stretched ODU’s defense and opened space for the Rams. VCU seized control with a 17–2 first-half run and took a 41–23 lead into halftime.
From that point, VCU maintained the lead through the final buzzer. ODU came out after halftime looking more ready and played a better second half, outscoring VCU 34–30, but the first-half gap was too large to overcome. Bubu Benjamin led ODU with 14 points, while Djokovic led VCU with 22. ODU’s overall field-goal production and work in the paint were positives, but its three-point shooting finished at 14.3 percent. VCU, by contrast, made half of its three-point attempts in the first half before its shooting cooled after the break. VCU also won the second-chance-point battle 12–6 and its bench outscored ODU’s 33–7.
The teams showed distinct offensive identities. VCU played with a flowing, wave-like rhythm, pushed the ball in transition, and spread the floor with players positioned wide. Dribble handoffs between guards and forwards were common, while VCU also looked to feed a forward when he established a good low-post position. Those actions created open space and shooting opportunities. ODU relied more on bringing the ball down into a pick-and-roll attack, looking to get into the paint and play inside-out. The Monarchs had success scoring inside, but VCU’s pace and pressure changed the game’s direction.
The matchup was highly physical and often choppy. There were frequent fouls, loose-ball battles, and dead-ball stoppages; VCU was charged with 18 team fouls and ODU with 22. The environment was good, and both teams competed hard, although the stop-start flow made the game less attractive to watch. The starting groups included returning players, with Wiggins a notable name for ODU and Djokovic and Brandon Jennings for VCU. ODU’s Italian big, Lucio Martini, was unavailable because of injury. ODU’s coach described the game as a useful learning experience, said the starting lineup was still taking shape, and expressed confidence that the team would look better this season than last year.
Overall, VCU’s defensive adjustment, early perimeter shooting, transition play, bench production, and second-chance advantage drove the win. ODU showed promising ball movement early, paint scoring, and a stronger response after halftime, while its three-point conversion and the large first-half deficit stood out as areas to address. The exhibition gave both teams a demanding physical test and left meaningful questions about how ODU’s rotation and offense will develop as the season begins.
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