Player of the Year Nicole Enabosi led her team with a double-double of 16 points and 14 boards.
Balanced Effort Leads No. 5 UD over No. 4 NU
Megan O'Brien
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PHILADELPHIA (March 8, 2018) – A balanced attack led No. 5 University of Delaware to a 61-50 win over No. 4 Northeastern University in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship quarterfinals on Thursday afternoon.
All five starters for the Blue Hens scored at least five points as Delaware advanced to the semifinals for the 14th time in program history and first time since the 2015-16 season. CAA Player of the Year
Nicole Enabosi posted her 23rd double-double of the year as she had 16 points and 14 rebounds.
Jess Genco paced the Huskies with 23 points, 14 of which came in the second half as Northeastern attempted a comeback that fell just short.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair as Delaware took its largest lead of the stanza, 14-10 on a free throw from Enabosi at 2:34. A pair of lay-ups from
Gabby Giacone allowed Northeastern to tie the game at 17-17 at the end of one period.
The Blue Hens scored the first eight points of the second quarter and took a 25-17 lead with 3:05 to go until the half. A three-pointer from Shannon Todd with 24 seconds to go in the stanza cut the Delaware lead to 25-20 at the break.
Delaware held Northeastern without a point for an over three-minute stretch in the third quarter and opened up a 36-25 lead with 4:50 to go in the period.
Claudia Ortiz finally snapped the Northeastern scoreless streak with a bucket at 3:06. That started a 5-1 run by the Huskies as they cut the Delaware lead to nine, 39-30 with 10 minutes to play.
The Blue Hens opened the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run and took a 47-30 lead with 7:06 to play. That run was highlighted by a three-pointer from
Abby Gonzales. A three-point play from Gonzales at 5:19 pushed the Delaware lead to 50-32. Six straight points from Giacone pulled the Huskies to within 12 with 3:25 left on the clock. The two teams continued to battle as a three-pointer from Genco cut the deficit to eight, 58-50 with 28 seconds left in the game. That was as close as the Huskies would get as Delaware claimed the 61-50 victory.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
Delaware held Northeastern to just three points in the second quarter which tied the CAA Tournament record for fewest points in a quarter. That mark was originally set last year after James Madison held UNCW to three points in the fourth quarter of the quarterfinals last year.
Delaware improved to 5-0 all-time versus Northeastern in the CAA Tournament. It was the first tournament meeting between the two schools since 2015.
The Blue Hens are now an impressive 14-1 in CAA quarterfinals games.
The Blue Hens will make their 14th all-time appearance in the CAA semifinals and first since the 2015-16 season.
Gonzales finished with 13 points for Delaware while Samone DeFreese added 11 points.
Todd and Giacone each contributed 12 points to give the Huskies with three players in double figures.
Delaware dominated the rebounding battle, 46-38.