West Hartford, CT ? The University of Hartford women's basketball team held on for its 10th-straight victory 64-60 victory over the Boston University Terriers in front of 2,511 fans at Chase Arena on Wednesday night. The Hawks were led by Danielle Hood who finished with 20 points, her fourth 20 or more game of the season and fifth-straight in double figures. Hartford improves to 19-7 overall and 12-1 in America East action, while the Terriers drop to 14-13 overall and 6-8 in conference play.
Hood, the Nestle Purina ONE America East Player of the Game, scored a bucket with three seconds to play off a key press break, not allowing the Terriers to foul in the final seconds to guarantee the victory. She finished the game with a 9-of-16 effort from the field. Joining her in double figures was Ikea Witt and Lisa Etienne, who both finished with 13 points. Etienne added a career high nine assists on the night, just short of a double double the hard way. Diana Delva led the Hawks rebounding efforts with seven boards to go along with nine points.
The Hawks shot 44.6 percent for the game (29-of-65), including a second half effort of 18-of-33 for 54.5 percent from the field. The Hawks, the third best defense in the nation, held the Terriers to 40.4 percent shooting for the game (21-of-52), but allowed them to score 60 points, only the third time in conference play a team has scored 60 or more points in a game.
The Terriers took a 31-28 advantage into the locker room, making this only the second game this season that Hartford has come back from a halftime deficit to win. Boston led by as much as 11, twice in the first half, the second was with 7:58 to play when Kasey Devine hit a layup. Devine finished the game with a double double, 16 points and 10 rebounds. Her 16 points was a career high and she was named BU's America East Player of the Game. Katie Meinhardt led the Terriers with 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting.
Hartford snapped back from the 11 point deficit in the first half with a 12-2 run to pull within one on an old-fashioned three point play from Delva with three minutes to play before the break. The Terriers came out of the break a bit lethargic, allowing the Hawks to take the lead for good with less than three minutes played and then extending that lead to Hartford's biggest of nine with 11:13 to play.
The Terriers did restructure themselves to pull the score back within one with 8:20 to play, but Hartford then extended their lead back to six with 4:41 to pay on a layup from Delva. The only Terrier points in the final minute came at the free throw line from Amarachi Umez-Eronini with 10 second to play that put the game within a basket. Witt then saved the Hawks inbounds pass from going out and shuffle passed the rock to Etienne who found a wide open Hood to secure the game with just three seconds to play.
