Delaware's Delle Donne scores 54 in OT loss at JMU

Published Feb. 18, 2010 11:03 p.m. ET

foxsports

National scoring leader Elena Delle Donne of Delaware scored 54 points, including a 3-pointer to force overtime, but Dawn Evans and James Madison pulled away in the extra period to win 88-83 Thursday night.

Delle Donne, the 6-foot-5 freshman who gave up a basketball scholarship at Connecticut and then enrolled at Delaware (16-9, 8-6 Colonial Athletic Association), was 18 of 28 from the field, including seven 3-pointers, and 11 of 12 free throws. She scored 31 in the second half, and hit a contested 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Evans, whose 24.8-point scoring average coming in was 1 point behind Delle Donne's, matched her career high with 38 points to lead James Madison (19-6, 9-5). Evans shot 9 for 29.

Delle Donne set school and conference records, and broke the James Madison Convocation Center mark of 45 points, set by Navy's David Robinson on Jan. 10, 1987.