Women’s Basketball Downs Charleston in Overtime CAA Thriller to Net Coach Adair 150th Win

Sunday, January 9

Charleston, S.C.

1 P.M.

University of Delaware

7-4,1-0CAA

Charleston

8-5,0-2CAA

OT 1

Delaware

Col. of Charleston

Women’s Basketball Downs Charleston in Overtime CAA Thriller to Net Coach Adair 150th Win

1/9/2022 5:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The University of Delaware women's basketball team returned to winning ways in thrilling fashion Sunday afternoon opening CAA play with an 86-84 overtime road victory over Charleston (8-5, 0-2 CAA) inside TD Arena to give head coach Natasha Adair her 150th career win. Adair has a 150-139 career record in 10 seasons and has given Delaware 78 wins in five seasons on campus. The Blue Hens snapped their three-game skid and move to a 7-4 record while earning their first conference win of the season (1-0).

"Man, what a way to open up conference play," said Adair. "What we keep talking about how tough this league is night in and night out, everyone is fighting. First, I have to give a shoutout to Robin and her team. I mean they battled as you guys saw. We talked to our players about who we are and what Delaware basketball means. Having been off for about two weeks and for some it has been a month since we played. But if we stay true to how Delaware basketball is played, it's going to be gritty, it's going to be relentless. We said rebounding was key and we challenged them at halftime where we only had 21 rebounds and we finished with 58. It was just extra effort plays and our leadership you saw it out there but It was energy from the bench, players were locked in, coaches were locked in and it was playing to win this basketball game and doing whatever we needed to do. When I go back in there and check off all the intangibles of what we had to do to get the win, everything gets a check because we fought until the final buzzer. I am very very proud of this group."

After an evenly played first quarter that showed a scoreboard of 19-all, Charleston opened the second period by knocking down back-to-back triples for a six-point lead (25-19). A Lizzie Oleary lay-in at the 6:11 mark pulled the Blue Hens within two points, 27-25, before Tyler Collins drained a jumper to ignite a 14-3 run to extend the Cougar lead to 13 points, 41-28, with 2:26 remaining. Delaware made it a single-digit game courtesy of Oleary's layup with 20 seconds left, 41-32, as Latrice Perkins' jumper pushed Charleston's lead back up to double-digits, sending the 43-32 game into the break.

Charleston saw their lead balloon to a game-high 14 points (46-32) to open the third quarter. Then the tides changed in favor of Delaware as Ty Battle finished off Paris McBride's feed to kick start a dominating 22-7 run from 8:54 to 32 seconds to capture the narrow one-point lead, 54-53. Collins poured in a pair of free-throws to cap the run with six seconds remaining for Charleston to claim the one-point advantage (55-54).

The seesaw battle commenced as the fourth quarter saw six lead changes and seven ties, including the most critical tie coming at the hands of Battle who cleaned up Jasmine Dickey's shot with six seconds remaining. Then Dickey's turned up her defensive intensity and sent away Collins' potential game-winning shot, sending the 76-all game into overtime.

Delaware struck first in overtime as Oleary knocked down a free throw which gave the Blue Hens the lead for good, 77-76. Anika McGarity connected from deep with 2:24 showing on the clock for Charleston to tie the game up at 80. With 82-81 on the scoreboard, Battle pulled down her career-best 22nd rebound and then laid in two for the Blue Hens to build a three-point cushion with 1:18 left (84-81). Grace Abercrombie missed the game-tying three-pointer and immediately fouled Dickey, who then sank her two free throws, 86-81, with two seconds left. It was all she wrote as Collins followed by draining a triple to settle the 86-84 final.

Dickey led the Blue Hens with 22 points (14-of-18 FT), four rebounds, three steals, two assists and a block in her return to the court since Dec. 7. Battle followed with 21 points (7-of-15 FG, 7-of-9 FT) and 22 rebounds to post her seventh double-double of the season. The double-double machine is now tied for second in program history in total rebounds in a single game (Lori Howard's 1980 record, 22 vs. West Chester). Battle added two blocks and a steal to her stat line. Also in her return since Nov. 19, Oleary posted her first double-double on the season with career-bests of 20 points (8-of-12 FG, 4-of-6 FT) and 14 rebounds (eight offensive). Tyi Skinner chipped in 11 points, five rebounds and four assists.

Collins finished with a game-high 23 points (4-of-9 3FG, 5-of-6 FT) to go with six rebounds and five assists. McGarity followed with 17 points (6-of-11 FG, 5-of-9 3FG) and four rebounds. Perkins added 16 points and nine rebounds while Abercrombie chipped in 13 points off the bench.

Delaware shot 35.1 percent (27-of-77) from the field, 8.3 percent (1-of-12) from beyond the arc and 75.6 percent (31-of-41) from the free-throw line. Charleston connected on 39.5 percent (30-of-76) from the field, 42.3 percent (11-of-26) from three-point territory and 61.9 percent (13-of-21) from the charity stripe. The Blue Hens held the rebound margin advantage (58-45) while scoring 28 second-chance points off of 27 offensive rebounds. Delaware outplayed Charleston in assists (15-12), steals (9-6) and points in the paint (42-34) while scoring 25 points off of 17 Cougar miscues. Charleston held the edge in blocks (7-4), fastbreak points (11-8) and bench points (19-7).

WHAT'S NEXT
The Blue Hens will return to campus next Friday, Jan. 14, for a CAA battle against Hofstra inside Bob Carpenter Center. Opening tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.

BLUE HENS on SOCIAL MEDIA
For the latest on the University of Delaware Women's Basketball, follow the Blue Hens via social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. #BlueHens