Delaware State Lady Hornets avenge last nights loss with a 60-45 victory over their conference foe, the Coppin State Eagles. DSU now improves to 2-3 on the season and 1-1 in conference play.
DSU guard Daije Harris hits a three-pointer to open the game. A minute later Coppin State's Aliyah Lawson hits a three-pointer in return to tie the game up. The two teams trade baskets back and forth for the rest of the quarter. The Lady Hornets score the last four points to take a modest 15-11 lead, after the first ten minutes of play.
DSU scores the next nine points capped off by a three-pointer from Harris, with the assist from Lyric Turner, giving the Lady Hornets a 24-11 lead. Their largest lead in the first half. Coppin State did not score a basket until the 2:39 mark of the second quarter. Nailah Delinois scores a layup to stop the ten-minute drought.
Her layup kick starts a 16-1 run. Jalynda Salley finishes the Eagles' flurry with a putback off an offensive rebound, despite being fouled. Salley hits the ensuing free throw giving Coppin State a 27-25 advantage with 7:49 left in the third quarter.
A few possessions later Daija Harris jumps the passing lane, gets the steal, and scores in transition tying the game at 29 with 4:18 left in the third quarter.
Three minutes later, Sharajah Collins scores a layup on a beautiful out of bounds play. Her basket gives the Lady Hornets 34-31 lead with 1:12 remaining in the third quarter.
With time running out in the quarter Janasia Law gets the ball at the left wing, she probes into the paint and fakes out multiple Eagles' defender with a no look pass that finds Zoe Holmes for an open layup just before time expires. The highlight play gives DSU a 36-31 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Miajah Bullock finds an open Janasia Law in the left corner, who swishes home a three, to open the final quarter of play.
A few possessions later, Holmes misses the jumper, grabs her own rebound and out muscles the Coppin State defenders for a layup despite the foul, she makes the free throw to complete the three-point play. Her extra effort gives DSU a double-digit lead.
Coppin State's Abby Weiss briefly cuts the deficit back to single digits as she sinks in a three.
Daije Harris responds immediately with a three-pointer of her own, leading to a Coppin State timeout with 7:07 left in the game.
Harris finishes the game with 11 points (3-of-6 from three), a season high for her and the most points she has scored in almost three years. The grad transfer from California State Bakersfield also adds two steals and one assist.
The timeout did not cool down the Lady Hornets. Sharajah Collins catches the ball at the left wing, drives right and finishes with a scoop layup, extending the lead to 48-35 with 5:46 left in the game.
Collins finishes the contest with a game high 14 points, the senior guard also adds two steals and two rebounds.
A couple of minutes later, Lyric Turner hits a contested three-pointer from the right corner pushing the lead to 54-38 with 3:02 left in the game.
Turner would later hit a jumper extending the lead to 18, their largest lead of the game with just 1:49 remaining.
DSU outscores the Eagles 24 to 14 in the fourth quarter.
Delaware State shot 22-of-65 overall (33.8%). They made 5-of-21 three pointers (23.8%) and added 11 points from the free throw line on 17 attempts (64.7%).
Lady Hornets Zoe Holmes added eight points, six rebounds (four offensive rebounds), one assist and one block.
Demaurea Moore scored six points, a team high nine rebounds, two steals and one block for Delaware State.
Keys to the Game
1. The Lady Hornets won the turnover battle 33-13.
2. DSU's bench scored 32 points.
3. DSU won the second chance points battle 21-12.
Up Next
The Lady Hornets have a tentative matchup with Drexel University on January 9th. After that they will begin their two-game series with Morgan State University, starting Jan 16th.
