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The women's basketball team watches the unveiling of the team's 2000 CAA Championship banner before the UCLA game.

NORFOLK, Va. (Dec. 18) - The Old Dominion women's basketball team won its first game at home, topping UCLA, 86-62, on Monday night at the Old Dominion Fieldhouse in Norfolk. With the win, the Lady Monarchs improve to 3-3 while the Bruins fall to 1-7.

The Lady Monarchs rattled off the first five points of the game and expanded on a quick 11-2 lead behind back-to-back three-pointers from Sharron Francis (West Lanham Hills, Md.) and Tiffany Thompson (Clinton, Md.) and three points the old fashioned way from Hamchetou Maiga (Bamako, Mali).

UCLA clawed back into the game before Old Dominion would expand the lead back to 10 behind six points from Maiga and a three-pointer from Okeisha Howard (Virginia Beach, Va.). Leading 39-35 at halftime, the Lady Monarchs used some staunch defense to open the second half with a 19-0 run. Thompson, Francis, Howard, and Maiga keyed the defense that held UCLA scoreless over the first nine minutes of the second half.

Howard led all scorers with a game-high 20 points while Francis put together a solid all-around game with 18 points, six rebounds, six steals, and five assists. Thompson and Maiga both added 15 points in the win while Alli Spence (Lafayette, Colo.) dished out a career high 12 assists.

Michelle Greco led all UCLA scorers with 12 points while Whitney Jones added 11 and both Jalina Bradley and Kristee Porter chipped in with 10 apiece.

Old Dominion will host in-state rival Virginia Tech Thursday at 6:30 pm game. The game will be televised live on Home Team Sports.