PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — Ella Wanzer scored 25 points and Kailah Correa added 18 as Delaware defeated Akron 75-56 in a women’s nonconference basketball game Saturday at Hagan Arena. The Blue Hens improved to 6-4, while the Zips fell to 2-9. Delaware seized control with efficient offense, shooting 47% from the field and 10 for 22 from three-point range. Wanzer, a guard from Buffalo, New York, hit five 3-pointers. Akron was led by Ni’Rah Clark’s 16 points and six rebounds but struggled with 18 turnovers. Delaware converted those into 16 points and outscored Akron 32-28 in the paint. Correa, from Lebanon, Pennsylvania, also contributed four rebounds and four assists for the Blue Hens.

PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — Ella Wanzer scored 25 points and Kailah Correa added 18 as the Delaware women’s basketball team controlled play from the opening tip to defeat Akron 75-56 in a nonconference game Saturday at Hagan Arena. The Blue Hens (6-4) never trailed, opening the game on a 10-0 run and leading by as many as 22 points in the fourth quarter. They snapped a two-game losing streak with an efficient offensive performance, shooting 47.4% from the field and 45.5% from 3-point range. Delaware established command immediately. Lay Fantroy won the opening tip and Correa hit a 3-pointer 22 seconds into the game, assisted by Wanzer. A Safi Kolliegbo layup and another Wanzer 3-pointer pushed the lead to 10-0 before Akron’s Keiryn McGuff finally got the Zips on the board with a tip-in at the 8:27 mark of the first quarter. The most important stretch of the game came late in the third quarter and early in the fourth, when Delaware turned a manageable 12-point lead into a decisive rout. Leading 49-42, the Blue Hens opened the final period with a 9-0 run, capped by an Arantxa Portalez driving layup, to extend the advantage to 58-42 with 7:41 remaining. Akron never got closer than 14 points the rest of the way. Wanzer, a guard from Buffalo, New York, was the catalyst throughout. She made 5 of 10 attempts from 3-point range and added two assists and a block in 29 minutes. Correa, a 5-foot-4 guard from Lebanon, Pennsylvania, complemented her with 18 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals in 37 minutes, bouncing back from a four-point performance in Delaware’s previous loss to La Salle. Ni’Rah Clark led Akron (2-9) with 16 points and six rebounds. Corinne Reed added 10 points for the Zips, who shot just 37% from the field and committed 18 turnovers, which Delaware converted into 16 points. The Blue Hens shared the ball effectively, finishing with 11 assists on 27 made field goals. Kolliegbo had nine points, four rebounds and five assists, while Fantroy contributed five points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Portalez and Ande’a Cherisier each added nine points. Delaware’s defensive pressure was a constant factor, generating 11 steals and forcing the 18 Akron turnovers. The Zips managed only six assists against the disruptive Blue Hens defense. Akron struggled to find consistent offense outside of Clark. The Zips went just 6 for 22 from 3-point range and were outscored 32-28 in the paint. McGuff finished with five points and four rebounds. The game was a neutral-site contest played at Hagan Arena on the campus of Saint Joseph’s University. Delaware improved to 6-4 overall, while Akron fell to 2-9. The Zips have lost seven of their last eight games against Division I opponents, with their only win in that stretch coming against Geneva on Dec. 16. Delaware entered the game as a heavy favorite according to analytics, with an 80.4% win probability from National Statistical’s ELO system, and played to that expectation from start to finish. The Blue Hens travel to face Harvard on Dec. 29. Akron continues a busy stretch with a game against Le Moyne on Sunday, also at Hagan Arena, before opening Mid-American Conference play at home against Ball State on Dec. 31.

Preview: Akron Zips vs. Delaware Blue Hens PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — The Delaware Blue Hens look to rebound from a midweek loss when they host the struggling Akron Zips in a nonconference women’s basketball game Saturday at Hagan Arena. Delaware (5-4) enters the contest following a 65-48 home loss to La Salle on Wednesday. The Blue Hens have shown resilience this season, including an overtime road win at Colgate on Dec. 5, but have dropped two straight. A key player for the Blue Hens is forward Ande’a Cherisier, who recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds in the loss to La Salle. She has been a consistent performer, averaging a double-double over her last five games and providing a steady interior presence. Akron (2-8) snapped a four-game skid with a dominant 100-65 victory over Geneva on Tuesday. Despite the win, the Zips have faced challenges, particularly on the road where they are 0-5 this season. The Zips will rely on guard Ni’Rah Clark, who scored a season-high 21 points in 30 minutes against Geneva. Clark’s scoring punch will be vital for an Akron team seeking its first road win and second victory against a Division I opponent this season. Delaware holds a notable edge in record and has demonstrated an ability to close out tight games, with two overtime wins this season. Akron, meanwhile, has struggled defensively, allowing 85 points or more in four of its eight losses. The game is a one-off neutral-site contest for both teams before they diverge for holiday breaks. Delaware will travel to face Harvard on Dec. 29, while Akron is set to visit Le Moyne in Philadelphia on Sunday. Saturday’s matchup tips off at 2 p.m. EST.