NEWARK, DE – Forward Lance Perique scored a game-high 19 points and Leonard Mendez and Rashad Chase each added 12 as Georgia State took advantage of a cold-shooting night by the University of Delaware and posted a 61-44 Colonial Athletic Association men’s basketball victory over the Blue Hens Wednesday night at the Bob Carpenter Center.

The Panthers (7-10, 3-4 CAA), making their first-ever appearance at Delaware, won their second straight game as they broke open a close game by holding the Blue Hens (3-15, 1-6 CAA) to just three points over the final six minutes of the game.

Perique hit 8 of 13 shots from the field and also added five rebounds while Mendez added five rebounds and five assists and Chase pulled down 13 of his game and career-high 15 rebounds after intermission. The Panthers committed just 11 turnovers for the game and shot 13 of 25 from the field in the second half.

Delaware, coming off a 77-62 win over William & Mary Saturday in which it reached season-highs for points (77), three-point field goals (12), and field goal percentage (54.8 percent), could not continue the momentum as the Hens connected on just 15 of 54 shots from the field (27.8 percent), 3 of 21 from the three-point line (14.3 percent), and 11 of 23 from the foul line (47.8 percent).

Guard Calvin Cannon (at right) led the Hens with 11 points while forward Herb Courtney posted his fourth double-double of the season with 10 points and a career-high tying 14 rebounds. Delaware’s 44 points were the lowest total ever at home since the Bob Carpenter Center opened in 1992-93 and the lowest in any home game since a 63-41 loss to Lafayette Feb. 5, 1954.

The team’s 27.8 percent field goal shooting was also its lowest in BCC history and lowest since shooting 26.9 percent from the field (18 of 67) in a 72-47 loss to then No. 7 Alabama Nov. 24, 1990 in Tuscaloosa, AL.

“Our energy level at the start of the game was not what I expected,” said Delaware head coach Monté Ross. “We had the same type of shots as the William & Mary game but they just didn’t go in tonight. Give Georgia State credit for coming in and getting a win on the road.”

Georgia State never trailed in the game, jumping out to an 8-1 lead in the first four minutes and leading by as much as 10 points early before the Hens pulled to within one-point twice, the latest at 24-23 on a jumper by Sam McMahon with 3:06 left. Georgia State then got a three-pointer by Mendez and Perique hit two free throws for a 29-23 halftime lead.

The Panthers upped the lead back to 10 points at 43-33 with 10:30 left in the game, but Delaware responded with two free throws by Courtney and a driving layup by Brian Johnson to cut the gap to 43-37 with 9:39 left. But Georgia State came right back with a three-pointer by Ron Larris, a jumper by Chase, and a layup Mendez to push the lead up to 13 at 50-37.

Delaware never got closer than 11 points the rest of the way as the Hens hit just 2 of their last 11 shots from the field and did not connect on a field goal over the final six minutes and 20 seconds of the game.

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