University of Delaware Athletics
Turnovers Prove Costly as #17 Delaware Falls to Duquesne, 51-47, in Final Game of Preseason WNIT
11/14/2012 9:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball
PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- The combination of 21 turnovers and an eight-point deficit at halftime proved costly as the No. 17 ranked University of Delaware women's basketball team fell to host Duquesne, 51-47, Wednesday night in the consolation game of the Preseason WNIT at the A.J. Palumbo Center.
Delaware completes the preseason WNIT with a 1-2 record after downing Sam Houston State 63-31 in the first round last Friday and falling to Georgetown 62-56 on Sunday. Duquesne improves to 2-1 early in the 2012-13 campaign.
“You can't spot a playoff team an eight-point lead at halftime,” Delaware women's basketball head coach Tina Martin. “It's frustrating continually digging out of a hole because we have had our opportunities to beat good teams.”
The setback marks the first time the Blue Hens have tallied back-to-back regular season losses since 2010 when Delaware suffered three straight losses to Penn State, Saint Joseph's, and Vanderbilt from Dec. 19-29.
The Blue Hens dug themselves an 11-point deficit at the 7:37 mark of the first half with the score 21-10, but battled to cut the number to eight at halftime despite 14 first-half turnovers.
Delaware went on a 7-2 run to begin the second half that would eventually take a 42-41 lead with 5:12 left in the game. Blue Hen senior guard Lauren Carra led the offensive charge for UD by scoring 11 of her team-leading 12 points in the second half.
The Dukes would close out the game on a 10-5 run that would seal the Blue Hens fate. The big basket for the Dukes was a three-pointer by Orsi Szecsi with 19 seconds left that upped the Duquesne lead to four after Delaware had cut the lead to 48-47 moments earlier.
Delaware shut down Duquesne by holding the Dukes to 22.9 percent shooting from the field in the second half, but could not overcome the eight-point first-half.
Delaware senior forward Danielle Parker (at right) added 11 points and snatched a team-high eight rebounds while Carra was tied for the team-lead with three assists to go along with her 12 points. The Hens played their third-straight game without consensus All-American and 2011-12 national scoring leader Elena Delle Donne who is still day-to-day while battling the effects of Lyme Disease.
Duquesne's Wumi Agunbiade led the Dukes with a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds in 34 minutes. Belma Nurkic added nine points and seven rebounds.
Delaware will return to action on Tuesday, November 20 as the Hens take on their second Big East opponent of the season when the Providence College Friars visit the Bob Carpenter Center at 7 p.m.
