(Dover, Del.) – Monday evening, the Delaware State women's basketball team (5-23, 2-13 MEAC) failed to register a win its final home game of the season by way of a 78-63 loss suffered at the hands of the Hampton Pirates (17-11, 13-2 MEAC), who held down the top spot in the MEAC standings coming in.
With this loss, DSU dropped its seventh in a row, including its 14th straight to the Pirates, while Hampton recorded its seventh consecutive victory.
The first half featured the Pirates leading by as many as 17 on two separate occasions, until Delaware State closed the stanza on a 12-6 run, headlined by back-to-back Mikah Aldridge treys, to make it a 42-32 contest at the break. However, HU's scoring tandem of guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas and forward Kaylah Lupoe carried the load offensively combining for 26 points (11-of-17), while forward Brielle Ward pulled down eight of her team's 21 rebounds.
Delaware State, on the other hand, battled foul trouble with its frontcourt duo of Tierra Hawkins and Amber Bogard picking up three in the first half, whereas the team committed 13 turnovers.
After intermission, the Lady Hornets found themselves down 19 again, this time with Tate-DeFreitas converting on a fast break opportunity to put HU up 55-36 at the 14:48 mark. Although, DSU battled back yet again with a 13-2 run, including ripping off nine answered, concluding with Hawkins swishing two free throws to make it a 57-49 contest with 8:29 to play.
Unfortunately, DSU was held to just six points the rest of the way, while HU's Jordan Ryan converted in the paint to give her squad its largest lead of the night, 78-58, with just over a minute left.
When the final buzzer sounded, DeFreitas (11-of-24) and Lupoe (11-of-17) both finished with a game-high 25 points, while Lupoe and Ward both pulled down 11 boards. For DSU, four players scored in double figures, led by Hawkins' 14 points (4-of-6). Guard Jade Washington (301), who along with Hawkins were honored for Senior Day, recorded four assists to become only the second player in team history to eclipse the 300 career mark.
Coming up, the Columbia Blue & Red will close out the regular season this Thursday evening (5:30 p.m.) at Coppin State. Earlier in the season, DSU fell 80-62 at home to the Eagles on Feb. 16.
Stingers
DSU was held to 40 percent (20-of-50) shooting, while HU shot 43 percent (.429)... The Pirates won the battle on the boards, 50-32... DSU's Aaliyah Davis scored a career-high 10 points (5-of-9) off the bench, whereas Amber Bogard tallied a career-high four blocks... Hampton scored 58 points in the paint, in addition to 20 points off 22 DSU turnovers.
