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UD women’s basketball to battle UNC Wilmington

UD is led by the frontcourt of, from left, Tiara Malcom, Tracey Howell and Tiffany Young.

12:47 p.m., March 9, 2004--The University of Delaware women's basketball team will take on the fifth-seeded University of North Carolina Wilmington in the Colonial Athletic Association tournament quarterfinals at 5 p.m., Thursday, March 12, at the Ted Constant Convocation Center at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va.

UD is the No. 4 seed in the tournament, and UNC Wilmington is the No. 5 seed.

The Fightin’ Blue Hens, who advanced to the championship game a year ago before falling to host Old Dominion, will enter as one of the hottest teams in the conference.

UD owns a record of 18-9 overall and 10-8 in the CAA and has won four straight games and five of its last six.

The Hens swept the season series from UNC Wilmington, winning 57-56 on Jan. 4 in Wilmington and 66-59 on Feb. 22 in Newark. The Seahawks are 15-12 overall and 10-8 in the conference.

UD, led by Head Coach Tina Martin, has been outstanding in the postseason, winning four straight conference tournament quarterfinal games.

The Hens captured the America East Conference title and an NCAA tournament berth in 2001. They lost to UNC Wilmington in the CAA semifinals in 2002 but earned a Women's National Invitation Tournament berth.

UD fell to Old Dominion 66-58 in last year's CAA title game after sharing the regular season title with the Monarchs. UD made its second straight WNIT appearance in 2003.

Should the Hens advance to the championship game this season, they would post their fifth straight 20-win season.

A talented frontcourt trio powers UD. Junior forward Tiara Malcom is averaging 15.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, junior Tiffany Young 10.9 points and 6.7 rebounds and senior forward Tracey Howell 5.2 points and 6.7 rebounds.

Three freshmen, Tyresa Smith, Alena Koshansky and Liz Hayes, have handled the backcourt duties. Junior guard Julie Sailer has missed the last six games with a foot fracture and will not play during the tournament.

The CAA tournament will get under way on Wednesday, March 10, with No. 7 seed James Madison taking on No. 10 Towson at 5 p.m.

No. 8 Drexel will battle No. 9 William & Mary at 7:30 p.m.

Quarterfinal action will begin on Thursday, March 11, with No. 2 George Mason taking on the winner of the James Madison-Towson game at noon. That will be followed by No. 3 Hofstra against No. 6 Virginia Commonwealth.

The evening session will begin at 5 p.m. with UD against UNC Wilmington.

No. 1 Old Dominion will take on the winner of the Drexel-William & Mary game at 7:30 p.m.

The semifinals will be played on Friday, March 12, at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. with the finals set for noon, Saturday, March 13. The title game will be televised live on Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia and Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic.

The CAA champion receives an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. Old Dominion has captured each of the last 12 tournament titles.

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