ALBANY, NY – University at Albany guard Jamar Wilson scored 33 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead the Great Danes men’s basketball team to an 87-67 win over the University of Delaware Friday night at SECFU Arena.

Albany, the 2006 America East Tournament champion and the preseason conference favorite this season, improved to 2-0 on the season in the first ever meeting between the two schools. Delaware fell to 0-2 for the first time since the 1990-91 season.

The Blue Hens were again led by Herb Courtney (right), who followed up his 27-point effort against Marist by posting a double-double with team-highs of 18 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Brian Johnson scored 15 points, dished out five assists and did not record a turnover while playing 39 minutes of action.

Sophomore Zaire Taylor also scored 15 points while tying his career-high with eight rebounds, while freshman Darrell Johnson added eight points for Delaware.

The Blue Hens hung with the Great Danes early in the contest, as a three-pointer by Courtney capped a 9-2 run and gave Delaware a 20-19 lead with 8:06 remaining in the opening half. However Albany quickly answered with an 11-2 burst to go up 30-21 with 5:21 left.

The Hens closed to within 33-27 after Taylor drained a three-pointer, but the Great Danes scored the next 10 points to go up 16 and eventually took a 43-32 lead into the break.

Albany then opened the second half with seven straight points, all by Jason Siggers, to go ahead 50-32 and never led by less than 12 the rest of the way. The lead grew to as much as 21 points at 71-50 with 6:57 remaining before the Hens used an 11-2 run to get within 73-61 with 4:16 to go. But Delaware would get no closer as the Great Danes went 24-of-33 from the free throw line to hold off the Hens.

Siggers finished with 17 points for Albany, while Wilson, the America East Preseason Player of the Year, dished out a game-high six assists.

The Blue Hens return home Tuesday to host Rider University at 7 p.m. at the Bob Carpenter Center.

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