Baltimore, MD - The Hartford Hawks women's basketball team took an early double digit lead and didn't look back from there. Hartford used career nights from Ikea Witt and Diana Delva to bring home a 65-49 victory. The Hawks improve to 3-1, while Loyola falls to 1-3 overall.
Witt finished the game with a career best of seven assists, five of which came in the first half, then tying her previous career high. Delva came off the bench to grab her first double digit rebounding game, finishing with a team best 11. The Hawks offense was led by Danielle Hood, who finished with a season high 19 points.
Hartford finished the game with a 45.6 percent shooting effort. Hood led all shooters with an 8-of-12 effort. Witt also finished the game with her third double digit outing of the season with 14 points. The Hawks post players had an outstanding showing on the boards. Delva's 11 led the team with Katie Kelley adding nine, Hood and Erica Beverly adding seven. Hartford finished the game with a 52-37 advantage on the boards.
Loyola struggled from the field early, connecting on only two of the first 16 attempts, allowing the Hawks to open up an early double digit lead that they wouldn't relinquish. The Hawks scored the first six points of the game, four of which came from Witt. Hartford then extended its lead into double digits with nine unanswered points, taking a 15-2 lead.
The Greyhounds shooting problems continued throughout the half, finishing the first 20 minutes shooting only 22.2 percent (8-of-36). Hartford finished the first half with a 14-of-32 effort (43.8). Hood had her strongest first half of the young season with 13 points on 6-of-9 from the field. Witt finished the first stanza with five assists. The Hawks also held a commanding lead on the board with a 31-16 advantage. Delva led Hartford in rebounding with six first half boards.
The Greyhounds scored eight of the first 10 points in the second half to pull within single digits at 24-26. Hartford regained a double digit lead on back-to-back scores from Hood and MaryLynne Schaefer. Hood scored off a pass form Witt, her seventh of the game. The Hawks extended their lead to 17, their biggest of the game, on six-straight points. The run included a triple for Courtney Gomez and was capped off by a pair of free throws from Beverly.
Despite more then five minutes with out a basket the Hawks maintained their double digit lead. The Greyhounds we able to get as close as 47-45. Hartford re-extended its lead to 16 on back-to-back baskets from Witt, one on a fast break and one off a Loyola turnover and Schaefer steal.
The Hawks will continue a road stand next weekend with a two-game swing through New York City. The Hawks begin with Manhattan on Friday, November 24 and wrap up with Columbia on Sunday, both games are scheduled to tip off at 2:00 p.m.
