(box score)
Freshman Kate Dellinger (Wrightsville, PA) scored 15 points to lead four players in double figures and tied a career high with 11 rebounds for Widener, which notched its sixth straight victory with a 75-64 Commonwealth Conference triumph at Lycoming in Williamsport, PA.
Widener (15-10, 11-3 CC) established momentum with a 10-2 run to open a 38-26 lead with 1:49 left in the opening half. Senior Becky Tyler (Wynnewood, PA) and freshman Francesca Lee (Hainesport, NJ) netted four points apiece in that span.
The Lady Warriors (7-18, 4-8) would not fold on their Senior Day. Trailing by as many as 11 in the second half, they closed to 51-48 with 8:49 to go on a layup from Rebecca Leid.
Lycoming could not keep up with Widener's athleticism and it showed, courtesy of a 7-0 run that gave the visitors a 58-48 lead with 6:46 remaining. Freshman Lil Carney (Narbeth, PA) started the run with a huge 3-pointer and Tyler poured in the last four points.
The Lady Warriors moved to 63-58 on Gina Manbeck's 3-pointer with 2:18 left and closed to 67-62 on Amanda Hart's layup with 1:00 remaining. But the Pride shot 8-for-9 from the line thereafter with Tyler, Dellinger, Carney and senior Lindsey Isler (New Hope, PA) each nailing a pair.
Dellinger, who had 11 points and seven rebounds in the second half, notched her second career double-double. She hit 6-of-15 from the floor for Widener, which shot 59 percent (27-of-57) from the floor in the first half for a 40-28 lead and 47 percent (27-of-57) overall.
Carney poured in 14 points with Tyler and sophomore Casey Pritz (Abington, PA) netting 10 apiece for Widener, which finished with a 42-24 rebounding edge. This marks the 21st game this season the Pride have outrebounded their opponents and 11th straight.
The Pride's 11 conference victories are believed to be a school record.
Kaitlyn Ober scored 10 points off the bench with Jessica Zerbee, Renee Freeden and Allison Mock pouring in nine apiece for Lycoming, which shot 56 percent (15-of-27) from the field in the second half and 46 percent (25-of-54) overall.
Widener will be the number three seed for the conference tournament, visiting No. 16 and second-seeded Messiah on Wednesday in the semifinals. Tip-off in Grantham, PA is 7:00 pm.
