Blue Hens Ready to Open Season With UMBC Retrievers
November 12, 2010
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File Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell
• Game Notes: Delaware versus UMBC / Live Video/Audio/Stats
NEWARK, Del. – Coming off of a berth in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament, the University of Delaware women’s basketball team is ready to get the 2010-11 season underway when it hosts UMBC Friday night at the Bob Carpenter Center for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
Under the direction of Tina Martin, who begins her 15th season at the helm of the program, Delaware posted a 21-12 overall record last season, reaching the semifinals of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament. This season, the Hens return 72.6 percent of its production from a year ago, but have had to make adjustments.
Back for her second season is sophomore guard/forward Elena Delle Donne (at right), a Preseason All-American vote getter, who was also named the CAA’s Preseason Co-Player of the Year.
Last season, Delle Donne turned in a record-shattering season, breaking 18 school records, while averaging 26.7 points per game, ranking her third in the nation. She tallied 774 points as a freshman, earning her not only CAA Rookie of the Year honors but also the conference’s Player of the Year award as well. A versatile player,
Delle Donne registered a three-point percentage of .477, knocking down 66 of her 160 attempts. She was also a force at the free throw line, going 194-216 (89.8 percent) to lead the CAA. On defense, she ranked second in the league with 40 blocks while grabbing 254 rebounds.
Joining Delle Donne as a captain this season is senior guard Eva Riddick. In her second season as a captain and final campaign with the Hens, Riddick will be looked upon as the player with the most experience, appearing in 84 career games including 40 starts. Additionally, with career 55 blocks, Riddick is 13th all-time at Delaware in that category.
Junior guard Kayla Miller will be out indefinitely following back surgery two weeks ago. But the point spot will be left in the capable hands in Lauren Carra, who averaged 6.0 points per game last season.
In her rookie campaign, Carra hit .331 percent (58-175) of her field goal attempts. She finished the Colorado State game with a team-high 14 points and finished six games as the team’s leading assister. The Hens’ offense will get a spark from Carra, the second-leading returning scorer.
The Retrievers finished the 2009-10 season with an overall record of 13-17 and 7-9 in the America East. UMBC reached the quarterfinals of the conference tournament, falling to third seeded Boston University 68-35. UMBC returns four starters from last season, including leading scorer Michelle Kurowski, who averaged 12.9 points per game. She also led on the boards, snagging 5.9 a game. Center Tope Obajolu, UMBC’s tallest player, averaged 7.5 points a night while grabbing 3.7 boards per game. Meghan Colabella tallied 6.6 points per game while also hauling in a team second-best 5.2 rebounds a contest. Michele Brokans was a co-leader in assists with 70 and recorded a team-high 43 steals. The fifth probable starter, Kristin Coles becomes eligible this season after sitting all of 2009-10 as per the NCAA transfer rules. In 2008-09, while at American University, she averaged 2.7 points per game and 1.9 rebounds.
These two teams have met nine times, with the Hens holding an overall record of 6-3, including an impressive 4-1 in Newark. Last season, the Hens had four players reach double figures against the Retrievers (Delle Donne, Carra, Jocelyn Bailey and Tesia Harris), en route to a 70-61 victory in Baltimore.
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