University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
Northeastern
Blue Hens Fall 72-53 to Northeastern in CAA Opener
1/3/2015 4:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball
• Boxscore
NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware's shooting woes made an unwelcome return Saturday afternoon as the Blue Hens hit just 31.7 percent of their shots from the field and dropped a 72-53 decision to Northeastern in the Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball opener for both teams at the Bob Carpenter Center.
The defending CAA champion Blue Hens (1-11, 0-1 CAA), coming off their first win of the season 
Tuesday night vs. St. Bonaventure, pulled to within five points of the lead early in the second half but could never get closer and fell to the preseason CAA favorite Huskies.
Sophomore forward Maurice Jeffers led the Blue Hens with 11 points and senior guard Kyle Anderson (at left) netted 10 points, but no other Blue Hen managed more than seven points as the Hens matched their lowest scoring output since falling to Delaware State 66-53 back on Dec. 7.
Anderson hit two three-pointers for the Hens to tie the UD career record for three-pointers of 228 set by Mike Ames in 2000-04.
Northeastern (9-4, 1-0 CAA), which won its second straight game, got a game-high 15 points and seven rebounds from Scott Eatherton with T.J. Williams adding 12 points and four assists. Dave Walker contributed 10 points while Quincy Ford added eight points and eight rebounds.
Eatherton, a preseason first team All-CAA forward, reached double figures in scoring for the 11th time in 13 games this season.
“We weren't our sharp, crisp selves today,” said Delaware head coach Monté Ross. “We missed some layups that were very uncharacteristic of us. We didn't get the stops we needed to when we went through some dry spells offensively. The intensity and passion you need to play well in this league is very important, and we didn't have that today."
Delaware had a season-low six turnovers but shot just 19 of 60 from the field (31.7 percent), 4 of 14 (28.6 percent) from beyond the three-point line, and 11 of 20 (55 percent) from the foul line. Northeastern also held a 44-30 advantage on the boards.
The Hens, who entered the game shooting just 36.7 percent from the field for the game but were coming off a 54 percent effort (29 of 54) vs. St. Bonaventure, managed just 8 of 29 shooting (27.6) for the first half and 11 of 31 (35.5) accuracy in the second stanza. Blue Hen freshman Kory Holden, coming off a career-high 27-point effort vs. St. Bonaventure, scored just one point and was 0 for 7 from the field.
Northeastern led for most of the first half and took a 32-22 lead into the break. The Hens used a 7-2 run to open the second half and narrowed the deficit to 34-29 two minutes in but would never get closer. The Huskies answered with a 10-5 run to up the lead to 44-34 and stayed ahead by double digits the rest of the way.
HEN SCRATCHINGS:
• Delaware had won four straight CAA openers and fell for the first time since the 2009-10 season
• Delaware had defeated Northeastern four straight times, including three times last season on the way to winning the CAA title
• Kyle Anderson has scored in double figures in all five games he has played this season after returning from a broken hand
• Delaware begins a three-game CAA road trip Monday at Hofstra and continuing on to UNCW (Jan. 8) and College of Charleston (Jan. 10)
