Boxscore / File Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

NEWARK, Del. -- Central Connecticut took over in the final minute, breaking a 61-61 tie by converting six straight free throws down the stretch and handing the University of Delaware a 67-61 men's basketball setback Wednesday night at the Bob Carpenter Center.

Delaware senior center Jim Ledsome (at right), who scored six points, pulled nine rebounds, and blocked a career-high tying seven shots in a complete effort, tied the score at 61-61 with a follow-up dunk with 57 seconds left but the Hens (2-5) never scored again. Delaware, which got 15 points from Alphonso Dawson and 12 points from Jawan Carter, dropped its third straight game and remained winless (0-3) at home this season.

Central Connecticut (3-3), which won its third straight game and downed the Hens for the third straight time, placed four starters in double figures with Delaware natives, guards Shemik Thompson (Cape Henlopen HS) and Joe Seymore (Hodgson HS), leading the way with season-highs of 14 points each. Ken Horton and Robby Ptacek each added 10 points with Horton and Seymore pulling down seven rebounds apiece.

“We have to stick with it,” said Delaware head coach Monté Ross following the loss. “Our defensive effort was pretty good but our offense has to get back on track and get better. They outtoughed us tonight, they went out and got a lot of rebounds and you have to give them credit. Jim Ledsome was big for us tonight, he covered up some of our mistakes.”

Delaware’s 61 points was a season-low as the Hens converted just 23 of 56 shots from the field (41.1 percent) and hit on just 8 of 30 three-point attempts, including just 5 of 17 in the pivotal second half. The Blue Devils used 12 of 14 shooting from the foul line in the second half to pull away for the win.

The Hens led by as much as 13 points in the first half after Carter converted a layup with 6:49 left to go up 27-14. But Delaware wouldn’t score another field goal the rest of the half and the Blue Devils rallied to knot the score at 28-28 at the break.

A hard-fought second half featured five ties and seven lead changes with Delaware gaining what proved to be its final lead of the game at 49-48 on a layup by Carter with 8:51 left. But Seymore followed with a three-pointer to put CCSU up 51-49 with 7:58 left and the Blue Devils stayed in front for the next seven minutes, going up by as much as six points at 57-51 with 5:07 remaining on two Ptacek free throws.

But Delaware fought back as Dawson nailed a three-pointer from the corner, Brian Johnson hit a short jumper, and Ledsome followed a Dawson missed three pointer with a thunderous dunk to tie the score at 61-61 with 57 seconds left.

The rest of the night belonged to the Blue Devils as Horton, Seymore, and Ptacek each hit a pair of shots from the foul line the rest of the way for the victory. The Hens missed two three-pointers and committed a turnover in the final minute to halt the comeback attempt.