University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Sets Free Throw Record in 84-72 Win at Old Dominion (Jan. 5, 2013)
1/5/2013 3:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Delaware Sets Free Throw Record As Blue Hens Post 84-72 Victory At Old Dominion in CAA Opener
January 5, 2013
File Photo Courtesy of Mark Jordan_lg.jpg)
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NORFOLK, Va. -- The University of Delaware men's basketball team connected on a school record 41 free throws as the Blue Hens posted an 84-72 victory at Old Dominion Saturday afternoon at the Ted Constant Convocation Center.
Delaware, which won its third straight game while improving to 6-8 on the year, also earned its third consecutive victory in a conference opener. The Blue Hens snapped a four-game losing streak to the Monarchs and a six-game losing skid in Norfolk while recording their highest ever point total against Old Dominion.
The Monarchs, who dropped to 2-13 overall and 0-3 in league play, lost their third straight game and fell to 1-9 at home this season.
Delaware attempted just 42 shots from the field, 27 fewer than the Monarchs' 69 attempts, but picked up the victory by going 41 of 50 from the free throw line. The 41 free throws set a school record, eclipsing the previous mark of 40 set against UMBC on Jan. 6, 1993. Blue Hen sophomore guard Jarvis Threatt (at right) scored a season-high 19 points despite not hitting a shot from the field, as he tied the UD record for free throws made in a game by finishing 19 of 20 from the charity stripe. Jawan Carter made 19 free throws in 26 attempts during a double overtime win at Penn on Nov. 21, 2009.
Delaware senior Jamelle Hagins posted his 10th double-double of the season for the Blue Hens with 11 points and a game-high 16 rebounds, as he went over the 900-rebound mark for his career. Hagins now has 903 career boards, just 13 shy of the school record of 916 held by Spencer Dunkley from 1988-92.
Junior Devon Saddler, the league's leading scorer, paced all scorers with 27 points to move into a tie for 12th place on the UD career scoring mark along with Herb Courtney at 1,291 points. Saddler, who posted his fifth 20-point game of the year, went a perfect 10 of 10 from the foul line, while Josh Brinkley was 7 of 10 from the stripe en route to an 11-point afternoon.
Delaware tied its season-high point total despite committing 21 turnovers, its most of the year. The Blue Hens also held a 43-39 rebounding advantage over the Monarchs, who entered the day leading the CAA with a +6.4 rebounding margin.
Keenan Palmore led Old Dominion with 14 points while DeShawn Painter added 13 points and eight rebounds, although he finished just 3 of 16 from the field. Deion Clark also contributed 13 points for a balanced ODU effort, while Nick Wright chipped in with 10 points. The Blue Hens limited the Monarchs to just 33.3 percent shooting for the contest, while Old Dominion finished only 20 of 34 from the free throw line.
A three-pointer by Dimitri Batten gave the Monarchs an early 7-4 lead but Delaware countered with a 10-0 run, going up 14-7 on a Saddler jumper with 12:35 left in the opening half and leading the rest of the way. The advantage eventually grew to double figures at 19-9 on two free throws by Terrell Rogers as Old Dominion missed 13 straight shot attempts while not hitting a field goal for over nine minutes.
Delaware was still up nine at 28-19 following two Threatt free throws, but the Monarchs answered with six consecutive points to make it a three-point game at the 4:55 mark. The Blue Hens extended the margin back to nine points at 39-30 on a follow layup by Larry Savage, before the Monarchs' Donte Hill beat the buzzer with a driving layup to cut the lead to seven at the break.
The Blue Hens opened the second half with a 7-2 run, taking a 46-34 lead and forcing an Old Dominion time out with 17:31 remaining. The Monarchs answered with a pair of inside baskets, but Kyle Anderson buried consecutive three-pointers as Delaware extended the margin to 52-38 with 14 minutes on the clock.
After Old Dominion got within 11 at 52-41 Delaware used a 13-3 spurt, including seven points by Saddler, to go in front 65-44 with 8:59 to play. The Blue Hens maintained their comfortable margin for the next six minutes, until Clark buried a long jumper followed by a three-pointer to make it a 75-67 game at the 1:27 mark. However Delaware went 9 of 10 from the foul line from there, including seven by Threatt, to put the game away.
“It was an ugly win, but I'm very happy to come in here and get the victory,” said seventh-year Blue Hen head coach Monté Ross. “Old Dominion kept coming at us and forced us to make free throws at the end, and that's a credit to Blaine (Taylor) and his program. I'm really happy about our free throw shooting today, and Jarvis can really get on a roll from the foul line which he did today.”
Delaware will look for its fourth consecutive win on Wednesday when the Blue Hens host Hofstra at 7 p.m. at the Bob Carpenter Center.
