University of Delaware showed when they have the offense and defense clicking they can be one dominant team. The Blue Hens took down current CAA champions Elon 80-66 on Friday at the Bob Carpenter Center.
Friday’s win marked the first time Delaware took down Elon at the Bob Carpenter Center.
Can we talk about how this was a great rebound win for the Hens, after their first conference game last week against Drexel was a pretty ugly loss losing 74-53.
In Friday’s victory, guard Bailey Kargo lead the way for the Hens scoring a career high 21 points in the game. Kargo was feeling from the three point line in the game going 5 for 6.
Kargo had the scoring touch in the game but her teammates also had her back as well as three other Blue Hens scored in double digits in the win. Nicole Enabosi ( 16), Abby Gonzales (16), and Samone DeFreese (14) all helped pour on the points to get the big win against Elon. Enabosi was two rebounds away from a double-double in the game which the Delaware forward has been a double-double machine this season.
Before we head into how this dominating win all came about, let us look at the match up history between the two teams prior to Friday’s game:
Elon leads the all-time series between the Blue Hens with a 6-1 mark ( now 6-2) and a 3-0 record ( now 3-1) at the Bob Carpenter Center.
Delaware’s last win against Elon came in the 2016 CAA tournament when the fifth seeded Blue Hens came from behind to win 57-50.
So how did Delaware get this dominating win against the reigning CAA Champs,well it all started in the first period where things were kind of tight between two teams.
The first period was kind of back and forth between the two teams except when Elon held the largest lead of the period which was six points.
Elon had 12-6 around the 6:17 mark and then a 14-8 lead around the 5:35 mark.
Elon was killing it in the first period with the three’s going 4 for 6 and that is how they scored most of their points.
Elon’s Meme Garner was 3 for 3 at the three point line and had a total of 11 points in the first period.
Unlike Elon, Blue Hens did not rely on the three in the first but the team did the dirty work in the paint and earned their points in there.
Blue Hens outscored Elon 14-6 in the paint in the first period and they also did very well capitalizing on Elon’s mistakes. The Hens scored six points off Elon’s turnovers in the first period.
As the first period ended the Hens had a 21-20 lead.
In the early minutes of the second period it was still pretty close between the teams as they took turns of the lead.
Then around the 7:16 mark with the scored tied 27-27, the Hens decided to take control of the lead and go on a 7-2 run that put the score 32-29 with 5:50 left in the half.
Then after Elon’s Meme Garner hit a lay up to make the score 32-31, the Hens decided to put this game out of reach for good with another run.
The Hens went on a 8-0 starting around the 4:48 mark that made the score 40-31 with 3:08 left in the half.
Hens Bailey Kargo and Abby Gonzales both hit three pointers during the run and the reliable Nicole Enabosi made a layup in the run.
The Blue Hens ended the half with a 46-37 lead over Elon.
In the second period, the Hens defense stepped up big time and stopped Elon from getting any good shots from the three point line which was their main source of points in the first.
Elon went 1 for 4 at the three point line in the second period.
Delaware outscored Elon 25-17 in the second period and continue to capitalize on Elon’s turnovers with scoring five points from them.
In the first half, Delaware scored 11 points off of Elon’s turnovers.
Then the third period came and Delaware never let up, their defense kept Elon to a 21% field goal percentage (3 for 14) in the third.
Delaware’s defense being there was good because in the third their offense faltered some with the team only making 35% (5 for 14) of their shots. In the first half, the Hens were shot around the 60% mark.
Main source of points for Elon in the third was from the free throw line where they went 6 for 7 at the line.
The Hens outscored Elon 14-12 in the period to take a 60-49 lead to the fourth.
In the fourth period, it was pretty much the same as the third, Hens defense held strong and both offenses still could not hit shots consistently.
Both teams in the fourth period had success at the free throw line with Elon going 4 for 6 and Delaware going 8 for 10.
Delaware outscored Elon in the fourth 20-17 and took home a 80-66 win when the buzzer sounded.
With this win, Delaware has won their last 4 out of 5 games and that include three straight at home.
Blue Hens ( 8-5, 1-1 CAA) go on the road to Charleston to face the College of Charleston at 1 pm ET on Sunday.
Quotes of the Game:
Head Coach Natasha Adair on the Win Vs Elon:
“Today’s game is a measuring stick for our group. Elon is a team that won the CAA Championship a season ago. I know [Elon head coach] Charlotte [Smith] well, and her team is taking on her mindset from when she was a player. Elon is very tough, very disciplined and they have big-time players. I felt like we were ready today, and we prepared all week for this challenge. Our players executed the game plan very well. I want people to know we have talent on our team too. With Nicole [Enabosi] sitting down for a stretch in the first half, our supporting cast of Samone [DeFreese], Abby [Gonzalez] and Bailey [Kargo] stepped up and showed that we are a team and not just Nicole. Today’s effort shows the balance of our group, and them being more comfortable with the system we’ve put in place.”
“We shared the ball so much and so well today, whether we were facing man or zone. Nicole [Enabosi] commands so much attention and she’s doing a good job of being disciplined. She allows the double-team to come and then finds the open person. We work with her on finding the open player when she gets that double coverage. I thought when Elon shifted into zone, our first two possessions were quick and we rushed shots. We talked about letting the zone shift and moving the ball when they collapsed on Nicole. Nicole today found her teammates perfectly.”
Guard Bailey Kargo on the win and her career day:
“Today’s victory was huge for us. The way we shot the ball today was night and day compared to Drexel [last week]. We played lockdown defense today, which we need to be doing consistently. If we do that consistently we’re going to get great wins like today.”
“My teammates did a great job today of finding me. Everyone was driving to the basket today, which is what the coaches have been trying to instill in us. Today we didn’t settle for jumpshots, which helped. Nicole was doubled again, but she did a good job of passing out of the double team. Her passing allowed me to get shots up today.”
Samone DeFreese on playing for Coach Adair:
“When Coach Adair took the job, she immediately came in and set the expectations in terms of what would get you on the floor. She talked about going for rebounds and making hustle plays, doing the things that not everyone does. I told her from the start that I could be that player for her. It’s not about me scoring; it’s about me doing what we need to do in order to be successful as a team. I let her know that early on, and she set her expectations for me. She continues to challenge me. The biggest thing she kept telling me was that last year doesn’t matter. Last season doesn’t dictate the player you’re going to be this year or in the future. Coach setting the tone has allowed me to be successful and confident. It changes the whole game for me.”
Stats:
FG%:
UD: 50.9%
Elon: 38.3%
3FG%:
UD: 53.3%%
Elon: 33.3%
FT%:
UD: 70%
Elon: 73.7%
Rebounds:
UD: 33
Elon: 36
Assists:
UD: 22
Elon: 18
Turnovers:
UD: 13
Elon: 17
Blocks:
UD: 5
Elon: 1
Steals:
UD: 4
Elon: 6
Points in Paint:
UD: 32
Elon: 32
Bench Points:
UD: 9
Elon: 28
Points Off of Turnovers:
UD: 19
Elon: 8
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