University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
Delaware State
Blue Hens Struggle From the Field in 66-53 Loss To In-State Rival Delaware State
12/7/2014 3:28:00 PM | Men's Basketball
NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware men's basketball team suffered through another tough shooting day as the Blue Hens dropped a 66-53 verdict to in-state rival Delaware State Sunday afternoon at the Bob Carpenter Center.
Delaware, which dropped to 0-7 on the season, connected on just 17 of 56 shots from the field for a 30.4 shooting percentage, including a 6 of 27 performance from three-point range.
Freshmen Kory Holden and Chivarsky Corbett led the way for the Blue Hens as both players established season-highs of 15 points, while Devonne Pinkard grabbed a team-best seven rebounds. Cazmon Hayes reached double figures for the seventh consecutive game with 11 points, but the sophomore finished just 3 of 18 from the field.
Delaware State, which improved to 4-4 on the season and boasts a victory at Wake Forest, shot 42.6 percent from the floor, knocked down 16 of 23 foul shots and held a 45-34 rebounding edge. Kendall Gray scored a career-high 21 points to go with a game-best 12 rebounds for the Hornets as he posted his fourth consecutive double-double, while Amere May contributed 10 points.
The Hornets scored the final six points of the first half to take a 32-21 lead into the break and then opened the second period by scoring nine of the first 12 points, extending the margin to 41-24 when Gray converted a layup with 16:15 on the clock. After four straight Delaware points, May and Charles Burley buried consecutive three-pointers to give DSU its largest lead of the day at 47-28 with 14:14 to play.
Delaware was still down 18 eight minutes later before Corbett hit two three-pointers and Holden added a third, bringing the Blue Hens within 53-44 at the 6:14 mark. However UD then went the next four minutes without a field goal, as the Hornets scored nine consecutive points to put the game away.
“We're built to play to the final buzzer and we did that today, so I'm pleased that we kept fighting,” said Blue Hen head coach Monté Ross. “We cut it to nine in the second half, but just couldn't get another stop. Delaware State has some very talented guys, and it starts with Kendall Gray. We probably took a few most threes than I would have liked, but that was a product of us trailing throughout the second half.”
Delaware State jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the early going, and led the entire afternoon. A three-pointer by Corbett eventually cut the UD deficit to 19-16, but the Hornets answered with a 7-0 run to take a 26-16 lead and force a Blue Hen time out at the 5:20 mark.
Holden ended the run with a pair of free throws before Corbett drained a baseline jumper, but DSU closed the first half scoring with six straight foul shots to take an 11-point advantage into the intermission.
Game Notes:
• Delaware has opened a season 0-7 for fifth time in school history and the first time since 2006-07
• UD dropped to 11-4 vs. Delaware State, including 5-3 in Newark
• The road team has now won the last four meetings in the series
• UD has shot under 32 percent in all but one game this season
