March 11, 2011
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - The second-seeded Old Dominion women's basketball team had four players score in double-figures, but couldn't overcome sophomore All-American Elena Delle Donne's 31 points and 10 rebounds, which led seventh-seeded Delaware to a 72-55 CAA Tournament quarterfinal upset over the Lady Monarchs Friday evening.
Old Dominion (20-10) will not advance to the CAA Tournament semifinals for the first time in its 20 years in the league. The Lady Monarchs are now 53-3 in CAA Tournament games, but just 2-3 in the last three years.
Senior Jasmine Parker led ODU with 16 points, while classmate Kquanise Byrd chipped in 14 points to go along with a team-high tying five rebounds. Senior Alena Voronina netted 11 points and junior Tia Lewis reached double-figures with 10.
Delaware (19-12), which advances to the semifinals of the CAA Tournament for the eighth time in the last 10 years, got 11 points and five assists from junior Vanessa Kabongo to in addition to Delle Donne's monster night. Sophomores Danielle Parker and Jaquetta May had nine points apiece for the Blue Hens, who avenge two regular season losses to Old Dominion.
Neither team led by more than three during the first 15 minutes of a highly competitive first half that featured eight ties and five lead changes. The contest was tied at 21 with less than five minutes left in the half when Delaware scored nine straight points. May started the surge with six consecutive points and Delle Donne followed with a three-pointer from the top of the key that made it 30-21 with 2:09 to go. Byrd scored four points in the final minute to bring the Lady Monarchs within 33-27 at the break.
Delaware opened the second half on a 9-2 run that pushed its advantage to 42-29 after a pair of Jocelyn Bailey free throws with 16:32 remaining. The Blue Hens maintained their double-digit lead over the next five minutes, but ODU battled back to within seven (51-44) on a Parker layup with 9:49 to go.
Delle Donne took over from there, however, hitting a jumper to make it 53-44 with 9:31 left and putting the game away with 11 points over the final 10 minutes. The two-time All-CAA selection finished 11-of-25 from the floor and also blocked four shots.
Delaware shot 40.7% from the floor and made 25-of-30 from the free throw line. The Blue Hens also out-rebounded the Lady Monarchs, 41-32. ODU hit 38.5% of its field goal attempts and was just 4-of-16 from three-point range.
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