MONROE, La. – The ULM women's basketball team (5-9, 1-2 SBC) was beaten by Old Dominion (11-4, 3-0 SBC) in a gritty game featuring four double-digit scorers for the Warhawks and a trio of three-pointers in the final 30 seconds from Nya Valentine. ULM has remains having not won in the series against Old Dominion.
 
Old Dominion shot 43% from the field and 44% from beyond the arc, with seven three-pointers to extend the lead early on. ULM opened slow from three, ending with five triples, all coming from Valentine. The Monarchs turned over the ball 15 times compared to the Warhawks' 11, with ULM collecting 16 points off turnovers. 
 
Valentine led the team with 15 points, nine coming from her 3-3 showing in the final 30 seconds of the game. The senior also posted three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Meloney Thames recorded 11 points, four rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal. Jakayla Johnson tallied 10 points, three rebounds and a steal, leading the team with six assists. Sakyia White was on the verge of a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. Laila Walker led the team with 10 rebounds, also logging eight points, an assist and a career-high four blocks.
 
Back-to-back three-pointers for the Monarchs opened the scoring, starting the Warhawks on an early 0-6 deficit. ULM was unable to get hot in the paint, with Brikayla Gray and Walker drawing three-point plays in order to keep the team in the fight. The first quarter kept the Warhawks within five, 11-16.
 
The Monarchs continued to maintain control, extending the lead to eight before Valentine dropped the first triple for ULM to cut it back down. The Warhawks began to go shot-for-shot with Old Dominion, keeping the lead at five before a final shot in the final minute gave Old Dominion a leg up at the half, 28-35.
 
Old Dominion drove into a double-digit lead in the third quarter, opening with a 6-2 scoring run. Multiple three-pointers and second-chance shots by the Monarchs gave them the lead, while the Warhawks battled to bring the lead down to two with 6:18 remaining in the quarter. Another run for Old Dominion brought them back to a comfortable nine-point lead before a buzzer-beating triple by Valentine cut the margin down, 49-55, at the end of the quarter.
 
Johnson shot back-to-back field goals to cut the lead down again, fighting for a comeback. A seven-minute scoring drought for Old Dominion, in which they went 0-11 from the field, seemed like enough to get close. Valentine scored a trio of triples in the final 30 seconds of the game, but the original lead was too much to overcome, ULM falling to Old Dominion, 68-72.
 
The Warhawks remain home for the third in a four-game homestand, taking on the Southern Miss Golden Eagles on Thursday (Jan. 9). Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.