University of Delaware Athletics
Delle Donne Sets CAA Career Scoring Mark as #20 Blue Hens Hold Off James Madison 71-64
2/10/2013 7:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HARRISONBURG, Va.. -- University of Delaware senior All-American Elena Delle Donne (at right) became the all-time leading scorer in Colonial Athletic Association history and the No. 20 Blue Hens withstood their stiffest challenge in over a month to post a 71-64 victory over James Madison Sunday at the JMU Convocation Center.
Delaware (20-3, 11-0 CAA) won their 15th straight game, remained unbeaten in league play and extended their three-year regular season win streak to 30 games in the victory while reaching the 20-win mark for the fourth straight season and for the seventh time in the past decade.
“Today was just two very good teams going at it in a very hostile environment,” UD head coach Tina Martin remarked postgame. “This is a really tough place to play and it's a huge win for this group. I'm very proud of this group. They're winners. Through and through they're winners.”
Delle Donne led a balanced effort with 20 points and 10 rebounds while fellow senior Lauren Carra netted 13 of her 19 points in the first half. Trumae Lucas came off the bench to score 12 points for the Hens.
Delle Donne, the second leading active scorer in NCAA Division I, upped her career scoring total to 2,677 points to break the previous mark of 2,667 by former James Madison All-American Dawn Evans.
“Elena's a gamer. I'm going to call her number and she knows it,” commented Martin. “She just needs enough space to get her shot off. We're not big on points, but the team is certainly happy for her. Elena's a money player, plain and simple. She's a very special player. When the game's on the line, you give it to your money man.”
Delle Donne also tied the CAA all-time record with field goals made at 904, set by Drexel's Gabriela Marginean, on 6-of-12 shooting from the field.
“I'm sure once I'm retired I will look back and maybe start enjoying these accolades, but until then, I'm just thrilled we won today,” Delle Donne stated. “I really only care about winning and about this team.”
James Madison (15-8, 9-2 CAA), which entered the game in second place in the CAA standings, had an eight-game win streak snapped despite an impressive 24-point, 13-rebound effort from guard Kirby Burkholder and 17 points from Tarik Hislop.
There were five lead changes and tied scored between the Hens and Dukes in the first half, but James Madison never came within two of Delaware for the remainder of the game.
“We were happy to be able to keep a lead going into halftime with the physicality of the first half,” said Delle Donne. “In this arena, if you let them get the momentum, it will be hard to make a comeback.”
The game was the closest contest for Delaware since Jan. 2 when the Hens needed a late jumper by Delle Donne to post a 60-59 overtime win at St. John's. Since that game, Delaware has won nine of the last 10 games by double figures.
“We go into every game with a game-plan and it's our job as players to execute that game-plan on the floor,” Carra commented. “This just goes to show we're getting better at that and our team is made up of veterans. We don't get frazzled by much anymore.”
Delaware returns home to the Bob Carpenter Center this Thursday as they host Old Dominion at 7 p.m. The Hens defeated ODU earlier this season, 63-46, in Norfolk, Va.
