DELHI, N.Y. (January 22, 2019) – After a solid first three quarters, the SUNY Delhi women's basketball team survived a fourth-quarter scare from Green Mountain Tuesday evening to secure a 77-71 victory, improving to 11-6. Samiaya Salley stepped up in the final four minutes to score ten of Delhi's remaining 12 points for the win, as she logged her third 30-point game of the season. The Broncos are now 6-1 at home on the year.
The Broncos remained true to form to follow through on their season sweep of the Eagles, having beaten them at their place, 73-61, on Dec. 17. Tuesday night featured Salley scoring 33 points to go with seven rebounds and six assists, while backcourt mate Kiera Holland recorded 23 points. This marked the sixth straight game Salley and Holland have finished as Delhi's two leading scorers. Katelyn Lewis finished with a game-high 14 rebounds, while Diana Echols recorded six points and ten boards and Sam Acuna five points with three rebounds and four assists. Freshman Malorie Rutledge added three points on one 3-pointer. But past all the familiar faces, Delhi did showcase a new arsenal in newcomer and midseason addition Brenna Gioffe, who had a breakout game with seven points and nine rebounds.
Though the Broncos held many of Green Mountain's players in check for most of the game, they were unable early on to contain Sabrina Simili, who came off the bench to make eight 3-pointers on her way to a team-high 28 points, including knocking down eight of her first nine 3-point attempts. This proved most troublesome in the fourth quarter, in which Delhi entered the final period ahead, 61-47. Before the ladies scored their first points of the quarter, Simili made three consecutive triples as the Broncos' lead dwindled to 61-58 with 6:45 to go. Delhi got on the board with a pair of baskets to regain control, only to see a pair of GMC free throws fall in to tie things up at 65-65 with 3:41 remaining.
Despite being held scoreless up to that point in the fourth, Salley rose to the occasion for the Broncos, breaking the tie by grabbing a pair of her own rebounds after consecutive missed shots to bury the go-ahead basket. And when GMC's Lane Riley made a 3-pointer put the Eagles up, 70-69, with 1:08 to go, Salley answered on the next possession with a baseline three that gave Delhi the lead for good. All of the Broncos' remaining points came from Salley's 5-of-6 venture at the free throw line, securing two-possession leads on each of her trips to the charity stripe.
Delhi finished at 40.3 percent shooting (29-for-72), including 6-of-20 from long range, while Green Mountain made 33.8 percent (25-for-74) and 13-of-31, respectively. The Broncos additionally made 13-of-23 free throws to the Eagles' 8-for-13 showing. Delhi controlled the rebounding battle, 54-44, and held a sizable 38-14 advantage in points in the paint.
Head coach Courtney Hoyt's team's next game will be at home on Friday night versus Maine Fort Kent at 7:00 p.m. The Broncos have eight more regular season contests as they look to punch their ticket to the postseason, including a berth in the ACAA Tournament. Delhi is 3-0 against ACAA competition, and have three more conference games on their slate: Alfred State on Jan. 30 and Feb. 9, and Valley Forge on Feb. 2.