Postseason WNIT | 3/26/2021 7:14:41 PM

MEMPHIS, TN — Rice sophomore Lauren Schwartz scored 25 points, and classmate Katelyn Crosthwait finished with a career-high 20 points as the Owls built a big lead and held on late, topping Delaware by a score of 85-75 on Friday in the first of two 2021 Postseason WNIT semifinals.

Rice (22-4) will take on Ole Miss (15-11) in the championship game, set for Sunday at 1 p.m. CT, also in Memphis. The game will be streamed live by FloHoops.

The Owls, who shot 54 percent overall, built their lead to 22 points in the third quarter, but the Blue Hens (24-5) dug in and used a 9-0 run in the frame to cut it to 67-52 heading into the final quarter. A Jewel Smalls 3-pointer bright Delaware to a 69-59 deficit with 7:40 remaining, and Jasmine Dickey made two free throws for Delaware to make it 74-65 with 3:25 left in the game.

Rice’s Jasmine Smith hit two free throws, and the Owls had a 76-65 lead at the 2:53 mark; Delaware rebounded some missed shots in and around the 2:00 mark but couldn’t convert. Smalls gave the Blue Hens one more push with a 3-pointer with 55 seconds left, and it was Rice leading, 79-70. Dickey’s layup after a steal five seconds later brought it to 79-72. 

But the rally was doused at Schwartz hit two big free throws at :34, giving Rice a double-digit lead once more.

Smith had 17 points and 10 rebounds for Rice. Sydne Wiggins had seven assists, and 6-foot-9 center Nancy Mulkey had 11 rebounds but was scoreless despite averaging more than 16 points per game. She did have five assists and three blocked shots.

Delaware missed its first five shots and called an early timeout with Rice up 6-0; Dickey got the Blue Hens on the board at 7:50 of the first quarter and they got the game tied again at 12-all on a jumper from Lizzie Oleary. The Owls kicked it up a notch and went on a 9-0 scoring run — they took a 26-16 lead after 10 minutes, shooting 64 percent from the field.

Cold shooting continued for Delaware, which missed its first 12 attempts from the 3-point line. The Blue Hens, the best offensive rebounding team in the nation, did have a remarkable 20 offensive rebounds in the first half and closed with 30 for the game.

Dickey ended with 25 points and 13 rebounds; Ty Battle had 11 rebounds, and both Oleary and Smalls scored 12 points. Chyna Latimer closed with nine points. Delaware led in rebounds, 48-41, but shot just 33 percent overall and was only 5-for-24 from long range. The Blue Hens had 93 field goal attempts, the most in program history.

Rice had 22 assists on 27 field goals; the Owls suffered 18 turnovers but were an impressive 22-for-28 in free throws and 9-for-16 from 3-point range.