Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. – The Vanderbilt Commodores had 11 players score at least a point on its way to a fifth straight victory, 72-51, over the Delaware Blue Hens, Wednesday afternoon at Cassell Coliseum, to advance to Thursday’s championship game of the 2010 Hilton Garden Hokie Classic.
Vanderbilt (9-3) overcame a slow start, hitting just two of its first 12 shots and five turnovers, by using a 21-0 run over a nine-minute span to build a 15-point lead. The run was sparked by back-to-back baskets by Stephanie Holzer and continued by Angela Puloea, who hit three shots from behind the arc in the stretch.
They held on to that double-figure lead as the teams headed into the locker rooms, leading 35-23 at halftime, and pushed it to as many as 25 points after the break to cruise to the victory.
Hannah Tuomi scored nine points in the first half, which included a foul shot at the 8:16 mark to become the 32nd member of the Vanderbilt’s 1,000-point club. She finished with 11 points, climbing into the 30th spot on her school’s all-time list, and pulled down a game-high six rebounds.
Puleo was 5-for-5 from three to lead the Commodores with 15 points, as Holzer finished with 11 points, Tiffany Clarke added 10, and Jence Rhoades registered a game-high six assists.
Delaware (6-4), who was without its leading scorer Elena Della Donne – who also leads the nation at 26.0 points a contest – jumped out to a 13-7 lead nine minutes into the game. Lauren Carra scored six of her 12 points in the span, while Vanessa Kabongo led the Blue Hens with 15 points.
Vanderbilt will play the winner of tonight's second game between Alcorn State and the hosts Virginia Tech Hokies.