Evans leads Hofstra women past Delaware

The return of All-American sophomore forward Elena Delle Donne to the Delaware lineup after missing 11 games with Lyme disease made for some national headlines. But none of that meant anything to Hofstra, which earned an 81-68 women's basketball victory over the Blue Hens Sunday at the Mack Sports Complex.

Delle Donne, a 6-5 sophomore, came off the bench to score 28 points in 34 minutes for Delaware (11-9, 4-5 Colonial Athletic Association), but Hofstra featured five players in double figures.

Shante Evans led Hofstra (12-8, 4-5) with 25 points and 14 rebounds, shooting 11-for-14 from the field. Kate Loper scored 18 points and Nicole Capurso had 13 points and eight assists. Candice Bellocchio had 12 points and Candace Bond 10.

Hofstra coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey said her team was "star-struck" when the Pride faced Delle Donne for the first time last season. Delle Donne had 35 points, including two late three-pointers that helped seal a Delaware win. She had 27 points in the second game against Hofstra last season.

"We just actually focused on Delaware today,'' Kilburn-Steveskey said. "We had two game plans when we played at Delaware earlier, and I thought that was a little bit too mental.''

Although Delle Donne did not play, Hofstra lost at Delaware, 71-66, on Jan. 2.

Hofstra shot 10-for-27 from three-point range, including 6-for-13 by Loper and 3-for-8 by Capurso. "The first time we played them, we played great, but I didn't play well," Loper said. "I think they underestimated me, because I only hit a shot the first time."

Said Capurso: "When I came out the first time, I had taken a few threes and missed, but I was pretty open. I sat down and Kate said: 'They're not guarding one shooter; I don't know how they are going to guard two.' "

Delaware coach Tina Martin wasn't pleased. "Defensively, that was the worst game we played all year," she said. "I'm not a very happy coach right now."

Delle Donne, who played for the first time since Dec. 19, averaged 26.7 points and 8.8 rebounds as a freshman and was averaging 26.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in seven games - including a 41-point game against Yale - before being sidelined.

"I just don't like to lose," she said. "My team is down and I don't feel I'm dying or anything. I'm going to push through it."

Stopping a two-game losing streak was important for Hofstra, which hosts last-place William & Mary on Thursday. A win would get Hofstra to .500 in the CAA.

"Their record might be bad, but we watch all the film," Capurso said. "They've had buzzer-beaters and two-point games."