Tomko, Rendleman Lead Hot-Shooting UNC Wilmington Over Delaware, 76-53
January 12, 2011
File Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell
• Boxscore
WILMINGTON, N.C. -- Chad Tomko scored 20 of his game-high 23 points in the second half while Keith Rendleman added a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead the UNC Wilmington men’s basketball team to a 76-53 victory over the University of Delaware Wednesday night at Trask Coliseum.
The Seahawks, who improved to 9-7 overall and 3-2 in the Colonial Athletic Association, also got 11 points from Dante Morales as UNCW defeated Delaware for the seventh straight time in Wilmington. The Seahawks shot 49.1 percent from the field, including a blistering 14 of 24 (58.3 percent) in the second half while moving to 6-2 at home this year. UNCW, the CAA’s top three-point shooting team, also connected on 10 of 17 shots from behind the arc against a Blue Hen squad that entered the game ranked eighth in Division I in three-point field goal percentage defense.
Freshman Devon Saddler equaled his season-high by scoring 19 points to pace the Blue Hens, who dropped their second straight game while falling to 7-8 overall and 2-3 in league play. Jawan Carter was the only other UD player in double figures with 13 points, while Josh Brinkley chipped in with six. Jamelle Hagins and Alphonso Dawson each grabbed a team-leading seven boards, but Hagins was just 1 off 11 from the field was Dawson connected on only 1 of 5 field goal attempts.
Delaware went just 8 of 28 from the field in the opening half while falling behind big at the break for the second consecutive contest, and ended the game only 18 of 56 for a 32.1 shooting percentage.
“UNC Wilmington out-played us in every phase of the game tonight,” said Delaware head coach Monté Ross. “They shot the ball better, defended better, and rebounded better. Our effort was there, but our efficiency wasn’t good on either end of the floor. Give a lot of credit to Buzz (Peterson) and their players for executing much better than us at both ends of the court.”
Delaware, which dropped its 23rd consecutive CAA road game, opened the contest just 3 of 11 from the field, and two consecutive baskets by Matt Wilson gave UNC Wilmington a 13-6 lead with 12:13 left in the opening half. Carter answered with a pair of free throws for the Blue Hens, but Morales and Milson each drained a three-pointer to put the Seahawks up 19-8 at the 10:12 mark.
Ahmad Grant and Tomko each connected from behind the arc to extend the margin to 27-10 before Kelvin McNeil scored inside for Delaware, ending the Blue Hens’ seven minute field goal drought. Saddler then scored from just inside the top of the key and then nailed a three-pointer from the right corner to bring UD within 27-17 with 4:20 on the clock.
A Brinkley dunk made it an eight-point game, but Rendleman scored the final seven UNCW points as the Seahawks closed the period on a 7-2 run to go ahead 34-21 at the break.
The Seahawks continued to extend their lead in the second half, as Tomko found Rendleman for a dunk and then hit a three-pointer in transition to give UNCW a 44-25 margin with 17 minutes to play. Two free throws by Tomko later pushed the lead to 21, before consecutive three-pointers by Carter cut the UNCW advantage to 50-35 with 10 minutes left.
But Trevor Deloach answered with a triple of his own, and the Seahawks eventually took their largest lead of the night when Tomko hit three-pointers on consecutive possessions to make it a 65-39 game at the 5:49 mark.
The Blue Hens are back in action on Saturday when Delaware takes on Towson at 12 noon at the Towson Center.
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