Women’s Basketball Battles Old Dominion

Thursday, December 7

Newark, Del.

7 PM

University of Delaware

4-4,0-0CAA

Old Dominion

8-0,0-0Sun Belt

Old Dominion

Delaware

Photo by: Mikey Reeves

12/7/2023 9:37:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware women's basketball returned to Newark and played host to a former conference foe Old Dominion (8-0) Thursday evening inside Bob Carpenter Center on Delaware Day. Both teams walked into the matchup with winning streaks, the Blue Hens (4-4) saw its three-game winning streak snapped falling 57-53 to the Monarchs. ODU remains undefeated and extended its winning streak to eight games.

COACH'S QUOTE

Old Dominion was a lot tougher than us tonight," said Sarah Jenkins. "They took away some stuff that we tried to do. They out-rebounded us and that was the big thing heading into the game tonight. We knew that they were a really good rebounding team, we needed to box them out and they got 19 offensive rebounds. Toughness wins basketball games and when it gets down to the wire, the tougher team is always going to win.

HEN HIGHLIGHTS

Sydney Boone led the Blue Hens with a career-high 19 points off 7-of-10 shooting from the floor and 4-of-5 from long range. She also grabbed up four rebounds.
Boone, along with Klarke Sconiers, were the lone Blue Hens in double figures. Sconiers scored 10 points, and collected 10 rebounds in the process. It is her second double-double of the season, and third of her career.
Delaware finished the afternoon shooting 38.3 percent (18-47) from the field, 27.8 percent (5-18) from beyond the arc and 75.0 percent (12-16) from the free throw line.
The Blue Hens finished with seven assists, nine steals, 10 bench points, 22 points in the paint, 5 fast break points, 14 second-chance points off of 11 offensive rebounds and 14 points off of 13 Duke turnovers.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter

In the game's opening 4:11, Delaware put together a 7-3 run capped beautifully by a routine but tough stepback jumper by Tara Cousins.
After Old Dominion knotted the game at seven apiece with 4:36 left in the opening quarter, Boone unleashed her unlimited range and knocked down a triple at the 3:08 mark to ignite a 11-2 run, building the eight point cushion, 18-8.
Mikayla Brown laid in two to stop the run and pull the Monarchs back into single digits to close out the quarter, 18-10.
Boone put on her on her captain hat and was responsible for 10 of Delaware's 18 first quarter points.

Second Quarter

Delaware remained in the driver's seat and saw its lead balloon 13 points on two separate occasions. The first came off the hands of Cousins' deep ball at the 6:24 mark, 25-12, and then again courtesy of Chloe Wilson's pair of freebies with 5:43 left in the quarter, 27-14.
ODU responded with an 14-2 run started by Kaye Clark's three-pointer to pull the Monarchs within one, 29-28, with 2:32 showing on the clock.
The Blue Hens closed out the quarter scoring four of the remaining six points to head into the break with the two point advantage, 32-30.

Third Quarter

Old Dominion broke the scoring ice and put away four quick points to take the brief two point lead, 34-32.
With 7:08 remaining, Boone drained a three-pointer for UD to regain the lead (35-34) for the first time since the first quarter (3-2, 8:25 left).
The Monarchs answered back with six unanswered points to retake the lead, 40-35, with 5:19 left.
Wilson took matters into her own hands and scored Delaware's next five points to tie the game up at 40 before Nnenna Orji's layup put ODU back up, 42-40, to head into the final period.

Fourth Quarter

After ODU went up 50-40 with 6:02 remaining, the Blue Hens were able to pull within six thanks to Sconiers and Ande'a Cherisier combined for four points, 50-44.
The Monarchs got its lead back up to double-digits, 55-44, before a much-needed layup by Darrionna Howard got the Blue Hens back within single digits, 55-46, with 3:27 remaining.
Trailing by 11 points once again were the Blue Hens, they were able to cut the lead down to as little as four with a quick 7-0 run.
However, the Monarchs held strong and was able to close out the game with a 57-53 victory.

GAME NOTES

This is the second time this season that Delaware has lost the game after leading at the half (Purdue Fort Wayne, Nov. 25; 29-23 – L, 88-74)

UP NEXT
The Blue Hens hit the road again to kickstart a three-game road trip starting Monday, Dec. 11 against former conference foe VCU inside Henrico Sports & Events Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

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