By Tim Mastro

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Jasmine Dickey had given everything she had, shooting 32 times in what will be her last game in a Delaware uniform.

With the game decided and reality setting in, Natasha Adair wanted to give her star senior her moment. Dickey was subbed out with just under two minutes remaining in the Blue Hens’ NCAA Tournament first-round game.

She embraced her head coach as the crowd, both Maryland and Delaware fans, rose to their feet to send Dickey out with a standing ovation.

Dickey’s 31 points weren’t enough as 13th-seeded Delaware fell to fourth-seeded Maryland 102-71 on Friday.

“It didn’t necessarily hit me, what hit me was the loss, that was mainly what hit me,” said Dickey who has already announced she will declare for the WNBA Draft. “I’m just happy of my team’s fight. I think we fought and we had a terrific season. We got ourselves a CAA championship, of course. We’ve got a lot to celebrate although we lost, so I’m not mad.”

Dickey joined Elena Delle Donne as the only Delaware player to score more than 30 points in an NCAA Tournament game. Delle Donne achieved the feat five times in her career.

Dickey started cold, hitting just two of her first 10 shots but finished 12-of-32 on her field goal attempts.

“It just feels good, you know,” Dickey said while reflecting on her career. “I wanted to leave my mark. I know our team wanted to leave our mark, and I think that’s what we did. We made national news, I feel like. We put Delaware on the map. That was the biggest goal, and we accomplished our goals along the way.

"I think we’re ending our career out pretty well, aside from the loss, of course. But we accomplished the goals that we set forth to accomplish from the beginning.”

Ashley Owusu scored 24 points and Diamond Miller added 23 to lead Maryland. The Terrapins (22-8) advanced to face 12th-seeded Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday.

It was the first time since Feb. 13, 1997, at Maine that the Delaware women allowed more than 100 points in a game.

Maryland finished with five players in double figures — Katie Benzan scored 17. Angel Reese followed with 15 points and Chloe Bibby had 11.

Delaware stayed close, within 10 points after the first quarter and at halftime, but Benzan drained a three to start the second half and Maryland went up by 20 in the third quarter, 67-46, on a layup by Bibby.

Maryland never cooled off, shooting 10-of-20 beyond the arc which includes Benzan who went 4-of-4 from three in the second quarter alone.

“Obviously this is not the outcome that we wanted, but we don’t want this one game to take away a phenomenal season,” Adair said. “It hurts, as it should, but as their coach, I couldn’t ask for a better crew. I couldn’t ask for a better group for sure of seniors, leaders, but just a phenomenal team.

"This is tough for them. But like I said, they did what we’ve asked them to do from day one, and they helped bring Delaware women’s basketball back to national prominence, and for that, as a coach, I’m very, very proud of them.”

Tyi Skinner was the only other Hen in double figures as she scored 10 points. Makayla Pippin and Tee Johnson each netted eight points. Paris McBride contributed four points and led the Hens with five assists.

Delaware tried to remain positive after the loss, reflecting on its CAA title as the Dickey and McBride arrived to the postgame press conference wearing their CAA champion hats and the nets they cut down after last week’s victory over Drexel.

“Yeah, we looked to go far in the NCAA Tournament, but you still can’t take away our ring,” McBride said. “You can’t take away the net. You can’t take away this hat. So proud of us.”

“There’s so many things when this dies down and this little sting goes away that we’re going to celebrate, and we’re going to party because there’s so much to be proud of,” Adair said. “So we won’t hang our heads. Competitors don’t. They don’t. They grow and we will just continue to grow and get better.”

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