Delaware 69, UNC Wilmington 62

Box Score

NEWARK, Del. -- Jawan Carter scored a game-high 23 points while Alphonso Dawson posted his second double-double of the season with 10 points and a game-best 12 rebounds as the University of Delaware men's basketball team snapped a three-game losing streak by defeating UNC Wilmington, 69-62, Monday afternoon at the Bob Carpenter Center.

Delaware improved to 7-17 overall and 3-10 in the Colonial Athletic Association, moving into a three-way tie for ninth place in the league standings along with the Seahawks and James Madison. UNC Wilmington, which is also 7-17 overall and 3-10 in conference play, dropped its fourth straight game and ninth of its last 10. Today's game had been twice postponed due to Saturday's major snowstorm.

Carter, who went 6 of 15 from the field and was a perfect 7 of 7 from the foul line, also added six assists while not turning the ball over as he posted his fifth consecutive 20-point game. D.J. Boney, who added 11 points and six boards, was the third Blue Hen in double figures, while Adam Pegg contributed eight points.

UNC Wilmington was led by Chad Tomko, who scored 15 points and dished out four assists before leaving the game due to an ankle injury with 4:42 remaining. Johnny Wolf also scored 15 points for the Seahawks, while Trevor Deloach added 10 points. Keith Rendleman narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and seven rebounds, although he was held scoreless in the second half.

UNC Wilmington jumped out to a 9-2 advantage at the 15:50 mark of the first half on a basket by Will Ohuaregbe, but the Blue Hens would answer with a 16-0 run to take the lead for good.

Hakim McCullar ignited the spurt with a layup, and after four consecutive points by Dawson, a three-pointer by Edwin Santiago gave Delaware an 11-9 lead. Carter then followed with a three-pointer, while two baskets by Pegg closed the run and put the Blue Hens up nine.

Delaware took its largest lead of the half when Malcolm Hawkins connected from 20 feet away with 8:20 on the clock, but the Seahawks used a 12-2 spurt to pull within 24-22 on a Deloach jumper with 5:08 to play.

Delaware still led 28-25 but closed the period with a 6-2 run, culminated with a three-point play by Boney, to take a 34-27 margin into the half. The game marked just the fifth time this season the Blue Hens led at the intermission.

UNC Wilmington scored the first basket of the second half but a 7-0 run by Delaware, capped on a three-pointer by Boney, made it a 41-29 game with 18 minutes left.

However Tomko answered with a three-pointer, and a three-point play by Wolf pulled UNC Wilmington within 41-35 at the 16:42 mark. Carter then scored on driving layup for the Blue Hens, but Tomko hit a deep three-pointer and Ohuaregbe scored inside as the Seahawks cut the deficit to 43-40 with 14:17 to play

Delaware led by just two at 45-43, but Carter hit a three-pointer and then converted a four-point play to put the Blue Hens back up nine with 11:53 remaining. Dawson then closed the 9-0 UD run by connecting on an 18-foot jumper as the Blue Hens again increased their advantage to double figures.

However Tomko scored and Ahmad Grant added five consecutive points as UNCW got within 54-50 with 9:37 on the clock. But Dawson nailed a jumper and Carter hit a triple from the right corner as Delaware increased its lead back to nine with 6:21 to play.

Both teams would then go cold from the field, until a jumper by Deloach cut the Blue Hens' advantage to 61-55 at the 1:38 mark. But the Blue Hens would put the game away by hitting all eight free throw attempts in the final 90 seconds, including the last six by Carter.

Delaware finished the game 14 of 15 from the charity stripe and the Blue Hens, playing their first game since it was announced that freshmen forwards Kelvin McNeil and Josh Brinkley were lost for the season, out-rebounded the Seahawks, 40-33.

"I'm really happy to get a win today and I'm really proud of our guys," said fourth-year Blue Hen head coach Monté Ross. "This game was won on the defensive end of the floor; we challenged our guys defensively at halftime, and they responded. We didn't have a stellar shooting game, but we made the plays we needed to at the end of the game."

The Blue Hens will look for their second consecutive victory on Wednesday when Delaware travels to William & Mary for a 7 p.m. matchup with the Tribe.

Towson 81, James Madison 78

Box Score

TOWSON, Md. - Sophomore guard Troy Franklin converted two free throws with 4.2 seconds remaining as the Tigers (6-17, 3-10) held off a ferocious comeback by James Madison University (10-14, 3-10) to hand the Dukes an 81-78 Colonial Athletic Association loss in the Towson Center on Monday night. The victory came in the Tigers' first home appearance after a rugged three-game road trip.

With their third consecutive loss, the Dukes fell into a four-way tie with Towson for ninth place in the CAA standings. Delaware and UNC Wilmington are also part of the four-way tie.

The Dukes, who trailed by 57-41 with 12:07 left in regulation, gradually chipped away at their deficit.

After the Dukes pulled to within 69-62 with 3:38 remaining, sophomore guard RaShawn Polk nailed a clutch three-point jumper with the shot clock winding down to give Towson a 72-62 advantage with 2:18 remaining.

But the Dukes took advantage of the Tigers' troubles at the free throw line and kept extending the game. With 25 seconds remaining, sophomore Julius Wells kept the Dukes' hopes alive with another three-pointer, making it a 77-72 deficit. After freshman Isaiah Philmore made one of two free throws to give the Tigers a 78-72 edge, senior guard Pierre Curtis connected on a short jumper, was fouled and hit a free throw with 18 seconds remaining to make it a 78-75 contest.

After junior guard Josh Brown made one of two free throws with 15 seconds remaining, the Dukes trailed by just 79-75. With five seconds remaining, a three-point jumper by Darren White pulled the Dukes to within 79-78. The Tigers inbounded immediately and Franklin was fouled.

After Franklin made his two free throws, the Dukes had one last chance to tie the game. However, Polk intercepted a pass by White and the Tigers held on to win.

With the win, the Tigers avenged a 69-66 loss to the Dukes last month and earned their first CAA win at home this season.

The Tigers took a 35-28 lead at halftime as they forced 12 first half turnovers by JMU. After the teams traded the lead three times in the first eight minutes, a driving layup by Ben Louis gave the Dukes a 21-18 lead with 12:05 left in the half. However, Towson turned up the defensive pressure and went on a 12-0 run to take a 30-21 lead with 5:43 left in the half.

A three-pointer by Polk started the run and another three-point basket by Josh Thornton capped the rally. The Tigers extended their lead to 35-25 with 1:44 remaining in the half. A steal and breakaway slam dunk by 6-10 junior Denzel Bowles pulled JMU to within 35-28 at intermission.

Bowles had a very impressive first half as he scored a game-high 14 points, providing JMU with half of its offensive output.

"Even though they did outrebound us in the first half, we forced them into 12 turnovers and we had a ton of deflections," said Towson Coach Pat Kennedy.

While forcing 22 turnovers which led to 23 points, the Tigers utilized a balanced attack which featured five players who scored in double figures. It marked the first time this season that Towson had five players score in double figures.

Junior forward Jarrel Smith led the Tigers with 21 points while Polk scored 13 points, including seven points in the final four minutes. Junior Robert Nwankwo added 11 points while Philmore scored ten points. Brown enjoyed a solid all-around game, scoring ten points on four-for-four shooting. He also led the Tigers' pressure defense with six steals as the Tigers recorded 17 steals in the win.

"This was a very good win for us," said Coach Kennedy. "The kids feel renewed now."

Bowles, a mid-year transfer from Texas A&M, helped JMU dominate the backboards as the Dukes outrebounded Towson, 40-25. Bowles scored a game-high 29 points on 10-for-16 shooting from the floor. He also grabbed a game high 13 rebounds as he posted his ninth "double double" of the season.

Wells added 18 points for the Dukes.

The game was originally scheduled to be played on Saturday, February 6 but it was postponed until Monday evening due to a 24-inch snowstorm in the Baltimore area.