BOCA RATON, Fla. (ODUSports.com) – Ahmad Caver led three Monarchs in double-figures with 20 points but Florida Atlantic shot 51 percent for the game and defeated Old Dominion 80-73 Thursday night in Boca Raton.

ODU (11-and-5, 1-and-2 CUSA) pulled to within one on at 55-54 on a pair of Dajour Dickens free throws but stretched the lead back to eight at 68-60 on a Xavian Stapleton with three minutes to play. Caver hit two more free throws to close the lead to 75-70 but ODU could get no closer.

Justice Kithcart scored a career-high 16 points, while Xavier Green added 15 points. Stapleton led FAU with 23 points.

The teams traded buckets early but FAU went on a 13-0 run and held the Monarchs scoreless for seven minutes to take a 27-14 lead at the midway point of the first half.

ODU finished the first half on a 6-0 run with a pair of three-pointers by Justice Kithcart and Ahmad Caver to make the halftime score FAU 40-31.

Xavier Green scored 11 of ODU’s first 16 points to lead the Monarchs in the first half.

FAU shot 62 percent in the first half, while ODU shot 50 percent.

ODU heads to Miami to take on FIU Saturday at 7 p.m.