Photos Courtesy of Mark Campbell

Boxscore

NEWARK, Del. -- Freshman forward Elena Delle Donne and junior guard Tesia Harris (top right) combined for 33 points and the University of Delaware defense forced La Salle into 21 turnovers and 31 percent shooting from the field as the Blue Hens posted their fourth straight victory with a 54-46 triumph Sunday afternoon at the Bob Carpenter Center.

Delle Donne (bottom left), who entered the game averaging 24.5 points per game, had a tough shooting night (6 of 17) but still managed team-highs of 17 points and eight rebounds and Harris added 16 points and six rebounds as the Hens (6-3) also won their fifth straight home game dating back to last season.

Jocelyn Bailey added eight points and seven rebounds for the Blue Hens.

La Salle (2-7), playing for the first time since a 68-57 victory over defending Colonial Athletic Association champion Drexel on Dec. 5, snapped a five-game losing streak, got 17 points from guard Jamie Walsh.

Ashley Gale scored eight points, pulled six rebounds, and five assists while Morgan Robertson pulled a game-high nine rebounds.

The Explorers drained 10 three-pointers in 26 attempts, including 5 of 11 shooting by Walsh, but managed just six other field goals and finished the day hitting only 30.8 percent of their shots from the field overall (16 of 52). The 21 turnovers, including 14 in the opening half, didn't help matters either for La Salle.

“I thought we definitely played very well [in the first half],” said Delaware head coach Tina Martin, whose team will take nine days off for final exams before returning to action Dec. 22 at home vs. Buffalo. “We knew they were a perimeter team. With our injuries, it was hard to get out and get after them, but overall I think we played very well in the first half. Fatigue was a factor for us in the second half. We've played four games in eight days now and it's finals week.”

Delaware overcame a tough shooting night of its own as Delaware hit 37.7 percent from the field (20 of 53). But solid efforts from Naismith national player of the year candidate Delle Donne and from Harris helped the Hens down the Explorers for the second straight time and for the seventh time in the last nine meetings.

The Blue Hens never trailed the entire day, but had to withstand a strong comeback by Explorers, who stayed within eight points of the lead for most of the second half. LaSalle made it a one possession game when Walsh drained a three-pointer with 6:44 left to cut the margin to 39-37, but Delaware answered with seven straight points as Harris hit a mid-range jumper and a three-pointer in a span of 45 seconds and Bailey converted a put-back at the 3:58 mark to push the lead to 46-37.

La Salle’s Tara Lapetina knocked down a three-pointer with 3:16 left to snap the streak to cut the lead to six, but Delle Donne and Eva Riddick followed with layups and the Hens converted four straight free throws in the final 47 seconds to preserve the win.

Delaware jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first five minutes of the game and expanded the lead to 17-6 at the 6:53 mark in a sluggish first half that eventually saw the Hens take a 27-17 lead at intermission.