Boxscore

File Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

PHILADELPHIA -- Tesia Harris (at right) scored 18 points for the second straight game and the University of Delaware led the entire second half on the way to a 71-57 women’s basketball victory over La Salle Wednesday night at the Tom Gola Arena.

Vanessa Kabongo added 15 points, including six during a key UD flurry late in the game, and freshman Danielle Parker sparked the Hens off the bench with 12 points, including eight in the first half on perfect four for four shooting from the field, as Delaware improved to 2-0. The Hens held the Explorers at bay by hitting 10 straight free throws over the 70 seconds to ice the win.

LaSalle (2-1), which opened its season with a 67-62 overtime win over city foe Villanova and a win over Long Island, got a team-high 22 points and 10 rebounds from Morgan Robertson while Jenna Gilbert added 12 points off the bench.

Delaware, looking to bounce back from a tough 7-24 campaign a year ago, improved to 2-0 for the first time since the 2005-06 season and for just the second time this decade despite posting six 20-win seasons since during that span.

“I really thought that we got out and pressured their shooters and got them out of their rhythm,” said Delaware head coach Tina Martin, whose team defeated La Salle for the fifth time in the last six years. “This was a great effort from our kids and I feel so good about it. Our chemistry is so much better this year. We got some great additions to the team and our freshmen have great attitudes and have played well for us. This is only our second game, but I really like our kids. We’re going to just keep working hard.”

The Blue Hens jumped out to a 35-31 halftime lead and stayed in front the rest of the way, icing the win by hitting 10 straight free throws down the stretch. Corinthia Benison, who nailed 11 of 12 free throws in the Hens’ season opening 62-48 win over Columbia Sunday, was true from the line again she connected on 7 of 9 vs. LaSalle, including six straight in the final 1:10. Delaware hit on 15 of 19 shots from the foul line for the game, including 12 of 15 during the second half.

The Explorers, who hurt themselves by connecting on just four of 20 three-point attempts, pulled to within three points at 39-36 two minutes into the second half, but Eva Riddick responded with a jumper and Ariene Jenkins hit a free throw to push the lead back to six. LaSalle cut the lead to four several times the rest of the way but could never get closer. After LaSalle narrowed the gap to 53-49 with 4:17 left, Kabongo responded by hitting three jumpers in the next 2:25 as part of an 8-3 run.

During a media timeout with 2:25 left in the game, Tina Martin called her squad over and according to Kabongo, her advice was simple.

"[Coach Martin] told us all to just calm down. Go out and execute," Kabongo said. "And all of a sudden, my teammates found me in places I could score, and I made some."

With the win, Martin moved to 6-5 against La Salle in her 13 years at Delaware.