The Sports Xchange
Delaware 75, Old Dominion 73
Playing its sixth game in 12 days, Old Dominion didn’t succumb to fatigue.
Instead, the Monarchs blew a 10-point second half lead Monday night with poor defense, questionable shot selection and an inability to keep Delaware off the offensive boards, and the Blue Hens emerged with a 75-73 Colonial Athletic Association win in Newark, Del.
Old Dominion (3-22, 1-12 CAA) wasted a 22-point, 12-rebound effort from DeShawn Painter, as well as 15-point evenings from Dimitri Batten and Donte Hill. The Monarchs led 50-40 after opening the second half with a 17-6 run, but they couldn’t land the knockout punch.
Instead, the Blue Hens (13-12, 8-4) gradually reeled the Monarchs in, finally taking the lead for good on Devon Saddler’s runner with 2:54 left, then icing it with clutch foul shooting. Saddler’s free throws with 6.9 seconds remaining clinched the win.
Saddler tossed in a game-high 24 points for Delaware, which outboarded Old Dominion 41-38 and hit 47.5 percent of its shots. The Monarchs made just seven of 22 3-point attempts, a game after going 1-for-26 in an overtime loss to CAA leader Northeastern. Old Dominion shot 40 percent overall Monday.
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