Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

Boxscore

LORETTO, Pa. -- The University of Delaware women’s basketball team won its sixth straight season opener as the Blue Hens posted a 77-64 victory over host Saint Francis University on Tuesday night at DeGol Arena at the Stokes Center.

Delaware’s (1-0 overall) 77 points were the most by the squad since a 79-58 victory over Virginia Commonwealth on March 9, 2007.

Three Blue Hens posted double-digit point totals, including freshman forward/guard Elena Delle Donne, who tallied 19 points. She also led the team with five assists and two blocks, while pulling down seven rebounds in her first collegiate action. She was supported by sophomore guard Jocelyn Bailey (at right), who recorded 15 points and also added seven rebounds and three steals. Senior guard Corinthia Benison rounded out the offensive stalwarts, draining 10 points on 3-for-3 shooting.

Saint Francis (0-2 overall) sophomore guard Quinessa Johnson recorded the first basket of the game just 26 seconds into action. Delaware tied the game on a Delle Donne jumper at 17:20. The lead changed possession three times before the contest knotted at six on a Bailey free throw at 14:24. Bailey, who was 9 of 10 from the charity stripe, hit the back end of the free throws to give the Hens the lead.

Delaware kept command of action to lead the remainder of the game. Delle Donne hit the next two shots, a layup and a three, to cap off a 7-0 run by the Hens. Delaware shot 52 percent from the field and was 11-for-12 from the line for a 92 percent conversion rate in the first stint of play. The Hens twice led by as many as nine points to take a 36-31 advantage into the locker room at the half.

The Hens returned to the court and dominated the second frame. Outscoring SFU, 41-33, Delaware capitalized on the Red Flash’s turnovers to lead by 20 points with 3:20 lingering on the clock.

Starting at 11:30 on a jumper by junior forward Ariene Jenkins, Delaware notched 10 straight points to hold a powerful 13-point advantage with 9:32 following a pair of Delle Donne free throws.

The Hens again were strong on the defensive boards leading to nine unanswered points when freshman forward Danielle Parker made good on a pair of layups and junior guard Tesia Harris hit a baseline three to secure a 20-point cushion.

Parker sunk the front-end of a pair of free throws, and Harris hit her second three pointer of the night to close out the Hens’ scoring on the evening. SFU tallied six late points to finalize all scoring at 77-64.

The Red Flash matched the Hens with three in double digits. Junior guard Samantha Leach led SFU with 16 points and five assists, while sophomore Sarah Thorn tallied 12 points and junior guard Allison Daly, 11.

“I’m happy we got the win tonight,” said veteran head coach Tina Martin. “I thought we should have held on to the 20-point lead at the end -- we really turned it on in the second half to build up that lead.

“There were obviously a lot of nerves early on, but we were able to pull it together and explode in the second. Overall I thought our team did a great job tonight. We were screening for one another, reading their defense, and making things happen,” concluded Martin.

Delaware will next travel to Princeton University on Saturday, Nov. 21 for a 4 p.m. game. The game will serve as the latter half of a Princeton doubleheader, as the Tigers’ men’s team hosts Army at 2 p.m.

AGATE:

Delaware...................36.....41........77
Saint Francis (Pa.).....31.....33........64

Delaware (1-0)
Delle Donne 5-14 8-8 19, Riddick 1-2 2-3 4, Bailey 3-9 9-10 15, Benison 3-3 3-6 10, Harris 2-4 0-0 6, McLean 1-2 0-0 3, Parker 3-4 1-2 7, Kabongo 3-4 1-2 7, Jenkins 3-6 0-0 6; Totals: 24-48 24-31 77.

Saint Francis (Pa.) (0-2)
Killian 1-3 2-4 4, Leach 6-12 1-1 16, Hodges 3-8 1-2 7, Daly 4-6 0-0 11, Johnson 1-1 2-2 4, Gibbs 0-1 0-0 0, Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Thorn 4-9 2-2 12, Fleming 2-6, 2-2 6, Doogan 0-0 0-0 0, Caruthers 2-3 0-0 4; Totals: 23-53 10-13 64.

Halftime: Delaware 36, Saint Francis (Pa.) 31; Three-Point Field Goals: DEL 5-10 (Harris 2, Delle Donne 1, Benison 1, McLean 1), SFU 8-15 (Leach 3, Daly 3, Thorn 2); Rebounds: DEL - 35 (Bailey 7, Delle Donne 7), SFU - 26 (Killian 4, Hodges 4); Assists: DEL - 14 (Delle Donne 5), SFU - 13 (Leach 5); Fouled Out: SFU - Johnson, Fleming; Fouls: DEL - 19, SFU - 29; Attendance: 914.