CONWAY, S.C. (Interstat) — In a grinding, defensive-minded contest defined more by effort than efficiency, the Old Dominion Lady Monarchs exacted a measure of revenge Saturday, defeating the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 73-60 in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game at the HTC Center.

The victory avenged a loss to Coastal Carolina just 10 days prior and improved Old Dominion’s season record to 17-12. Coastal Carolina fell to 13-16.

The game’s most decisive stretch came in the second quarter, where Old Dominion transformed a narrow deficit into a lead it would never relinquish. Trailing 17-12 after one period, the Lady Monarchs locked down defensively, holding the Chanticleers to just 12 points in the frame. Offensively, Old Dominion found a rhythm behind the play of Mariah Clayton, who entered the game at the start of the quarter. The Lady Monarchs embarked on a 15-4 run over a six-minute span, turning the five-point deficit into a 27-21 advantage. The surge was fueled by second-chance opportunities and defensive stops, setting a physical tone that Coastal Carolina struggled to match for the remainder of the afternoon.

Old Dominion took a 32-29 lead into halftime and methodically extended it throughout the second half. The Lady Monarchs’ advantage grew to as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter as Coastal Carolina’s offensive struggles persisted. The Chanticleers shot just 28.4% from the field for the game, including 29.2% from three-point range. Old Dominion was not much more efficient, finishing at 42% from the floor and a frigid 14.3% from beyond the arc, but dominated the interior battle.

The Lady Monarchs’ significant edge came on the glass, where they corralled 20 offensive rebounds leading to 22 second-chance points, compared to just nine offensive boards for Coastal Carolina. This relentless pursuit of missed shots compensated for Old Dominion’s own 17 turnovers and a poor 48.1% performance from the free-throw line.

Mariah Clayton of Old Dominion was the standout performer, scoring a game-high 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting in just 29 minutes off the bench. She added six rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal. Simaru Fields provided crucial playmaking for the Lady Monarchs, logging 36 minutes with 11 points and a game-high six assists. Nevaeh Scott added 10 points.

For Coastal Carolina, Tracey Hueston recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while also anchoring the defense with five blocked shots. Olivia Klanac scored 12 points, all from beyond the arc, and Kristin Williams added 13 points.

The game was a stark contrast in offensive execution. Old Dominion scored 73 points on 79 possessions for an offensive rating of 92.6, while Coastal Carolina managed only 60 points on 78 possessions, an offensive rating of 76.5. The Chanticleers’ nine total assists against 15 turnovers underscored their difficulties in generating consistent offense.

With the win, Old Dominion splits the season series and gains momentum heading into its final regular-season games. Coastal Carolina will look to regroup on the road after a performance where defensive resistance was ultimately undermined by an inability to score. Attendance was 751 at the HTC Center.