Dover, Del. (Dec. 15, 2012) --- Delaware State got off to a fast start, but couldn't maintain the pace in a 79-57 loss to America East preseason favorite Albany in Memorial Hall this evening.
The Great Danes won their sixth straight game to improve to 8-2. The Lady Hornets dropped their third in a row to fall to 2-6.
Shereesha Richards came off the bench to lead four Albany players in double figures with 16 points, tops among all players. Richards, who was seven-for-nine from the field, also had a game-high eight rebounds,
Jade Washington was high scorer for Delaware State with 10 points. Keyanna Tate, Deanna Harmon, Uchechi Ahaiwe and Tierra Hawkins added nine points each for the Lady Hornets. Harmon was three-for-four from the field, while Tate hit four of her six shots. Hawkins had a team-high five rebounds, but scored 10 points less than her team-high average entering the contest.
Delaware State was in control early in the contest. The Lady Hornets hit nine of their first 13 shots from the field, and pulled ahead 20-13 on a jumper by Harmon with 12:52 left in the first half.
Albany responded with a 12-0 run, and opened up a 25-20 lead on a lay-up by Richards with 9:35 remaining in the half.
The Lady Hornets missed each of their three shots from the field and committed three turnovers during the Albany spurt.
The Great Danes led by as many as nine points in the first half and were ahead 40-32 at the break.
Albany started strong in the second half to take control of the game for good. The Greats Dane scored 12 of the first 13 points in the second half, and grabbed a 51-33 lead on a three-point shot by Ebone Henry with 17:23 left to play.
Delaware State faced its biggest deficit when Albany's Megan Craig hit a follow-up basket to give the Danes a 71-43 lead with 8:26 remaining.
The Lady Hornets could get no closer than 19 points the rest of the way,
Delaware State was a respectable 20-for-44 from the field (45.5%), but managed to hit just one-of-eight three-point shots. The Lady Hornets missed 13 free throws (16-for-29) and hurt their cause with 28 turnovers.
Albany also dominated the boards, outrebounding DSU 43-29.
The Lady Hornets return to action on Tuesday (Dec. 18) at the So. Dakota State.
