NEWARK, Del. - - The long-range shot was working for Delaware State on Wednesday night as the NCAA Division I and in-state opponent shot lights out in a 108-39 victory over the Wilmington University women's basketball team at the WU Athletics Complex.
The Hornets (2-6) came into the contest shooting 25 percent from beyond the three-point arc but went 15-of-32 (46.9 percent) from deep for the game, including a smoldering 10-of-17 (58.8 percent) in the second half alone.
The Wildcats (0-9) used the three-ball to stay in the game in the first quarter, gong 4-for-7 to score 16 points in the frame. Mia Fuller hit the first of the game to bring the Wildcats to within 6-5, and the Trinity Brittingham hit one to bring the Wildcats to within 11-8. An Amber Washington three-pointer had the Wildcats to within 17-13 and then Mia Fuller hit another to bring the score to 22-16 with 1:34 left. But the Hornets hit two final three-pointers before the end of the quarter, giving the Division I program a 28-16 lead.
Cha'Nyah Dunston-Mason and Mia Fuller hit three-pointers early in the second quarter, but the Wildcats could only get as close as nine points before the halftime break. The Hornets went on a 6-0 run to stretch the lead out to 15 and then another 10-0 run to end the second quarter, taking a 47-24 lead into the halftime break.
The third quarter belong to Hodgson Vo-Tech graduate Ja'Naiah Perkins-Jackson playing in her backyard, shooting 8-of-9 from the floor including 5-of-6 from three-point land for 21 points in the third frame alone. The Hornets won the third frame, 33-9, to take an 80-33 lead into the fourth quarter.
Mia Fuller paced the Wildcats with 14 points on the night, shooting 5-of-10 from the floor while hitting on 4-of-8 from three-point territory. Aniyah Bond scored eight points to go with six rebounds while Amber Washington scored six points to go with four assists and two rebounds.
The Wildcats are off this weekend but return to action next Wednesday night when they travel to Queens (N.Y.) for another nonconference battle. The Wildcats and Knights begin a doubleheader with a 5:30 p.m. start.