WE’RE GOING DANCING! Blue Hens Win CAA Title With 59-55 Win Over UNCW

Tuesday, March 8

Washington, DC

7:00 PM

University of Delaware

22-12,10-8CAA

UNCW

23-9,15-3CAA

Delaware

UNCW

WE’RE GOING DANCING! Blue Hens Win CAA Title With 59-55 Win Over UNCW

3/8/2022 11:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The fifth-seeded Delaware basketball team posted its third consecutive strong defensive effort as the Blue Hens shut down second-seeded UNCW, 59-55, to win the Colonial Athletic Association title Tuesday night at the Entertainment & Sports Arena.

Delaware, which won its sixth conference tournament title in program history and its second in the CAA, will learn its NCAA Tournament fate during Sunday's selection show at 6 p.m. on CBS.

Tournament Most Outstanding Player Jyare Davis led the way with 18 points, including a basket with a minute left that put the Blue Hens in front for good. Andrew Carr, who joined Davis on the All-Tournament Team along with Kevin Anderson, recorded a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Jameer Nelson Jr. and Ryan Allen both scored 10 points for Delaware, which limited the Seahawks to 37.0 percent shooting from the field.

Delaware trailed by a point when Davis hit a jumper in the lane to put the Blue Hens up 56-55 with a minute to play. After a pair of misses by the Seahawks, Carr was fouled and hit the first of two free throws. Carr missed the second but Ebby Asamoah grabbed the offensive board, was fouled and hit two game-clinching foul shots with 11 seconds to play.

UNCW then missed two more shots before the final horn, setting off the Blue Hen celebration.

Delaware trailed UNCW by four midway through the half, before the Blue Hens scored six consecutive points to take a 19-17 advantage on an Allen layup.

However the Seahawks answered with a 6-0 run of their own to go back in front, and led the rest of the half. A three-pointer by Jamahri Harvey put UNCW up 30-24, and after Delaware closed within two, Shykeim Phillips hit a late basket to give the Seahawks a 34-30 lead at intermission.

UNCW extended the lead to seven early in the second half, but Nelson, Jr. converted a layup before two Davis jumpers pulled the Blue Hens within 39-38 with 16 minutes remaining.

Anderson followed his own miss to give the Blue Hens their first lead of the half at 44-43 at the 8:44 mark, while a driving layup by Allen again put Delaware up 49-47 with seven and a half minutes to play.

Jaylen Sims hit a jumper with 2:30 left to give the Seahawks a 55-53 lead, but Delaware scored the final six points to seal the victory.

Martin Ingelsby
"I can't say enough about our team, and our guys' belief in each other and our program. We dug in and guarded against a really good team. To hold three teams in a row in the 50s really says a lot about our defensive effort. Give credit to our guys, they we're ready to compete. We had to go through the four, one and two seeds, so we earned this title. It says a lot about our team to get it done on consecutive days against the regular season co-champions."

For the latest on the Delaware men's basketball program, follow the Blue Hens on Twitter and Instagram @DelawareMBB, and like "Delaware Men's Basketball" on Facebook.

Gallery: (3-8-2022) Men's Basketball CAA Championship Game