RICHMOND, Va. — Frank Hassell scored 22 points and second-seeded Old Dominion earned the right to defend its Colonial Athletic Association tournament championship with a 77-69 victory against Hofstra in the semifinals on Sunday.

Darius James added 16 points — his season-high in CAA games this season — and Kent Bazemore had 11 as the Monarchs (26-6) shot 57 percent in winning their eighth in a row.

Hofstra (21-11), playing beyond the quarterfinals for the first time since 2006, got 16 points from two-time CAA player of the year Charles Jenkins and 12 from Mike Moore, but couldn't slow the bigger, more physical Monarchs near the basket.

Old Dominion outscored the Pride 38-20 in the paint and outrebounded them 34-27.

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The Monarchs will face fourth-seeded Virginia Commonwealth University, which upset top-seeded George Mason 79-63 in Sunday's first semifinal, for the championship.

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