DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Two
Lady Wildcats comebacks weren't enough to collect the victory, as Delaware
State scored the final six points in the overtime period on Saturday to claim a
hard-fought 62-57 win over homestanding Bethune-Cookman in a MEAC women's
basketball affair inside historic Moore Gymnasium.
"I just
don't think that we showed up from an offensive standpoint," Head Coach Vanessa
Blair said. "On the defensive end, we gave up far too many offensive rebounds
that converted to baskets for Del. State."
The
game opened fast for the Wildcats as they surged out to a 7-0 lead before the
Lady Hornets stormed back to knot up the game with just over 13 minutes
remaining in the half. The Lady Wildcats later reclaimed the advantage at 9-7,
ending almost a seven-minute drought with a Terrenisha Hollis layup at the
10:49 mark.
Unfortunately
for the Lady Wildcats, it would be another five minutes before they could break
into the scoring column again, allowing DSU to build a 16-9 lead. Hollis scored
five straight for B-CU to get the Lady Wildcats in rallying position as the
half wound down.
After
a three-point play with under a minute to go granted the Lady Hornets a brief
lead, the Lady Cats responded to knot the game once again with a three-pointer
from Chastity René Taylor from the right side on the assist from Taylor
Houston, heading into the locker room at 21-all.
B-CU
came out of the half cold, hitting just one field goal in the first 10 minutes
of the second, trailing by nine at the midpoint, but whittled the deficit down
gradually. Trailing 41-39 with 3:26 remaining in regulation, a technical foul
was assessed to DSU's Tierra Hawkins, allowing Taylor to connect on two free
throws that knotted the game.
That
was the turning point in what was otherwise a frustrating game for B-CU head
coach Vanessa Blair and her Lady Wildcats.
A
backdoor cut and layup by Hollis allowed the Cats to take their first lead
since midway through the opening half.
That
began a furious final few moments that will go down in Richard V. Moore Gymnasium
history for one of the best women's hoops games in the long legacy of the
storied venue. Three ties and three lead changes highlighted the final minutes,
as point guard Shakeyia Colyer stepped up for a pair of free throws and
successful lane drives brought the score to 49-all with 19 seconds to go. B-CU
held DSU as the clock ticked away to send the game into the extra period.
"The comeback was highly contributed to [Chastity]
René [Taylor] and Terrenisha [Hollis], who both had consistent nights again for
us, just going to them and getting them to get us offensively back in rhythm,"
Blair noted.
Overtime.
The first of the season for either team. The pace as frantic as any on the
year. Maybe just a little too frantic for the young Wildcats in the end.
Despite
seven lead changes, a key B-CU turnover opened up a fast break opportunity for
DSU's Jade Washington with 34 seconds to go, putting the Lady Hornets on top
for the final time. DSU was perfect from the line as B-CU was forced to foul,
en route to the 62-57 win.
"Our
turnovers led to fast break points for them," Blair said. "We played too rushed
with the lead and turned the ball over."
DSU
scored six off turnovers, four on the fast break, in the extra period, with 18
off turnovers and 14 on the break across the three periods.
A
career-high afternoon for Hollis sparked the Lady Wildcats throughout as she registered
career marks of 22 points and six
steals, in addition to 10 rebounds, her second
career double-double. Taylor added 13 in the second half for a total of 18. Kayla
Crawford also added nine rebounds for the Lady Wildcats.
After
challenges the past week on the road from the line, B-CU bounced back with a 13-of-15
free throw performance.
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