Dover (Feb. 14, 2009) --- Junior forward Ashley Thompson scored a career-high 15 points and Sonia Johnson added 12 to lead Delaware State to a 79-47 women's basketball win over Norfolk State in Memorial Hall on Saturday.
The Lady Hornets have won two straight and six of their last seven to improve to 13-11 overall and 9-2 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Norfolk State fell to 0-21 and 0-11.
Delaware State has also won nine in a row over the Spartans.
The 32-point victory was the most by the Lady Hornets since a 73-39 win over Bethune-Cookman during the 2006-07 season.
Thompson was 5-of-8 from the field and 5-for-5 at the free throw line. Her previous high was 11 points vs. Columbia on Nov. 11, 2006. She also led all players with seven rebounds.
Marquilla Evans was the only Norfolk State player in double-figures with 10 points.
“This was probably our best all-around effort this season,” said Delaware State head coach Ed Davis, who improved to 105-47 in MEAC regular season games. “We were able to get plenty of minutes for a lot of players today, which will help us down the stretch.”
Delaware State outscored Norfolk State 35-11 in points off the bench.
The Lady Hornets scored the first eight points of the game, and opened up a 17-2 lead on a three-point play by Brittany Washington with 13:41 left in the first half. Washington came off the bench to score a career-high nine points, all in the first half.
Norfolk State answered with a 6-0 run, and pulled to within 17-8 on a lay up by Evans with 12:24 left in the half.
Delaware State scored 16 of the next 19 points, and pulled ahead 33-11 on two free throws by Johnson with 5:45 remaining in the half.
The Lady Hornets led 43-25 at the break. The 43 points were the most in a half by the team this season.
Delaware State opened the second half with an 8-0 run, and stretched its lead to 51-25 on a lay up by Johnson with 17:06 left to play.
The Lady Hornets opened up a 70-39 lead on a lay up by Thompson with 2:39 left. DSU matched its biggest lead when Candice Stewart hit two free throws to make it 77-43 with 40 seconds remaining in the game.
Delaware State was 26-for-54 from the field (48.1%), including 4-of-8 from three-point territory. The Lady Hornets were 23-for-33 at the free throw line (69.7%).
Norfolk State was held to 13-of-49 shooting from the field (26.5%), including 0-for-6 from beyond the arc. The Spartans were 21-for-28 at the stripe (75.0%). NSU also committed 22 turnovers, marking the 23rd time in 24 games that Delaware State's opponent has committed 20-or-more turnovers.
The Lady Hornets will play their 2008-09 home finale against first-place North Carolina A&T on Monday. Game time is 4:30 p.m. The contest will be televised live on ESPNU.
