Old Dominion Men's Basketball Upset by Louisiana-Monroe

Monarchs fall to 0-10 Warhawks at home, 85-79

Feb. 4, 2026 at 11:31pm

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In a surprising upset, the Old Dominion Monarchs men's basketball team lost to the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks 85-79 at home on Wednesday night. The Warhawks, who entered the game 0-10 in the Sun Belt Conference and 1-20 against Division I opponents, jumped out to an early 11-point lead and held off several Monarch comeback attempts.

Why it matters

This loss is a major setback for the Monarchs, who were heavily favored at home against the struggling Warhawks. The upset raises questions about Old Dominion's ability to compete in the Sun Belt Conference this season and casts doubt on their chances of making a postseason tournament.

The details

Jordan Battle led four Monarchs in double figures with 23 points, but Old Dominion was unable to overcome the early deficit. The Monarchs fought back to tie the game several times in the second half but never took the lead. The loss drops Old Dominion to 7-17 overall and 4-8 in Sun Belt play.

  • The game took place on Wednesday night.
  • Old Dominion will host Ohio in a Sun Belt-MAC Challenge second round showdown on Saturday night.

The players

Jordan Battle

A Monarchs player who scored 23 points in the losing effort.

KC Shaw

A Monarchs player who scored 16 points in the game.

Zacch Wiggins

A Monarchs player who scored 13 points off the bench.

LJ Thomas

A Monarchs player who scored 12 points in the game.

Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks

The visiting team that pulled off the upset victory over Old Dominion.

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What’s next

The Monarchs will look to bounce back on Saturday when they host Ohio in a Sun Belt-MAC Challenge second round matchup.

The takeaway

This unexpected loss to a struggling Louisiana-Monroe team raises serious concerns about Old Dominion's ability to compete in the Sun Belt Conference this season. The Monarchs will need to quickly regroup and find a way to get back on track if they hope to salvage their season and make a postseason tournament.