(Dover, Del.) – With only nine players dressed due to multiple injuries, including leading scorer Mikah Aldridge (12.4 ppg) because of a sprained ankle, the Delaware State women's basketball team (7-14, 4-4 MEAC) was held to its second lowest scoring output of the season, as the well-balanced Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (14-9, 8-2 MEAC) pulled out a convincing 66-35 victory Saturday afternoon at Moore Gymnasium.

DSU's defeat dropped its record away from Memorial Hall to 2-9 on the season, in addition to failing to string together three consecutive victories for the first time since 2012-13.  The Wildcats, meanwhile, have now won four in a row, along with seven out of their last eight.

Sitting second in the MEAC in scoring (61.9 ppg) and first in points allowed (58.0 ppg) coming into Saturday's contest, Bethune-Cookman outscored the Lady Hornets in the first half, 42-17, thanks in large to limiting DSU to just seven points (3-for-10), in addition to scoring 14 points off eight DSU turnovers in the first quarter. 

The first half also the MEAC's third leading scorer Kendra Cooper (15.5 ppg) tallying 14 of her game-high 23 points (6-of-17), while as a team, the Lady Wildcats shot 44 percent (15-of-34) and totaled 13 points off the bench.

After intermission, the Lady Hornets were held to just two points in the third quarter on a dismal 1-for-14 (.017) effort from the field, with guard Aaliyah Davis draining the team's lone bucket at the 6:39 mark.  As a result, the Wildcats led by 41 at the end of the quarter, with Cooper scoring seven out of her nine points at the charity stripe.

The lone bright spots for DSU when the final buzzer sounded were Davis tallying 11 points and a game-high 11 boards for her second double-double in the last three games, whereas forward/center Nikkei Blackburn matched a career-high in points (12).

Coming up, the Columbia Blue & Red will return to action this Monday on the road against Florida A&M.  Last season, the Lady Hornets fell at home to the Rattlers, 78-63, in what was the only matchup between the two squads last season.         

Stingers

The Hornets are 2-14 this season when trailing at the half… DSU shot 28 percent (14-of-51) and committed 25 turnovers… The Hornets hit just one 3-pointer, which was their lowest total of the season… The Wildcats totaled 17 steals, with four players tallying at least three… DSU won the battle on the boards, 44-36… Reigning MEAC Rookie of the Week, DSU's NaJai Pollard, was held to just two points (1-of-9)… The Hornets are now 35-27 all-time against Bethune-Cookman.