University of Delaware Athletics
Comeback Falls Short as Delaware Drops 74-70 Verdict to Northeasern (Jan. 19, 2013)
1/19/2013 1:31:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Spirited Comeback Falls Just Short as Delaware Falls to League-Leading Northeastern 74-70
January 19, 2013
Photos Courtesy of Mark Campbell
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NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware stormed back from a 17-point second half deficit to pull close late in the second half, but the Blue Hens could not complete the comeback and dropped a tough 74-70 Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball verdict to league-leading Northeastern Saturday afternoon at the Bob Carpenter Center.
The Blue Hens (8-10, 3-2 CAA), who lost their second straight game and suffered a second straight home setback for the first time since January 11-14 of last season, rallied from a 55-38 deficit two minutes into the second half and eventually pulled to within four points with 6:20 left but could never get closer.
Delaware got a balanced effort as four of the five starters scored in double figures led by Jarvis Threatt's 21 points and career-high seven assists, a season-high 19 points from Kyle Anderson, 16 points and 11 rebounds from Jamelle Hagins, and 10 points from Devon Saddler.
Hagins, who also blocked four shots, recorded his 11th double-double of the season. Threatt(at right) knocked down his first six shots of the day and was 9 of 11 from the field for the contest.
Northeastern (11-7, 6-0 CAA), which won its sixth straight game to remain the only unbeaten team in league play, used some hot-shooting in the first 20 minutes to take a big 45-33 lead at the break. The Huskies knocked down a season-high tying 10 three-pointers, including sizzling 7 of 9 shooting in the first half.
The Huskies, who snapped a two-game losing streak to the Hens to the Hens at the BCC, also put four starters in double figures as Joel Smith notched a team-high 18 points, Quincy Ford added 17 points, Jonathan Lee contributed 14 points and seven assists, and Reggie Spencer chipped in with 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
“We just dug ourselves too big of a hole today,” said Delaware head coach Monté Ross. “We did a good job fighting back to within four (in the second half) but you can't fall behind that far to a good team like Northeastern. We did some good things during the second half but we just have to do it on a more consistent basis.”
Delaware fell behind 8-0 three minutes into the game but recovered quickly with an 11-3 run to tie the game at 11-11 with 12:38 left in the first. But while Delaware was shooting a sizzling 60 percent from the field, so was Northeastern, as the Huskies took control and led the rest of the half, taking a 45-33 lead into the break.
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Delaware shot 62 percent from the field in the first half (13 of 21), but Northeastern went 17 of 28 (61 percent) and knocked down 7 of 9 three-pointers.
The teams traded baskets in the early going of the second half but the Huskies took their biggest lead of the day at the 17:26 mark as Lee drained a three-pointer to up the NU margin to 55-38.
But Northeastern cooled down after that - the Huskies shot just 9 of 25 from the field after the break - and the Blue Hens got hot, going on a 16-3 run that pulled them to within 58-54 with 8:19 left to play. Anderson (at left) scored seven points during the run, including a three-pointer, to bring Delaware back.
The margin was still four points at 60-56 after a Hagins follow, but Delaware could never get closer than that. Lee scored four points in a 7-2 run for Northeastern that pushed the lead to nine at 67-58 with 3:48 remaining and then added a three-pointer to answer one by Anderson to stop the Blue Hens' momentum.
Anderson converted a layup with 1:13 left to cut the lead to 70-65, but Lee answered with two free throws with 33 seconds remaining and Smith added two more from the line nine seconds later to seal the deal.
Delaware will return to action this Wednesday, Jan. 23, when the Hens travel to James Madison for a 7 p.m. tip-off in Harrisonburg, Va. The game was originally scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 24, but was moved ahead a day when plans to televise the game were cancelled.
