University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
UNCW
Blue Hens Can?t Hold Late Lead in 74-73 Overtime Loss at UNCW
1/8/2015 10:21:00 PM | Men's Basketball
• Boxscore
WILMINGTON, N.C. -- The University of Delaware men's basketball team committed three costly turnovers in the final minute of regulation as the Blue Hens let a late six-point lead slip away and eventually dropped a 74-73 overtime decision at UNCW Thursday night at Trask Coliseum.
The Blue Hens (1-13, 0-3 CAA) led 67-61with 42 seconds to play following a pair of Kory Holden free throws but after the Seahawks' Craig Ponder hit a jump shot, UD turned the ball over and Addison Spruill canned a pair from the line to make it a two-point game.
After each team turned the ball over Holden then stepped on the sideline while dribbling in the backcourt, and after Ponder was fouled, he drained two free throws with four seconds on the clock to force overtime.
Kyle Anderson opened the extra session with a three-pointer to put UD back in front, and after the Seahawks regained the lead, Marvin King-Davis scored on a putback to tie the game at 73-73 with 1:19 to play. However Spruill hit one free throw with 15 seconds left to put UNCW up one while Chivarsky Corbett's jumper with one second left was off the mark, giving the Seahawks (7-7, 2-1 CAA) the victory.
“This was a tough loss because we played well enough to win, but we turned the ball over too much at inopportune times,” said Blue Hen head coach Monté Ross. “We had ample opportunities late in the game but couldn't capitalize, which is unfortunate because our kids played their tails off. It's a shame because we did so many good things, but we just couldn't finish the game off.”
Holden finished with 25 points for Delaware, hitting just 4 of 20 field goal attempts but going 15 of 16 from the foul line. The freshman also tied his season-high with seven rebounds and dished out four assists, but he did commit 10 of the Blue Hens' 20 turnovers. King-Davis scored a season-best 15 points, while Anderson added 11 points and a season-high seven boards. Devonne Pinkard contributed nine points as he went 3 of 4 from long range for the Blue Hens, who had a two-game winning streak at Trask Coliseum snapped.
Freddie Jackson paced the Seahawks with 20 points, while Ponder added 19 and Spruill chipped in 11 points and nine boards.
Delaware opened just 1 of 10 from the field and committed five early turnovers as the Blue Hens fell behind 13-2 at the 13:20 mark of the first half. UNCW continued to lead for a majority of the period before the Blue Hens scored 12 straight points, going in front 31-25 following consecutive three-pointers by Anderson and Holden. The Seahawks pulled within four points, but Holden buried a 25-footer just before the halftime buzzer to give UD a 36-29 advantage at the break.
UNCW opened second half with another 13-2 spurt and eventually went up by as many as five points, but Delaware used a late nine-point spurt to surge ahead 63-58 with two minutes to play. UD increased the margin to six with 42 seconds on the clock, but could not put the game away.
The Blue Hens conclude their road trip on Saturday with a 6 p.m. game at the College of Charleston in TD Arena.
Game Notes:
• UNCW snapped a five-game losing streak to Delaware
• The Blue Hens fell to 0-9 in road games this year
• UD has started 0-3 in CAA play for just the second time since joining the league
• Anderson has reached double figures in all seven games this year
• Holden reached double digits for the sixth time in eight games
• Corbett made his first career start for UD
• UNCW, which leads the CAA in blocked shots, held an 11-3 edge in swats including five from C.J. Gettys
• UD played its first overtime game since a 108-107 win over Bryant at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 21, 2013
