Delle Donne scores 26 points in first home game

Redshirt freshman Elena Delle Donne led the women's basketball team to its third straight victory Friday night, beating Navy 67-50 in front of a crowd of 3,040 at the Bob Carpenter Center.

It was Delle Donne's first home game at Delaware. 
 
“This is already a home court to me,” the Delle Donne said. “Through high school I've been able to play here, and it felt incredible playing on this court and actually wearing a Delaware jersey.”
 
Delle Donne, playing with a sprained ankle, led the Hens with 26 points, while sophomore guard Jocelyn Bailey cleaned up on defense with 11 defensive rebounds.

A 10-0 run by Delaware late in the first half helped set the tone for the second. 
 
“I think we really did some good things as far as distributing the ball,” head coach Tina Martin said. “We got some back-door cuts. We got some good looks off some screens. They were switching on screens. I thought we did a better job of that, as far as reading that, at the end of the first half and then it carried over to the second half.”
 
With five lead changes in the first half, Navy and Delaware played an even game for the first twenty minutes. Turnovers were costly for Navy though, as Delaware scored 19 points off of 17 Navy turnovers.

Martin noted that the team was tired after a ten-hour bus ride from the University of Maine on Tuesday. She commended her team for its effort. 
 
“I really thought they gutted it out,” Martin said. “I thought our kids really stuck it out and really played well together. This was a kind of grind out win.”
 
Although the team has not started conference play yet, Delle Donne's play may determine the result of many games. She is first in the CAA in free-throw percentage, second in average points per game and rebounding, and seventh in field-goal percentage. Against Navy, she had 6 rebounds and 3 assists to go along with her 26 points. 
 
Despite nursing an ankle injury, Delle Donne also played 35 out of a possible 40 minutes in the game. Her teammates and coaches are impressed with the former McDonald's high school All-American's talents. 
 
“Elena, you know, its Elena,” redshirt freshmen forward Danielle Parker, who had 11 points, said. “She's not a selfish player. She gets her points but she looks to other people to dish, and to get their points as well. She does everything. She's a wonderful player, a big force on the team.”
 
Martin agreed.
 
“She's so talented,” Martin said. “She can get the ball outside, score the three. She can put on the floor, as she did several times tonight. She finds the open man. She does so many things for us.” 
 
Delle Donne and her teammates are on their first winning streak of the season, defeating UMBC, Maine and Navy within a six day period. Despite minor injuries to Delle Donne, Parker and Laura Carra, Martin believes the team is building momentum. 
 
“I think we're starting to turn the corner a little bit,” Martin said. “We're not where we need to be as a cohesive unit, but I think eventually we'll get there.” 
 
The game attendance was the highest ever for a women’s basketball home opener at the Bob Carpenter Center, and the third highest of any game all-time.
 

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