DOVER, Del. - The Delaware State University women's basketball team led almost the entirety of the game but was outscored, 15-7, in the final eight minutes of the game as Bethune-Cookman took a 52-50 victory over the Lady Hornets early Saturday evening. 

Junior Kianna D'Oliveira (Newport News, Va.) posted her first double double of the year and the second of her career with 10 points and 12 rebounds on the night. 

Redshirt freshman Tierra Hawkins (Clinton, Md.) added in 14 points and eight boards of her own in the loss.

The Lady Hornets started the game strong, with a three-pointer from freshman Chelsea Dukes (Baltimore, Md.) giving DSU a 7-1 lead at the 14:21 mark.  A Whitney King fastbreak layup brought the Lady Wildcats within two with 12:54 remaining before Del State went on a 11-1 run to go up, 18-6.  The 12-point lead was DSU's largest of the game.

Bethune-Cookman rallied back by going on a 10-0 run of their own to bring things at 18-16 with less than five minutes remaining in the first half.

Hawkins and sophomore Deanna Harmon (Owings Mills, Md.) each knocked down jumpers to give the Lady Hornets a 22-16 halftime lead.  Delaware State had not lost a single game so far this season when they led at the half.

The two teams held things close in the second half, with B-CU once again cutting the lead to two at 24-22 just three minutes in.

A layup from D'Oliveira gave DSU a 30-23 lead with 14:33 remaining in the game. 

With 11:36 on the clock, King hit a jumper to bring the Lady Wildcats within three at 34-31 before the Lady Hornets responded with four points of their own.

Del State went up by eight at 43-35 with 8:52 left on the clock with a three-point play from Hawkins.

Bethune-Cookman responded with an 11-0 run, going up by three at 46-43 with just over three minutes remaining in the game. 

The Lady Wildcats would go up by as much as five with 1:25 left on the clock before Hawkins went on her own 5-0 run to tie things at 50-50 with 22-seconds remaining. 

DSU played tough defense in the final seconds and it looked as though the game was going to go into overtime as Jasmine Elum aired a three-pointer for B-CU with four seconds left before Dukes was called for a foul.  Cleniece Roberts hit both free throws in the bonus situation to put Bethune-Cookman up, 52-50, with two seconds on the clock. 

D'Oliveira was unable to knock down a long three as the Lady Wildcats triumphed over the Lady Hornets.

Delaware State outrebounded Bethune-Cookman, 48-31, in the game.  The Lady Hornets gave up 24 points to the Lady Wildcats in the paint in the second half compared to just 10 for DSU. 

Demetria Frank posted 14 points while Elum recorded 10 for Bethune-Cookman. 

The loss is the seventh straight for Del State, tying their longest losing streak of the season, as the Lady Hornets drop to 3-14 overall and 0-4 in MEAC play.  The Lady Wildcats improve to 6-12 on the year and 3-3 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Delaware State wraps up their four-game home stand as they host Florida A&M (13-5, 6-0 MEAC) at 5:30 p.m. on Monday.

---DSU WBB---