DOVER, Del. - Numerous players tallied career-highs in various categories as the Delaware State University women's basketball team snapped an eight-game losing streak and picked up their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory of the season in a 66-55 win over North Carolina Central University Saturday afternoon at McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium.
Redshirt freshman Tierra Hawkins (Clinton, Md.) led the way with her fourth double double of the season. Hawkins posted 19 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in the victory. Her previous high of 12 was set on Nov. 15 against Wesley.
After collecting a career-high 10 rebounds last Monday, freshman Keyanna Tate (Beltsville, Md.) tallied 12 this afternoon in addition to six points.Â
Sophomore Tarshaye' White (Suitland, Md.) hit two three-pointers to amass a career-high six points.
The Lady Hornets held their own block party as they recorded eight, the highest of the season. Redshirt sophomore Uchechi Ahaiwe (Riverdale, Md.) and sophomore Deanna Harmon (Owings Mills, Md.) each tallied career-highs with three and two, respectively. Hawkins also nabbed two for Del State.
Continuing the trend of posting career numbers was sophomore Tasia Bristow (Baltimore, Md.) who collected six assists, besting her previous high of five, set twice.
As a team, the Lady Hornets knocked down a season-high seven three-pointers, with freshman Chelsea Dukes (Baltimore, Md.) leading the way with three.
The game was a battle; seeing nine lead changes and nine score ties.
DSU went up by six at 17-11 with a layup from Hawkins with 8:14 remaining in the first half to force a NCCU timeout. The Lady Eagles responded with an 8-0 run, led by four points from Alesha Jenkins, to take a 19-17 lead.
The two teams exchanged baskets before White knocked down her first trey for Del State as they went up, 23-21, with less than three minutes left in the half. Free throws from Ahaiwe put DSU up by four before Kabrina Truesdale hit a 3-pointer to make things 25-24 in favor of the Lady Hornets.
DSU ended the half with a layup from Tate and trey from White to give the Lady Hornets a 30-28 lead.
Del State came out of the lockerroom hot, going up by seven at 37-30 within the first three minutes.
They cooled down quickly however as just two minutes later NCCU went on a 9-0 run to go up, 43-41. With 11:43 on the clock, Hawkins came up with a layup for the Lady Hornets, tying the game for the seventh time, at 43-43.
A layup from Bristow at 8:39 tied things at 46-46 for the ninth and final time as Hawkins followed with another jump to take the lead for good at 48-46.
Tenika Neely knocked down a 3-pointer for the Lady Eagles at 7:48 before Hawkins and Bristow led DSU on a 7-0 run, to go up 55-49.
Over the final four minutes, the Lady Hornets held NCCU to just one layup as DSU finished the game on a 5-0 run to go up, 66-55, and have their largest lead of the game.
With the win, the Lady Hornets move to 4-15 on the year and 1-5 in MEAC play. The loss was NCCU's 10th straight as they continue to look for their first Division I win of the year and first MEAC victory in school history. They fall to 2-18 on the season and 0-7 in conference play.
Delaware State next travels to Greensboro, N.C., where they take on North Carolina A&T (8-12; 3-4 MEAC) at 6 p.m. on Monday.
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