SECOND-HALF SURGE CARRIES ODU PAST RAMS IN MEN'S HOOPS box score 1-20-01 NORFOLK, Va., Jan. 20 ˆ Virginia Commonwealth suffered from a cold shooting performance in the second half as the Rams fell 77-65 to host Old Dominion in Colonial Athletic Association men‚s basketball Saturday night before 4,638 fans at the Scope Coliseum. VCU shot just 34.3% (12-35) after intermission as the Monarchs outscored the Rams 46-34 in the second half after the teams played to a 31-31 tie in the opening period. An 8-0 run put ODU up for good, 48-40 with 14:09 left to play, and the Monarchs never let VCU get to within five points the rest of the way in improving to 8-11 overall and 4-3 in the CAA. ODU senior Clifton Jones led all players with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while sophomore Rasheed Wright contributed 18 points on seven-of-eight shooting (including four-of-four from three-point range) to help the Monarchs to victory. Three Ram players, senior LaMar Taylor (Richmond, Va./John Marshall) and freshmen Domonic Jones (Chesterfield, Va./Manchester) and Johnnie Story (Hampton, Va./Hampton) each finished with 10 points on the evening, while senior L.F. Likcholitov (St. Petersburg, Russia/SPS Tech. Univ.) tied a career-high with 12 rebounds in defeat. With the loss VCU (11-8) fell out of first-place in the CAA standings and is now 4-2 in league play, one-half game behind front-runner George Mason. The Rams will try to rebound Monday night when they battle North Carolina-Wilmington at the ALLTEL Pavilion at the Stuart C. Siegel Center. Tip off is 7:30 p.m.