|
|
|
|
WBB: Hofstra Falls To No. 18 Delaware
|
Courtesy: Hofstra Athletic Communications Release: 02/28/2013 |
|
|
Hempstead,
NY - Three Hofstra players scored in double-figures, but Delaware's Elena Delle
Donne tallied a game-high 32 points to lead the 18th-ranked Blue Hens to a
79-50 CAA victory over the Pride at the Mack Sports Complex on Thursday night.
The Blue Hens, who won their 20th consecutive game, improve to 25-3 overall and
16-0 in conference play. Hofstra, which dropped its fourth straight contest,
fell to 12-15 overall and 8-8 in the CAA.
Hofstra was led by senior Candace Bond with 14 points while classmate Shante
Evans added 12 points, eight rebounds and five blocks. Junior Anma Onyeuku
chipped in with 11 points and six boards for the Pride, who lead by as much as
eight points in the opening half before
Delaware's comeback.
Evans
brought her career rebounding total up 1,295, which is just 18 away from tying
Meredith Alexis' CAA-record of 1,313 rebounds set for James Madison from
2004-07. Evans is on pace to break the record in Hofstra's final regular season
game at Northeastern.
Delaware received an early boost from its All-America in Delle Donne, who also
grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked four shots. Fellow senior Danielle Parker added
14 points and grabbed 10 caroms while senior Trumae Lucas chipped in with 13
points and eight assists. Delaware shot 52 percent from the field (33-for-64)
including 57 percent (17-for-30) in the second half to expand on a seven-point
halftime lead.
The Pride came out of the gate fast, scoring 10 of the first 12 points. Onyeuku opened with a three-pointer 42 seconds into the contest before Delle Donne hit a jumper 22 seconds later. But Onyeuku hit a lay-up, Bond hit a three-pointer and Evans scored inside at the 16:01 mark to give the Pride a 10-2 early advantage. But the Blue Hens, behind Delle Donne, who hit a jumper and back-to-back three-pointers, tied the game at 10 at the 14:51 mark. It would be the first of eight tied scores and five lead changes in the half.
Evans,
who is also a two-time All-America selection, finished 4-of-5 from the free
throw line in 36 minutes.
With Delaware holding a 22-20 lead following a Delle Donne jumper, Hofstra went
on a 10-4 run with Thomas' three-pointer giving the Pride a 30-26 lead with
5:18 to play in the half. Evans also had three points in the spurt. But, once
again, the Blue Hens battled back behind Lucas' consecutive baskets to tie the
game at 30 with 3:52 left in the period.
After Evans
scored inside 1:04 later, UD went on a 9-0 run to end the half and grab their
biggest lead of the period at 39-32. Lucas hit a three-pointer and a lay-up,
Parker hit a jumper and Delle Donne hit two free throws with six seconds
remaining in the spurt. Both teams shot 47 percent from the field in the first
20 minutes but UD tallied 10 points off 11 Pride turnovers. Delle Donne tallied
20 of the Blue Hens' 39 points while Evans, Bond and Onyeuku each had nine for
Hofstra.
In the second half, the Blue Hens picked up where they left off scoring the
first 12 points to boost the run to 21 consecutive points and open up a 51-32
lead following a Parker lay-up at the 14:50 mark. Delle Donne had six and
Richards added four in the run. Hofstra and UD split the next 20 points with
Payton's jumper with 8:43 to play moving the score to 61-42.
But the
Blue Hens tallied nine of the next 11 points over the next 3:55 with Delle
Donne's two free throws giving UD their biggest lead of the contest at 70-44
with 4:30 to play. Delaware outscored the Pride, 9-6 over the final four
minutes to post the 79-50 victory.
The Pride closed out their home schedule on Sunday, March 3 when they host the Seahawks of UNCW at the Mack Sports Complex. Game time for the Senior Day contest is 2 p.m.
