TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University women's basketball team fell in its final home game of the 2017-18 regular season Saturday afternoon at SECU Arena, dropping an 81-55 decision to the University of Delaware.
 
Prior to the game, first year head coach Diane Richardson and her staff honored fourth members of the program: Shanea Butler, Raine Bankston, Mary Cuevas and Daijha Thomas in a senior day ceremony.
 
Sophomore forward Maia Lee led the Tigers (9-20, 4-14 CAA) with the second double-double of her career, posting career highs in both points with 18 and 12 rebounds in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) contest.
 
Delaware (18-11, 11-7 CAA) was paced by a double-double as well, with Nicole Enabosi posting 22 points and grabbing 10 boards, all on defense.
 
How It Happened

• The first portion of the opening stanza was a back-and-forth affair as neither team could gain a foothold larger than four points. Bankston gave the Tigers their first lead at 3-2 just 39 seconds in as she knocked down a 3-pointer.
• Delaware scored a four-point run for a 7-3 lead but two Bankston free thorws cut the lead down to two points at 7:25 of the first. Bankston later cut it down to one point at 5:38 and a 9-8 Blue Hen lead.
• Cuevas rolled in a layup at 5:13 for another Towson lead before Delaware's Lizzie Oleary had a layup at the other end of the court. With 4:40 to play in the first quarter, Nukiya Mayo put Towson up 12-11 on a layup of her own.
• The Blue Hens capped the first quarter on a 15-0 run to take a 26-12 lead through the first 10 minutes of the game.
• Delaware continued the run into the second stanza and built to a 22-point lead at 7:42 on an Alison Lewis layup. After a Bankston trey at 6:43 to make it 36-20, Towson struggled to cut into the Blue Hen lead as Delaware took a 46-29 lead into halftime.
• Throughout the third frame, Delaware kept the Tigers at bay with a lead no less than 20 points until Lee rolled in a layup midway through the quarter to make it 56-38. Delaware rebuilt a 24-point, 64-40 lead to end the third quarter.
• Both sides traded points throughout the fourth quarter, but Towson could not close the gap on Delaware, which took its largest lead of the day at the 1:10 mark of the final quarter, which was the final score of 81-55.

 
Behind the Numbers

• Towson had its strongest quarter in the fourth as the Tigers scored six of their 15 field goals, a 40-percent bump. Towson finished the game at 33.9 percent, overcoming a 26.7 percentage in the first quarter.
• The Tigers reeled in 33 rebounds, including 21 on defense. Delaware had 40 rebounds, with 29 on the defensive side.
• Lee was strong on the glass at both ends, grabbing five rebounds on offense and another seven on defense. It was her first double-double since a 12-point, 10 rebound effort against William & Mary on Jan. 20, 2017.
• Towson had three blocks against the Hens, with Thomas added to her career top-10 total with one. Mayo and Lee added one swat apiece.
• Bankston finished with three steals in her final appearance at SECU Arena while Danielle Durjan had a pair of steals.
• Delaware got another 19 points from forward Samone DeFreese as she also had a team second-best seven rebounds. Abby Gonzales led the game with six assists.

 
Up Next for Towson

• Towson heads to Philadelphia for the 2018 CAA Women's Basketball Tournament, hosted at Drexel University's Daskalakis Athletic Center.
• The Tigers will face UNCW in the #8/#9 game. The final seedings for the Tournament will be set on Sunday after the final RPI standings are announced.
• Towson and UNCW split the season series, with each home team winning the game. The rubber match game will be decided on a neutral court.
• Both teams finished 4-14 in the CAA this season.
• Towson and UNCW will officially open the 2018 CAA Women's Basketball Tournament at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 7.

 
- TowsonTigers.com –