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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Delaware
Players Mentioned
Delle Donne, No. 24 Delaware Hand Princeton First Loss
December 02, 2011 | Women's Basketball
As nearly 2,000 people found their Jadwin Gym seats and the ball went up to start a game between a newly minted Top 25 team (Delaware, who checked in at No. 24 in this week's Associated Press poll) and a home team that hoped to join its guests there in the not-too-distant future (Princeton), there was one word that pretty much summed up the emotion of the moment.
"We were excited," said Princeton women's basketball Courtney Banghart.
"We were excited," said Princeton senior guard Lauren Edwards.
For the Tigers, excitement gave way quickly to frustration, which basically was the dominant feeling for much of the game, until frustration was replaced by admiration - for knowing that a truly special player had had a truly special night.
Delaware's Elena Delle Donne scored 32 points on 13 for 19 shooting while adding nine rebounds, five blocked shots and three assists to lead the 24th-ranked Blue Hens past Princeton 81-70 in front of 1,824 at Jadwin Gym. Delaware scored the first 14 points of the game and never trailed while shooting 62.3% for the night against a Princeton team that had held five straight opponents below 40%.
The loss was Princeton's first of the year after six wins, while Delaware stayed perfect at 5-0. Princeton is at UMBC Saturday afternoon.
Lauren Edwards led Princeton with a season-high 23 points, including 4 for 8 three-point shooting. Niveen Rasheed added 20 for the Tigers.
"We didn't talk about it, but in the back of our minds, we knew that we were ranked for the first time," Delle Donne said. "We knew that we were playing a very good team in its gym, and we didn't want to be saying to ourselves 'oh no, we're ranked now; everyone is gunning for us.' "
Delle Donne impressed from the first possession of the game, when her spin move started the Blue Hens on their 14-0 run to begin the game, all the way until the final minute, when she left to a big ovation from both team's fans.
The 6-5 junior had 18 points by halftime and 32 at game's end, which actually was less than two points above her 30.3 points per game average, the best in Division I by a female or male player.
"At some point, Banghart said, "you just take a step back and say 'wow.' They had two 14-0 runs, shot 62.3% and we only lost by 11. We have a lot to build on."
Princeton answered Delaware's early sprint to make it a 24-18 on a three-pointer by Rasheed with eight minutes to go in the first, but Delaware then went on a second 14-0 run to make it 38-18. The lead was 18 at halftime, 46-28.
The Blue Hens shot 21 for 34 in the first half (61.8%) and turned the ball over only four times against a Princeton defense that forced 23.5 turnovers per game in the first six games.
"I think that was our best half of the year," said Delaware coach Tina Martin.
Even when Princeton forced 14 turnovers in the second half, Delaware kept scoring. In fact, the Hens shot better in the second half, making 12 of 19 (63.2%). Princeton had been holding teams to 35.2% for the year coming in.
"We would defend well for 28 seconds, and they would get something right at the end," Banghart said. "Usually when you play defense for 28 seconds, you're okay. Possession after possession, they would get something right at the end."
The most frustrating part of the game might have been in the middle of the second half, when Princeton scored on four straight possessions to cut it to 15 and Delaware answered all four times, preventing Princeton from making a run.
The Blue Hens only had Delle Donne with a double-figure average for the year heading into the game, but three other players - Trumae Lucas, Danielle Parker and Akeema Richards - all were in double figures against Princeton, combining for 33 points and shooting 15 for 22 between them.
Nicole Hung had 11 points for Princeton. Devona Allgood finished with eight points and seven rebounds, while Lauren Polansky had three assists and five steals.