Dover, Del. (Jan. 14) --- Delaware State gets its first MEAC win of the season, defeating North Carolina Central 71-61, Monday night at Memorial Hall. Improving to 3-12 overall and 1-3 in the conference.
“I'm happy for my players, I knew the first (MEAC win) is the hardest one to get.” Coach Dave Caputo explained.
The Lady Hornets started off slow once again and trailed 6-2 before Coach Caputo called a timeout. The Timeout stabilized the struggling Hornets, and they were able to tie the game at 13, to end the first quarter of play.
NaJai Pollard scored 8 of the 13 first quarter points for the Lady Hornets. Pollard finished the game with 31 points and 15 rebounds. “Amazing, it's about time that's how I feel” Pollard said about winning their first MEAC game of the season. “We just pieced everything together.”
The Lady Hornets and the Eagles played to a stalemate again in the second quarter, as both teams scored 15 points and left for halftime tied at 28.
North Carolina Central scored the first two points of the second half. Delaware State responded with a 10-0 run, highlighted by two three-pointers from Keke Barber, giving DSU a 38-30 lead.
Barber finished the game with 16 points and six rebounds.
The Eagles cut the lead down to three points on two separate occasions, but Barber hit a layup just before time expired to extend the Lady Hornets lead to five heading into the fourth quarter.
North Carolina Central cut the lead down to three for the third time in the second half, but DSU responded with a critical 7-0 run to provide some distance, and led by 10 with 5 minutes left in the game.
Yazmin Batch hit the dagger three-pointer with 2:03 remaining in the game, giving DSU their largest lead at 13 points. Lanayjha Ashe hit a few free throws to cement the game for the Lady Hornets.
Ashe scored all her points from the free throw line as she made 10 free throws (a career high), she also added three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
An important category that the Lady Hornets had the advantage in was in the rebounding category. Delaware State outrebounded North Carolina Central 47-32, and they outscored the Eagles 25-6 on second chance points.
We have NaJai Pollard, Keke Barber and Tylea Galloway 5'9 kids but they competed, they worked, they were physical, they jumped quicker today, they competed. Said Coach Caputo If you play hard you can win games, if you rebound you can win games, and that's what we did, and their roles right now as 5'9 forwards are to scrap and rebound and be physical. Im proud of Tylea and Keke we don't win the game.
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. DSU made 20 free throws
2. DSU scored 22 points off turnovers
3. DSU outrebounded the Eagles by 15.
CHASING HISTORY
NaJai Pollard has 1,689 points for her career and is 71 points away from having the third most points in school history.
Pollard also has 905 career rebounds and is 12 boards away from having the third-most rebounds in school history.
UP NEXT
The Lady Hornets are heading on their yearly trip to Florida. They will face Bethune Cookman on Jan.19 tip-off at 2:00 pm and then face Florida A&M on Jan. 21
