The American University women’s basketball team (1-2) fell at home to the University of Delaware (2-2) on Nov. 17 with a final score of 68-57. The Eagles entered Monday’s matchup looking to bounce back from a tough road loss to Clemson the week before, while the Blue Hens came off a two-game skid, including a loss to American’s Patriot League rival the Navy Midshipmen.
Delaware got off to a quick 4-0 lead before sophomore guard Madisyn Moore-Nicholson put American on the board with a corner 3-pointer. The Eagles didn’t score for several minutes as the Blue Hens established an early lead. Moore-Nicholson hit a floater after a ball fake, but turnovers were costing American precious scoring opportunities even as Delaware racked up second-chance points thanks to 6 offensive rebounds in the first quarter. After 10 minutes of play, the Eagles trailed 21-12.
American fought back in the second quarter, playing more cohesively on the defensive end and bolstering their paint presence. Moore-Nicholson, continuing to be the team’s scoring engine, hit a transition 3-pointer, followed by a drive and finish by fellow sophomore guard Molly Driscoll. A layup from freshman forward Charlotte Tuhy put the Eagles on a 7-0 run, whittling Delaware’s lead to 2.
A flagrant foul charged to the Blue Hens with 2:27 to go in the first half provided the Eagles with two free throws and possession. Moore-Nicholson and Driscoll traded buckets, giving American its first lead of the game at 30-29. The teams went to their respective locker rooms tied 30-30.
Delaware retook the lead coming out of the locker room with a layup and a pair of free throws. Freshman guard Kayla Greyvensteyn answered with a corner 3-pointer, followed by a layup from Tuhy. Greyvensteyn scored again, this time in the paint, followed by yet another 3-pointer for Moore-Nicholson.
The momentum shifted, however, as Delaware scored 6 points in the final 90 seconds of the third quarter, pulling away with a lead they’d maintain for the remainder of the game.
Driscoll opened the fourth quarter with a layup and 3-pointer to bring the Eagles within 2, but 6 Eagle turnovers in the final 10 minutes of play prevented the score from leveling. The battle for the boards, which had been relatively even in the second and third quarters, swung heavily in favor of the Blue Hens, who out-rebounded the Eagles 9-4 in the last frame.
The Eagles shot a respectable 41.8 percent from the floor on the night, but went just 5-22 from beyond the arc. Delaware scored with only slightly better efficiency, but critically put up 9 more field goal attempts than American. The Blue Hens totaled 17 points off turnovers, 18 second-chance points and 44 points in the paint.
Moore-Nicholson’s night ended with a career-high 20 points. Tuhy recorded the second double-double of her young career, finishing with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Driscoll continued her double-digit scoring streak with 15.
Postgame, Eagles first-year head coach Kelly Killion applauded her players’ persistence and commitment to one another.
“It doesn’t matter, wins or losses. I just want them to feel good about what they did. And I think we can leave this game feeling good,” she said. “We could’ve easily took our ball and went home when we went down 7. They just don’t waver.”
Killion’s players seemed to share her optimism.
“We’re definitely getting used to each other, playing together,” Tuhy said following the game, expressing optimism in the team’s future. “We passed the ball great tonight. And now it can only improve from there.”
The Eagles’ next game takes place on Nov. 20 in Brooklyn, New York, against Long Island University before heading to Philadelphia, Pennslyvannia, for a Nov. 22 matchup with La Salle.
This article was edited by Connor Sturniolo, Penelope Jennings and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Sabine Kanter-Huchting, Avery Grossman, Ryan Sieve and Ava Stuzin.
