DOVER, DE --- In one of the most exciting games of the 2013-14 season, the Howard women's basketball team battled back from as much as 14 points down to send their game against Delaware State University into overtime but eventually were defeated by the Lady Hornets, 64-61, at Memorial Hall on Saturday afternoon.

Redshirt freshman Te'Shya Heslip led Howard (10-17, 6-8 MEAC) with 17 points on 6-of-17 shooting while adding eight rebounds and a game-high four assists. Graduate student forward Shavonne Duckett logged her third double-double of the season - 13 points and a game-best 10 rebounds. Freshman guard Jasmine Hill added nine points and six rebounds while sophomore Victoria Gonzalez had eight points and tied the game-high for rebounds with 10.

It took over three minutes for the game's first points to be scored as Heslip put the Lady Bison on the board first with a three pointer at the 16:49 mark. Another three by Hill would give Howard a 6-4 lead with 12:56 to go in the period. Delaware State (8-19, 3-12 MEAC) would respond with a 25-9 run over the next 11:45 to take a 14-point lead with under a minute to go in the half before settling on a 29-17 advantage at halftime.

HU charged back thanks to a 16-6 run to open the second half and cut the Lady Hornets' lead to two (35-33) with 14:16 remaining. Howard would win the next nine-plus minutes as well, outscoring DSU 11-10 to pull to within one (45-44) and tying the game for the first time at 45-45 with 4:22 to go.

Including the first one, those final four minutes would see three ties after having none previously. DSU freshman Raven Bankston - who scored a Howard opponent season-high and personal-best 38 points - hit a pair of free throws to put Delaware State up three (53-50) with 14.7 seconds to go.

On the ensuing possession, Heslip took the inbounds pass, drove the ball down the far sideline and drained the game-tying three-pointer with seven seconds on the clock. A last second triple attempt by DSU senior Deanna Harmon was no good.

Hill would dominate the first half of overtime for HU, scoring six of the team's eight points in the period and giving the Lady Bison a 61-59 lead with 2:22 remaining.

However, Howard would not be able to hold off the Hornets, as HU went 0-2 with four costly turnovers down the stretch.

Howard will play its final road game of the season against Coppin State on Monday, March 3. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 pm.