Despite losing 71-58, the Hofstra women’s basketball team put on a strong performance against the University of Delaware Blue Hens on Sunday, Feb. 13, at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.
Delaware, the current No. 1 team in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) standings, was led by Jasmine Dickey, who ranks third in the NCAA in points per game.
“I think our team is continuing to get better and better each game than we were the last, and that’s our focus every time we step on the floor,” said Hofstra head coach Danielle Santos Atkinson.
The lead changed four times in the opening quarter before a late run put Hofstra ahead by four points at the first media timeout. A Jaylen Hines layup followed by a two-point shot by Rosi Nicholson pushed the Pride to a 15-11 lead over Delaware before the visitors tied it up with two straight baskets of their own. The Pride scored the final four points of the quarter thanks to a jumper from Zyheima Swint and a pair of Nicholson free throws, giving Hofstra a 19-15 lead after the first 10 minutes of the game.
Hofstra continued battling toe-to-toe with the Blue Hens in the next frame, as they answered Delaware basket-for-basket throughout the second quarter. Hofstra’s lead grew to five inside the final four minutes of the first half with a pair of free successful throws by Jahsyni Knight, but Delaware took back the lead with three-straight baskets by Dickey down the stretch as the first half concluded with the score at 34-33 for the Blue Hens.
Hofstra’s Selma Markisic kicked off the third quarter by tying the game with free throw, and following three-straight points from Delaware, Hines hit a jumper to cut the deficit to within one. However, the Blue Hens pulled away from the Pride down the stretch of the third quarter, gaining a lead of 57-47. Hofstra showed a valiant effort, but Delaware maintained the lead throughout the rest of the game, out-scoring Hofstra 14-11 in the fourth quarter.
Dickey led all players with 36 points, and she also added seven rebounds, four steals and three blocks to her stat sheet. Tyi Skinner also finished in double-figures for Delaware with 12 points, and Ty Battle pulled down 10 rebounds for the Blue Hens.
Rosi Nicholson led all scorers for Hofstra, tallying 16 points and contributing six rebounds and four steals. Jaylen Hines also had a solid performance, racking up 15 points along with seven rebounds for the Pride.
“This is the time where you want to start getting close to playing your best basketball going into March,” Santos Atkinson said. “For us, we’re not there yet. As I keep telling the team, we’re getting close as long as we stay bought into the process.”
Hofstra is set to go on the road this week for two games as they take on the CAA’s No. 6 team Elon University on Friday, Feb. 18. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. The Pride’s second away game of the week is at William and Mary on Sunday, Feb. 20, at 2 p.m.
Photo Courtesy of Evan Bernstein/The Hofstra Chronicle
