Threatt Leads Blue Hens To Seventh Straight Win With 76-69 Victory Over Towson; Delaware Secures Fifth Seed in CAA Tournament
February 22, 2012
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• Boxscore
File Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell
TOWSON, Md. -- Blue Hen freshman guard Jarvis Threatt scored a game-high 29 points and knocked down 16 free throws as the University of Delaware men’s basketball team edged Towson University, 76-69, Wednesday night at the Towson Center as UD extended its winning streak to seven games.
Delaware, which has now won six consecutive CAA games and four straight CAA road games for the first time since joining the league, improved to 16-12 overall and 11-6 in league play. The Blue Hens have clinched their first winning season since 2003-04, while their 11 CAA victories are the most since Delaware joined the league prior to the 2001-02 season.
The Blue Hens have locked up the fifth seed in the CAA Tournament, which will be held March 2-5 at the Richmond Coliseum. Delaware will face 12th-seeded Towson in the first round on Friday, March 2 at 2:30 p.m., with the winner taking on No. 4 seed Old Dominion during Saturday’s quarterfinals at 2:30 p.m.
Threatt (at right) finished 6 of 11 from the field, broke his own freshman single game records by going 16 of 19 from the free throw line, and added five rebounds and four steals for Delaware, which defeated Towson for the fourth straight meeting. Devon Saddler chipped in 17 points and went a perfect 7 of 7 from the free throw line for the Blue Hens, Josh Brinkley contributed 12 points and seven boards, and Jamelle Hagins scored nine points to go with a team-best 11 rebounds.
Towson, which lost its seventh consecutive game while falling to 1-29 overall and 1-16 in the conference, was led by Marcus Damas who poured in a team-high 21 points. Kris Walden contributed a career-high 18 points, all in the second half, while Robert Nwankwo posted a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds during his final game at the Towson Center.
Delaware shot just 33.3 percent during the first half but rebounded to connect on 12 of 19 field goals during the second period. The Blue Hens continued its impressive effort of late at the free throw line, going 30 of 37 from the charity stripe for the game. UD limited Towson to just 39.7 percent shooting, although the Tigers held a 39-33 rebounding advantage.
“We were a tough team tonight,” said sixth-year Blue Hen head coach Monté Ross. “Towson kept coming after us, and we responded each time. Jarvis (Threatt) was terrific for us tonight, and he made some really big shots for us. To get a win on the road is always a good thing, and I’m really proud of the guys. We didn’t have our best stuff tonight but to gut out a win on the road is terrific.”
Delaware took an early 12-10 lead following a Kyle Anderson jumper before the Tigers scored seven consecutive points, including five by Damas, to go up 17-12 with 10:17 on the clock. The Tigers were still up 20-16 before the Blue Hens used an 8-0 spurt to regain the lead at 24-20 at the 4:56 mark on two free throws by Threatt.
It was still just a four-point game at 27-23 but UD answered with six consecutive points to go up double figures, before a Nwankwo slam with five seconds left cut the Blue Hen lead to 33-25 at the half. Delaware closed the period on a 17-5 spurt, holding the Tigers to just two field goals over the final 8:26 of the half.
However Towson opened the second half on a 10-4 run, including eight points by Walden, to pull within 37-35 on a Nwankwo layup with 16:05 remaining. The Blue Hens went back up four at 46-42, but a Damas three-pointer and a Walden transition layup put the Tigers back in front 47-46 with 10:53 to play.
Threatt then found Hagins for a dunk before scoring himself to put Delaware up three but Towson would not go away, as Deon Jones scored twice inside to knot the contest at 51-51 at the 8:26 mark.
The game was still tied at 57-57 following a pair of free throws by Jervon Pressley but Threatt buried a tough 18-foot jumper and then drained two free throws to put Delaware up 61-57 with 4:02 on the clock. Damas answered with a three-pointer to bring the Tigers within a single point, but Saddler converted a tough three-point play and Threatt hit an acrobatic layup to make it a 66-60 game with 2:03 to play.
Walden countered with a jumper for Towson, but Threatt buried a three-pointer with 1:04 to go and the Blue Hens went 6 of 8 from the foul line the rest of the way to hold off the Tigers.
Threatt, who scored 17 of Delaware’s 23 points from the 5:54 mark until :44.4 seconds were left, narrowly missed equaling his school freshman mark of 30 he scored against Georgia State on Jan. 23.
Delaware closes out its regular season on Saturday when the Blue Hens host Northeastern at 12 noon. UD seniors Hakim McCullar and Samer Madarani will be honored in a pregame ceremony.
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