photo courtesy of Mark Campbell

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- Alphonso Dawson (at right) scored 18 points and hit a clutch 19-foot jumper with 19 seconds remaining as the University of Delaware men’s basketball team remained unbeaten in Colonial Athletic Association play by posting a 67-63 hard-fought victory over Drexel Saturday afternoon at the Daskalakis Center.

The Blue Hens, who snapped a seven-game losing streak at Drexel, improved to 6-7 overall and 3-0 in the conference by winning at the Daskalakis Center for the first time since a 69-65 triumph over the Dragons on February 4, 2000. Delaware, which has won its first three league games for the first time since the 1998-99 team opened 4-0 in the America East Conference, has won consecutive CAA road games for the first time since January 8 and 15, 2003 when UD defeated William & Mary and Old Dominion. The Blue Hens recorded a 58-51 triumph at William & Mary on Wednesday night.

The Blue Hens got 14 points and seven rebounds from Herb Courtney while Marco Cooper, who entered the game with just 11 points and 13 rebounds on the season, posted 10 points and seven rebounds in 22 productive minutes off the bench. Marc Egerson had nine points and led Delaware with a career-high 10 rebounds, while Brian Johnson recorded an 11-assist, 0-turnover game in 39 minutes of action.

Drexel senior Frank Elegar had a monster game for the Dragons by notching career-highs of 33 points and 17 rebounds. Scott Rodgers added 13 points for Drexel, but no other Dragons player scored more than four points. The Blue Hens, who entered the game ranked second in the CAA in three-point field goal percentage defense, limited Drexel to just 2 of 11 shooting from behind the arc.

Drexel, which fell to 8-7 overall and 1-2 in the league, closed the first half on a 12-4 run and took a 35-28 lead into halftime following a baseline jumper by Tramayne Hawthorne at the buzzer. Drexel twice extended their lead to 10 points early in the second half, but Delaware used a 12-4 run to pull within 46-44 with 12:54 remaining.

The Dragons extended their advantage back to six points, but consecutive three-pointers by Courtney and Edwin Santiago pulled the Blue Hens even at 52-52 with 9:57 to play. The game was still tied at 58-58 after a pair of free throws by Rodgers at the 3:33 mark, but Courtney found Cooper for a layup to put Delaware up for good, and after Elegar hit one of two free throws, Courtney converted a layup to make it a 62-59 UD lead with 2:21 to remaining.

Rodgers answered with one free throw for the Dragons, but Santiago hit a driving layup to give the Blue Hens a 64-60 advantage at the 1:35 mark. Elegar again went 1 of 2 from the charity stripe, and after each team committed a turnover, Dawson hit the baseline jumper with the shot clock running out to give Delaware a 66-61 advantage. Rob Hampton converted a layup with eight seconds left to pull Drexel within three points, but Egerson sealed the win for the Blue Hens by hitting the second of two free throw attempts with six seconds to play.

This was a hard-fought battle between a team that is established in this league and one that is trying to find its way,” Delaware second-year head coach Monté Ross said. “Drexel is one of the top programs in this league, and to be able to come in here and get a win is big for us. Their defense was a big challenge for us, but we were able to do some good things in the second half.”

Drexel jumped out to an early 10-2 lead and took its largest advantage of the day at 19-8 when Rodgers hit a three-pointer, but Delaware responded with a 16-4 spurt to take a 24-23 lead with 5:51 left on a reverse layup by Egerson.

The Blue Hens, who won for the first time this season when trailing at the half, recorded a 42-33 rebounding advantage, the fourth time in five games Delaware won the rebounding battle.

Delaware returns home Wednesday to host CAA preseason favorite George Mason for a 7 p.m. contest at the Bob Carpenter Center.

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