(box score) / (WBCA Pink Zone)
Widener led for most of the game and finished with four in double figures for the third straight contest in a 75-64 Commonwealth Conference win over a gritty Arcadia squad at Schwartz Center.
Christine Taylor's 3-point jumper just 28 seconds in gave Arcadia its only lead of the contest at 3-0. Widener followed with seven unanswered points and a 13-3 run, seven of which came from sophomore Kate Dellinger (Wrightsville, PA).
Despite trailing by seven on two different occasions over the first 13 1/2 minutes, Arcadia fought back to forge a tie twice, including a 27-27 score just past the 16-minute mark following Taylor's fourth 3-pointer of the period.
Widener closed the half on an 8-2 surge to hold a 35-29 lead at the break. The Pride finished the half with a 21-6 edge in rebounds and shot 45 percent (13-of-29) from the field, but allowed Arcadia to shoot 12-of-24, including 5-of-10 from beyond the arc.
Arcadia continued to battle in the second half. Sophomore Lil Carney (Narberth, PA) completed an old-fashioned three-point play to give Widener its then largest lead, 40-32, with 19:21 left. This was before the Knights (7-17, 1-12 CC) went on a 12-4 run in just over the next six 1/2 minutes for the game's fifth tie.
Widener, which owns the conference's top scoring offense, began to take over from there. The Pride used a 23-11 run, highlighted by 10 points off the bench from freshman Alyssa Wiggins (Swedesboro, NJ), to take their largest lead, 67-55 with 5:10 to play, and never looked back. After struggling to slow down Arcadia's offense in the first half, Widener held the Knights to just 31 percent (10-of-32) in the second stanza.
Widener's bench outscored Arcadia's 21-2 in the second half and 34-7 for the game.
Dellinger, the reigning conference player of the week, finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Wiggins totaled 13 points, making 4-of-5 from long range, and Carney dished seven assists. Freshman Jennifer Egee (Ridley Park, PA) dropped 14 points, and sophomore Vanessa Hejnas (Delran, NJ) finished with 12, shooting 5-of-7 from the field.
Taylor finished with a game-high 28 points for Arcadia, shooting 7-of-11 from beyond the arc. Jackie Law just missed a triple-double, totaling 14 points, 11 steals and eight rebounds.
The game was held as part of the Women's Basketball Coaches' Association's “Pink Zone” initiative. Widener wore pink uniforms for the second straight year to recognize the effort. Donations were collected and all proceeds from the game will be donated to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
Widener, which clinched the third seed in the Commonwealth Conference tournament last Saturday, will travel to Grantham, PA next Wednesday to face second-seeded Messiah in the first round at a time to be determined.
Widener hosts Lycoming on Saturday in its conference and regular season finale, beginning at 1:00 pm.
