Story courtesy of Hartford Athletic Media Relations
Durham, NC – The
University of Hartford women’s basketball team dropped its NCAA First
Round game by a 60-39 margin to the LSU Tigers, after allowing a 17-0
run early in the first half and could never record. The Hawks close out
the 2009-10 season with a 27-4 overall record.
Senior, Diana Delva closed out her career
leading the Hawks in the programs first appearance in the NCAA
Tournament as an at-large. She finished with 12 points and seven
rebounds. Delva finished the game 5-of-9 from the field, closing out her
final season shooting 64.7 percent for the year, good for second best
in the nation.
Delva was the only player to finish in double figures, with Ilicia Mathis second on the team with nine points,
including four in one play as the sophomore hit a three pointer from
straight out and was fouled on the play early in the second half.
As a team, the Hawks finished the game shooting 29.6 percent (16-of-54)
from the field, struggling from outside the arc with three
three-pointers in 17 attempts for (17.6 percent). The Hawks also
finished shooting 4-of-7 from the free throw line, while the Tigers took
30 total free throws in the game, making 23 of them.
After opening the game with inside baskets from Delva and Ruthanne Doherty the Hawks couldn’t score for the next
7:53, allowing the Tigers to score 17 unanswered points and take a 17-4
lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.
Rookie Nikkia Smith broke the Hawks drought
with a jumper from the top of the key with just over 10 minutes
remaining in the half. Hartford cut the deficit to 11 on two occasions,
but couldn’t get any closer. Smith also hit the final bucket of the half
putting the Hawks at a 14-point deficit at the break.
The Hawks could never manage to put a significant run together in the
second half. Mathis’ four-point play with 16:20 to play in the game
seemed to turn the tide, however LSU clamped down its defense coming out
of a timeout after the play and used a 13-0 run to take a 47-21 lead
with 12:38 to play.