University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
10-16, 3-10CAA
Elon
15-11, 7-6CAA
Blue Hens Knock Off Elon in Overtime Battle with 76-74 Victory
2/9/2017 10:46:00 PM | Men's Basketball
• Boxscore (pdf)
• Boxscore (html)
NEWARK, Del. -- Freshman Ryan Daly made sure the Blue Hens made it to overtime and Darian Bryant and Cazmon Hayes sealed the deal in the extra session as the University of Delaware pulled out an entertaining 76-74 Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball victory over Elon in overtime Thursday night at the Bob Carpenter Center.
Daly, who finished the night with a team-high 18 points, knocked down a jumper just inside the 
three-point line with just under two seconds left in regulation to knot the score at 59-59 and Bryant and Hayes combined for 11 of the Blue Hens' 17 points in overtime as Delaware (10-16, 3-10 CAA) snapped a two-game losing streak and beat Elon for the first time in six-all-time meetings.
A strong candidate for CAA Rookie of the Year honors, Daly reached double figures in points for the fourth straight game and also recorded his third double-double of the season thanks to a team-high 10 rebounds.
Elon (15-11, 7-6 CAA), which entered the game tied for third in the jumbled CAA standings, lost its second straight game but had four scorers in double figures as Dainan Swoope netted a game-high
21 points despite second-half foul trouble, Steven Santa Ana added 15 points and 10 rebounds for his second career double-double, Luke Eddy came off the bench to score 14 points and dish out five assists, and Tyler Seibring contributed 12 points and nine rebounds. The teams met for the first time this season and will stage a rematch Feb. 25 at Elon in the final regular season game for both teams. Delaware heads to James Madison to continue CAA action Saturday afternoon.
The game was tight from start to finish and featured 10 ties and 16 lead changes. Delaware's biggest lead came in overtime when two free throws by Hayes (at left/photo by Jim Stiehl) with nine seconds left gave the Hens, who never trailed in the extra session, a 75-68 lead.
The Phoenix hit two three-pointers in the final six seconds, including a Swoope trey at the buzzer, but the Hens stayed in front thanks to seven free throws in extra session.
After a 30-30 halftime tie, Delaware stayed in front barely for most of the second half before a late run pulled Elon ahead. A Santa Ana layup and a free throw Dimitri Thompson gave the Phoenix a 58-55 lead with 1:24 left. Delaware freshman Jacob Cushing answered with a layup with 58 seconds left to cut the lead two 58-57 and Santa Ana hit one of two from the line with 15 seconds left for a 59-57 Elon lead.
Delaware then sent the game into overtime when Daly got the ball just outside the right circle, took a step in and drained the jumper to knot the score at 59-59. Delaware's Mosley hit two free throws and Bryan followed with a jumper in the first 90 seconds of overtime and Hens didn't look back.
“We know we have talent,” Daly said. “We had some close games that didn't go our way earlier in the conference season, so it's very satisfying to hit big shot after big shot tonight to come away with the win."
HEN SCRATCHINGS
• Delaware has reached 10 wins (10-16) after winning just seven last year and has reached double-figures for the sixth time in the last seven seasons
• Daly leads the Blue Hens in scoring (15.0 ppg), rebounding (7.0 rpg), and three-pointers (44)
• Delaware did not commit its first turnover until the final second of the first half and finished with a season-low five miscues, the lowest total by a UD team since committing four vs. William & Mary last Feb. 6
• The Hens held Elon to 8 of 24 (.333) shooting from the field in the second half
• Bryant posted his biggest scoring output since netting a season-high 16 points vs. Miami (Ohio) on Nov. 18
• The game was Delaware's first overtime contest this year and first at home since falling to Elon 83-75 on Feb. 21, 2015 at the BCC
MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129
