University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
Elon
Hamilton Leads Elon To 94-82 Men's Basketball Victory Over University of Delaware
1/24/2015 10:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball
ELON, N.C. -- Elon University guard Austin Hamilton scored a career-high 31 points as the Phoenix men's basketball team posted a 94-82 Colonial Athletic Association victory over the University of Delaware Saturday night at Alumni Gym.
The Phoenix, who snapped a four-game losing streak while improving to 11-10 overall and 3-5 in the conference, shot 45.3 percent from the floor, knocked down 11 of 23 three-point attempts, and finished 25 of 37 from the foul line. Five Elon players scored in double figures including Kevin Blake, who finished with 19 points, and Tanner Samson, who notched a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Hamilton, who entered the game averaging just 5.6 points per outing, went 10 of 13 from the field including 6 of 9 from long range during his career night.
Kyle Anderson scored a team-high 25 points and knocked down 5 of 8 shots from the behind the arc for Delaware, which dropped to 4-15 overall and 3-5 in league play. Cazmon Hayes reached double figures for the fifth straight game with 13 points, Kory Holden chipped in with 12 points and five assists, and Marvin King-Davis narrowly missed a double-double with 11 points and a season-best nine rebounds.
Delaware suffered the defeat despite shooting 54.7 percent from the floor and knocking down 9 of 15 three-point attempts. However the Blue Hens missed 11 free throws, committed 14 turnovers and allowed Elon to grab 16 offensive rebounds.
“Sometimes you run into situations where players make shots that they don't always make and that certainly happened tonight, but credit goes to (Austin) Hamilton and Elon,” said Blue Hen head coach Monté Ross. “We obviously didn't do a good job of stopping them tonight. When you score 82 points you expect to win the game, but defensively we weren't sharp tonight.”
Delaware used an early 10-point run to take a 12-3 lead just four minutes into the contest, but Elon later answered with 10 straight points of its own to go in front 15-14 at the 12:02 mark. The Blue Hens led for a majority of the rest of the period, but Elijah Bryant beat the horn with a long two-pointer to give the Phoenix a 41-39 halftime advantage.
In a game that featured 17 lead changes Delaware went back up 55-53 with 13:42 to play, but Elon used an 18-6 run over the next six minutes to take a 71-61 advantage on a Hamilton three-pointer. The Blue Hens countered with seven consecutive points to get back in the game and were still down only three at 80-77 with 3:25 left following a Maurice Jeffers dunk, but Blake and Samson knocked down back to back triples to put the game away for the Phoenix.
Delaware closes the first half of its CAA schedule on Wednesday when the Blue Hens head to Harrisonburg, Va. to face James Madison at 7 p.m.
Game Notes:
• CAA newcomer Elon had won the only previous meeting between the schools in 1934
• The Phoenix posted its highest point total in a CAA game this season
• Delaware allowed its most points since a 108-107 overtime win over Bryant on Dec. 21, 2013
• The Blue Hens have shot over 54% in each of their last two games
• UD has allowed an opponent to score 30 points in consecutive games
• Elon held a 28-18 advantage in points in the paint
