Shaw’s 25 Points Lift Old Dominion Past ULM in Sun Belt Tournament Opener

PENSACOLA, Fla. (BuzzReport) — Old Dominion Monarchs men’s basketball powered past the ULM Warhawks men’s basketball 87-80 on Tuesday night in the opening round of the Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament, advancing to the second round with a balanced offensive attack and a standout performance from Ketron Shaw.

Shaw delivered a dominant all-around effort for the 11th-seeded Monarchs (11-20), pouring in 25 points while grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out seven assists. He controlled the tempo throughout the contest and provided timely scoring when UL Monroe threatened to close the gap.

Old Dominion established control early and never relinquished it. The Monarchs grabbed the lead less than a minute into the game — at the 19:43 mark of the first half — and maintained their advantage for the remainder of the contest. Shaw scored 11 of his 25 points in the opening half, helping ODU build a 46-35 lead at the break.

Jared Turner provided a critical boost from beyond the arc, scoring 15 points while shooting an efficient 5-of-7 from three-point range. He also added six rebounds. Robert Davis Jr. matched Turner with 15 points, connecting on 5-of-9 shots from the field, including 4-of-6 from long distance, as the Monarchs’ perimeter shooting proved decisive.

Despite trailing by double digits at halftime, the 14th-seeded Warhawks (4-27) battled back in the second half. UL Monroe outscored Old Dominion by four points after the break, but could not overcome the early deficit.

Krystian Lewis led all scorers with 27 points for the Warhawks, keeping his team within striking distance for much of the night. Lavell Brodnex recorded a strong double-double with 17 points and 15 rebounds, along with three steals, while MJ Russell added 17 points in the losing effort.

Shaw once again set the tone late, scoring 14 second-half points to help fend off UL Monroe’s push and secure the seven-point victory.

With the win, Old Dominion advances to face 10th-seeded Georgia Southern Eagles men’s basketball in Wednesday’s second-round matchup as tournament play continues in Pensacola.