Women's Basketball Notches 100-59 Victory over Delaware State

Saturday, December 19

Liacouras Center

1:00 p.m.

Temple University

6-4

100

Delaware State

2-8

Delaware State

Temple

100

Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University

Women's Basketball Notches 100-59 Victory over Delaware State

12.19.15 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA -- Six different players hit double figures as the Temple women's basketball team had a record-setting afternoon in a 100-59 victory over Delaware State at the Liacouras Center. The Owls scored 100 points for the first time since netting 102 in a win over Rutgers on March 3, 1994. Today's victory was the third-straight for Temple, which improves to 6-4 overall, while Delaware State dips to 2-8.

The Owls shot just under 50% for the game, and out-rebounded the Hornets, 48-29. Temple held the lead for 38 minutes of the contest, capitalizing on 24 Delaware State turnovers that turned into 40 points for the Owls. Overall, Temple finished with a 41-point advantage, the first 40-point margin since the Owls topped Rhode Island, 84-41, on February 19, 2012.

Sophomore Tanaya Atkinson recorded a career-high 24 points and also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. Classmate Alliya Butts had a well-rounded stat line with 17 points, a career-best seven assists, and four steals, while senior Erica Covile had 16 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Sophomore Donnaizha Fountain tied a career-high with 14 points, while also pulling down eight boards, and the Owls also saw a season-high 11 points, five rebounds, and three steals from sophomore Khadijah Berger. Rounding out the box score, junior Feyonda Fitzgerald had 10 points, three assists, and two steals, while graduate student Ugo Nwaigwe had seven rebounds, four points and three blocks.

Temple and Delaware State exchanged leads in the opening minutes, thanks to hot three-point shooting from both teams. Butts, Fountain, and Covile hit from deep for the Owls, but DSU's N'Kayah Kersey and Mikah Aldridge also nailed threes, as the Hornets kept pace. With Temple up by just one (14-13), the Owls closed the quarter on a 15-2 run, taking a 29-15 lead after the first.

Aside from a pair of Delaware State threes, Temple dominated the second quarter. The Owls out-scored the Hornets 24-10 in the frame, thanks to 11 points from Atkinson. Temple put together a 14-3 run in the final 3:28 of play, before Delaware State banked in a three to make it 51-25. The Owls got the last points of the half, however, as Atkinson scored her 11th point of the stanza on a lay-up, sending the Owls into the break with a 53-25 lead.

The Owls continued to roll through the start of the third quarter, increasing their lead to 33 on an Atkinson free throw, which made it 61-28 with 6:49 left. Delaware State responded with seven unanswered to cut the lead to 61-35. From there, Temple went on an 8-2 run to push it back to a 34-point advantage (73-39) with 2:55 on the clock. Delaware State was able to close the frame with an 11-3 run, however, setting the score to 76-50 after three.

Temple closed out the game with a hot fourth quarter. The Owls opened the frame with a 16-2 run, taking up the first five minutes of play, increasing their lead to 92-52. The Hornets had a small 5-1 surge to get the lead to under 40, but Temple closed it out by scoring seven of the games final nine points, sealing the lopsided victory.

Temple is next in action at home on Wednesday December 30. The Owls will open play in the American Athletic Conference by hosting Memphis at McGonigle Hall at 7 p.m.

Box Score (PDF) | Post-Game Press Conference | Video Highlights