PHILADELPHIA -- The University of Delaware overcame a tough first half to take the lead midway through the second half, but couldn’t hold on and dropped a 55-44 decision to rival Drexel in Colonial Athletic Association men’s basketball action Saturday afternoon at the Daskalakis Center.

The Blue Hens, who were coming off consecutive 90-point scoring performances, including a 95-68 win over James Madison Thursday that snapped a five-game losing streak, could manage just 44 on Saturday, including 12 in the opening half, and fell to 5-12 (1-7 CAA). The Hens, who shot just 32.8 percent from the field (19 of 58) and were outrebounded 45-35, dropped their 12th straight road game and their sixth straight game to the Dragons in Philadelphia.

Delaware All-American candidate Harding Nana (right) led the Blue Hens with 13 points and Herb Courtney posted his second straight double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds but the Hens could never overcome their struggles from long range (2 of 15 on three-pointers) and at the foul line (4 of 10).

Drexel, which had lost three of its last four games, improved to 11-8 (5-3 CAA) as Dominick Mejia, the CAA’s top three-point shooter, dropped in 17 points, including four three-pointers, Frank Elegar added eight points, seven rebounds, and three blocks, and Chaz Crawford contributed seven points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Drexel’s 55 points was the lowest allowed by Delaware since the Hens downed Towson 65-55 last Feb. 12.

Just two days after posting their highest scoring total in six seasons, the Blue Hens suffered their lowest point output since falling to Pennsylvania 50-44 on Jan. 17, 2002. The 12 points in the first half was Delaware’s lowest output in a half since scoring 12 in the first half of a 54-38 loss to Lehigh back on Dec. 12, 1953.

The Hens scored the first basket of the game but followed with a frustrating span of 11 minutes without scoring a point. Drexel ran off 15 straight points during that span before a Courtney basket with 8:05 left, and the Dragons eventually led 20-12 at the break. Delaware made just 1 of its first 17 shots from the field and hit on 5 of 24 (20.8 percent) for the half.

The second half was a different story. The Blue Hens broke out of the gates quickly in the second stanza, using a 20-8 run that started in the first half and grabbed the lead at 30-27 with 13:01 left to play. But another long Blue Hen scoring drought followed - one that lasted nearly seven minutes without a field goal - which doomed Delaware. Drexel used a 13-1 run during that stretch to go up 40-31 with 5:58 left. Delaware cut the lead to 48-44 on a layup by Nana with just under a minute to go, but the Dragons held off the surge with some timely foul shooting.

“We felt good going into the half down only eight since we played so poorly,” said Delaware head coach David Henderson. “We came out in the second half with a lot of defensive passion and made some buckets. But we went cold again and Drexel made some baskets to take control.”

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