(Dover, Del.) – Saturday afternoon, the Delaware State women's basketball team (3-12, 1-2 MEAC) saw its brief two-game winning streak snapped by way of a 65-60 home loss to the visiting South Carolina State Bulldogs (9-7, 2-3 MEAC), despite four players scoring in double figures, led by guard Mikah Aldridge's career-high 18 points (6-of-12).

With this loss, Delaware State was denied its first three-game winning streak in two seasons, in addition to failing to beat SCSU for the first time since coming away with a 55-53 victory at home in 2012.  

In the first half, the Lady Hornets were stifled by SCSU's defense, finding themselves down 28-14, after forward Toni Grier drained a free throw at the 3:29 mark to complete an old fashion three-point play.  To get back in the game, DSU used a 10-0 run to make it a 28-24 ball game at the break, sparked by a long N'Kayah Kersey three.  

However, with only eight Hornets active coming in, guard Bri Justice suffered an apparent knee injury with 6:43 left before intermission and did not return.  Delaware State was also without senior guard Jade Washington (foot), who dished out seven assists in the last two games.  

The second stanza featured Aldridge carrying the load offensively with 17 points, including completing a three-point play at the charity stripe to give the Lady Hornets their first lead of the day (38-36) with 13:13 remaining.

DSU would stay ahead for nearly the next four minutes, until the Bulldogs knotted the contest at 47 with a Jazzmine Johnson layup at the 8:36 mark.  As the half progress, SCSU's Kourtney Williams put her team up by one two minutes later with a deuce, as the Bulldogs never trailed again.  

Down the stretch, the Lady Hornets managed to make it a three-point game twice, concluding with Kersey draining a free throw to complete a three-point play with 36 seconds left.  Nevertheless, SCSU's Amber Howard hit two free throws to seal the victory on the ensuing possession, snapping a three-game skid.  

At game's end, despite going 27-of-70 (.386) from the field as a unit, Williams finished with a game-high 22 points (11-of-18) and eight steals, whereas Howard had 11 points (3-of-13) as the only two Bulldogs to score in double figures.

For Delaware State, forward Tierra Hawkins tallied her fourth straight double-double with 10 points (4-of-8) and a game-high 13 rebounds, while Kersey (12) and guard Aliah Stinnett (10) poured in season-highs, respectively.

Coming up, the Columbia Blue & Red will wrap up their season-long three-game homestand Monday night (5:30 p.m.) against Savannah State.

Stingers

DSU shot 54 percent (21-of-39) from the field… SCSU scored 27 points off a season-high 25 DSU turnovers… The Hornets were outrebounded, 37-33…   Three DSU players played the entire game… Mikah Aldridge has now hit a three-point in 10 consecutive games.