Box Score • Season Statistics • Infographic • Press Conference

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. – In a game that featured six lead changes and six ties, the Northeastern Huskies fell to the Delaware Blue Hens, 73-61, in the first round of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament on Thursday, March 12.
 
Three Huskies finished their afternoons with 10 or more points, highlighted by 23 from junior Samantha DeFreese.
 
The Bergenfield, New Jersey, native earned her seventh double-double of the season as she capped off a stellar performance with 23 points and 10 rebounds. It's her second double-double against the Blue Hens this year and the seventh time she has finished with 20 or more points this season.
 
Along with DeFreese, Francesca Sally and senior captain Tanisha Hopewell finished in double-figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively. For Hopewell, it was one of her gutsiest performances of the season as she controlled the paint each moment she was on the court.
 
Sally emerged as an offensive weapon in the second half, scoring six of her 11 points. She wrapped up her afternoon with five rebounds and three assists. Fellow senior captain Amencie Mercier put together another strong performance, finishing just short of a double-double with nine points and seven rebounds. She chipped in a team-high five assists in the setback.
 
As a unit, Northeastern ended with a shooting percentage of 38, connecting on 23 of its 60 attempts. NU scored 30 points in the paint, and created extra possessions leading to 15 second-chance points. Both benches contributed 10 points apiece.
 
All in all, six different Huskies finished with points in the loss. The team outrebounded Delaware 36-34 and connected on five of its 14 attempts from downtown. Northeastern registered 12 assists while committing 12 turnovers.
 
The first half was one to remember for DeFreese. The junior came out firing on all cylinders, scoring 15 points, a game high, as well as corralling five rebounds, also a game high. She dominated inside the paint, opening up shooting lanes for the Huskies' guards.
 
Mercier, Sally and Hopewell joined DeFreese at the top of the stat sheet with seven, five and four points. Mercier helped the offense find a spark as she also recorded team-high three assists. Sally, meanwhile, worked with DeFreese inside the paint en route to her five points.
 
Game Notes
• Samantha DeFreese finished with a game-high 23 points.
• It's DeFreese's seventh double-double of the season.
• Tanisha Hopewell chipped in 10 points.
• Amencie Mercier finished with a team-high five assists.
• Francesca Sally recorded 11 points.
• The Huskies' bench accounted for 10 points.
• Onia Webb made her season debut. 

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