For the Blue Hens, ringing in the new year properly on Saturday was a matter of rediscovering its defensive commitment.
While Delaware would have preferred to do a few other things better in its Colonial Athletic Association basketball clash with Elon, limiting the Phoenix to 34-percent shooting and just 52 points had its rewards.
Delaware bounced backed from two losses in which it had allowed a combined 182 points by thwarting Elon 57-52 at the Carpenter Center.
Fourteen turnovers, Delaware’s most in eight games, a 39-percent shooting showing of their own and Elon starting the two halves on 7-0 and 8-0 runs left the Hens less than thrilled. But they got the win and defense was at the root of it.
BOX SCORE: Delaware 57, Elon 52
“We didn’t score as many points as we want to,” said guard Jameer Nelson Jr., who had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, plus four assists and three steals.
“I feel like we missed a lot of threes [Delaware was 5-for-20]. But as long as you defend you’re always gonna be good.”
Delaware (9-6 overall, 1-1 CAA) had dropped its league opener Thursday night 87-73 to Hofstra and fallen to Ohio University in their nonconference finale 95-76 before that.
COLONIAL RULERS:How do Blue Hens rate, as CAA basketball schedule starts with loss to Hofstra
The Blue Hens have won seven straight and 10 of the last 11 against Elon and now have a week to prep for their next game Saturday at red-hot Charleston. The Cougars are 14-1 after winning in overtime at preseason league favorite Towson Saturday.
“It was one of those nights where, with their match-up zone, it wasn’t really flowing for us offensively,” UD coach Martin Ingelsby said, “as maybe efficiently as we wanted it to. I thought we had some good looks and missed some shots.
“But we had to defend to win the game and that group that was out there at the end, they played a lot of minutes, they were a little tired, they were fatigued. But they were able to grind one out.”
Elon (2-13, 0-2) is rebuilding under first-year coach Billy Taylor, who came from the Iowa staff but is a former head coach at Lehigh and Ball State. Taylor played at Notre Dame a few years before Ingelsby did.
CAA STANDINGS: Charleston next for Blue Hens
Delaware took the lead for good with an 11-0 run that made it 45-38 with 8:44 to go and extended that edge to 48-39. Elon got within 52-50 with 1:45 left and had chances to take the lead or tie the score but missed two shots and had a turnover. Delaware was 5-for-6 at the foul line in the final 39 seconds.
Christian Ray (14 points), Jyare Davis (12) and L.J. Owens (10) joined Nelson in double figures. Delaware started a different lineup for the first time with Johnny McCoy in place of Ebby Asamoah,
“I think it was a change that we needed to give us a little shot in the arm from a defensive standpoint but we’re gonna continue to invest in those guys,” Ingelsby said. “I thought [freshman] Houston Emory came off the bench and gave us some good minutes. He was efficient and effective against that zone.”
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