Carra leads Hens to come-from-behind win

Facing a double-digit deficit and with star forward Elena Delle Donne out due to injury for the fourth consecutive game, Delaware needed some its role players to step up. Lauren Carra and Jocelyn Bailey answered the call with career games.

The Hens opened their conference season with a 71-66 win over Hofstra Sunday afternoon at the Bob Carpenter Center. The win improves their record to 8-4 (1-0 CAA).

"There are signs," Head Coach Tina Martin said of her young team coming together. "We're fighters. That's got to be our identity—that we're willing to fight, scratch and claw for victory."

Carra, a sophomore guard, scored 29 points, and Bailey contributed 19, both career-highs. Carra's total was a most by a Hens' player not named Delle Donne since Tesia Harris scored 29 in an overtime win over Towson in February 2009.

Carra drilled an open three-pointer from the left side to tie the game with 7:09 remaining and hit the go-ahead bucket on a short jumper with 3:55 left to put Delaware up 62-61. Her free throws helped keep the game out of Hofstra's reach. She hit six free throws in the final moments of the game, finishing 14-15 from the line.

"I think she's growing up," Martin said. "Most kids get it their sophomore year, and its really good to see as a sophomore that Carra is stepping up."

Delaware trailed by as much as 16 with 17:16 remaining in the second half. The Hens held the Pride without a basket for the next six minutes of the half and went on a 22-2 run , hitting seven straight field goals.

"The game wasn't over yet," Bailey said "We can compete with anyone in our league, and I think everyone realized that in the second half. Even though we were down, we needed to pick each other up."

After a pair of free throws by Bailey tied it at 47, Carra was fouled while in shooting motion on a 3-pointer. She hit her three free throws, and sophomore forward Danielle Parker added another free throw a possession later to complete the run and put the Hens up 51-47.

Hofstra applied more pressure on its press, something Delaware struggled to break all game, and forced two consecutive turnovers, getting points off both to go back ahead. The Hens, who had 26 turnovers in the game, suddenly found themselves trailing again, this time by six.

Bailey hit another two free throws, and Parker scored an open lay-up to trim the deficit to two. A free throw by Hofstra's Anma Onyeuku made it three before Carra's 3-pointer tied it at 58, and her jumper gave the Hens the lead a minute later.

"Their press was just killing us," Carra said. "Once we settled down we were able to get into our offenses and find the open players."

Hofstra pulled back with under two minutes left. Nicole Capurso drained a long three-pointer to make it a three-point game with a minute and a half left. Onyeuku added another layup with 49 seconds left to pull the Pride within one point.

Bailey stole the ball on Hofstra's next possession and Carra hit two free throws to put Delaware up three. Capurso could not hit another shot from behind the arc, as she turned the ball over attempting an off-balance 3-pointer with 12 ticks left on the clock. A pair of free throws by Carra iced the game and rounded out the scoring.

"We stayed with it, and that's what I'm proud of," Martin said. "I thought this group showed some resiliency, and they listened on the bench to what we were telling them to look for."

Parker finished the game in double-figures as well, scoring 11 points. She also picked up 13 rebounds for her fifth double-double on the season.

Delaware was without Delle Donne, the nation's leading scorer, who is dealing with back issues.

"Elena's a huge part of this team, and we're missing her right now," Carra said. "But we got to keep stepping up so when she comes back we're not down in the conference—we're right where we need to be."

Delaware will continue its CAA season with a trip to Boston to square off against Northeastern on Wednesday night.