Guru’s WBB March Madness - II: Delaware Tops Clemson and Heads to WNIT Charlotte Region Final

By Cathy Bongiovi

The Delaware Blue Hens are proving that they are the team to beat at the Women’s NIT.  

 On Saturday evening, UD captured an 87-74 victory over Clemson in second round action at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, N.C..

 

It marked the first meeting between the teams in program history after both earned their first WNIT victory in Friday’s first round.

 

Once again, Delaware (23-4) was led by junior guard Jasmine Dickey, the CAA Player of the Year, with 26 points on 11-of-25 shooting. She had 20 points in the first half. 

 

Freshman guard Tyi Skinner followed with a career-high 22 points, including two half-court three-pointers.  

 

Redshirt junior forward Ty Battle rounded out the double-figure scoring with 14 points. 

 

Senior forward Lizzie Oleary grabbed a career-high/game-high 13 rebounds.

 

Overall, Delaware shot 45.9 percent from the field (34-74), including a stunning 55.6 percent in the fourth quarter. 

The Blue Hens out-rebounded the Tigers, 46-40. Delaware’s bench out-scored CU’s bench, 39-13. 

 

Clemson (12-14) was led by redshirt senior guard Delicia Washington with 28 points, 20 in the first half alone, and a team-best eight rebounds. 

 

Freshman guard Gabby Elliott followed with 17 points, while redshirt senior guard Kendall Spray added 12 points.

 

Clemson shot 37.5 percent from the field (24-64) and commited 18 turnovers.

 

Dickey netted the first bucket and helped UD to the lead in the first quarter by as many as seven points.  

 

Clemson took advantage of UD’s missed shots and rebounds to take over the lead for the first time, 26-24, with 7:30 to go in the second quarter. 

 

The Tigers’ advantage was short-lived as fast-paced play and a 9-0 run gave Delaware a nine-point lead, 37-28.  

CU battled back to within two, 41-39, as time wound down.  

 

Skinner banked in a half-court shot at the buzzer to give the Blue Hens a 44-39 edge at intermission.

 

In the third quarter, the teams battled within a four-point window. As time expired, Delaware went ahead by five.  

 

For the second time in the game, Skinner nailed a half-court shot at the buzzer, giving UD an eight-point edge, 64-56.

 

In the final stanza, UD continued its 10-0 run to take a 12-point lead, 68-56, on a jumper by Dickey.

 

The Blue Hens built their lead up to 20 points, 84-64, before finishing with the 17-point victory.  

 

Following a day of rest, Delaware will face Villanova on Monday, March 22, at 7 PM ET. The Wildcats defeated Florida, 77-57, in second round action in Saturday’s nightcap.  

 

All WNIT games will be streamed on FloHoops