PHILADELPHIA – The fourth-leading scorer in University of Delaware men’s basketball history has been starting games on the bench of late.
When he comes off of it, Ryan Allen has given the Blue Hens a spark that would befit someone with such credentials.
The fifth-year senior guard did so Tuesday night at the Daskalakis Center, where Delaware won for the first time in nearly seven years 81-77 over Drexel in the Colonial Athletic Association showdown.
While the Blue Hens’ had to withstand a late scare that saw Drexel cut a 22-point deficit to four with 2:45 left, Allen’s subsequent jumper closed his 23-point night and propelled the Hens to a satisfying win.
BOX SCORE: Delaware 81, Drexel 77
Allen’s arrival on the court several minutes after tip-off had sparked a 13-3 UD run that helped it build a 45-32 halftime advantage.
“Regardless of when I’m coming in, starting or end of the bench, I’m gonna be ready to play, ready to help my team, so it doesn’t really matter to me,” Allen said.
Delaware coach Martin Ingelsby said he has “liked Ebby [Asamoah’s] size and athleticism in the starting lineup, just from a defensive standpoint” the last few games. On Tuesday, that job included defending Drexel’s first-team All-CAA point guard Camren Wynter, the preseason CAA Player of the Year, who had just 12 points.
“Ebby did a great job making him work,” Ingelsby said.
Such is the benefit of having the depth Delaware has in the perimeter.
“I’m not sure how long that will last,” Ingelsby said, “but for the moment [Allen] is gonna get his minutes, he’s getting his shots. We need him as that kind of sparkplug off the bench for us. He was able to halt some of the runs in the second half with some naturally talented offensive plays. He made some tough shots, and wanted the ball in his hands to be a playmaker.”
Delaware (11-5 overall, 2-1 CAA) was playing its first game since winning at Charleston on Dec. 31, as home games last week against James Madison and Towson were postponed due to COVID-19 cases.
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With visits to Hofstra on Saturday and Northeastern on Monday looming, Delaware will play its first five CAA games on the road.
Despite the layoff, the Blue Hens didn’t appear rusty.
“Last year was definitely a lot worse,” said Delaware forward Dylan Painter of a 2020-21 season in which Delaware didn’t play a game the entire month of February due to COVID-19 protocols. “Last year when we went on pause, the whole team was on pause. This time we were allowed to get a couple guys in the gym with the coaches, play some 2-on-2, 3-on-3, got our shots up, kept our conditioning up.”
In addition to Delaware’s defensive effort, particularly pleasing to Ingelsby was Delaware’s 19 assists, its most against a Division I foe this season, compared to just seven turnovers, its second fewest in a game.
Jameer Nelson Jr.’s 20 points included 10 foul shots, Painter had 14 points and nine rebounds and Carr scored 10 points.
Defending CAA Tournament champ Drexel (6-6, 1-1) downed Towson 65-61 on Jan. 3 in its lone CAA game so far. The Dragons played without the CAA’s leading rebounder James Butler, who was injured.
It was the 163rd meeting in the CAA’s oldest and most-played rivalry, which Delaware leads 84-79. But Delaware and Drexel did not play season, when their two games were erased due to COVID. It was the first season they hadn’t squared off since 1959-60.
They’ll meet again Feb. 3 at the Carpenter Center. Drexel had won five straight in Philadelphia, as has Delaware in Newark.
“Their shot-making was very timely,” Drexel coach Zach Spiker said of Delaware, singling out two early 3-pointers by Painter and another by Carr late in the first half.
Delaware’s 45-32 halftime lead was its widest of the opening 20 minutes. The Hens then scored on six straight possessions to take command 62-40 on Allen’s drive with 13:45 to go.
But Drexel chipped away at that lead as Delaware made just one field goal over a 7-minute stretch. Matey Juric’s fast-break layup with 2:45 to go pulled Drexel within 72-68. But a subsequent 7-1 Delaware run followed.
“Having flashbacks to a couple years ago when we had that big lead,” Ingelsby said, referring to the NCAA Division I record 34-point lead Delaware blew in an 85-83 loss at Drexel four years ago.
“You gotta weather some of that by scoring the ball. We had some good looks. I thought we took some quick shots that led to some opportunities for them in transition. That’s where I think getting the ball to Dylan Painter and getting to the foul line is important, but we gotta be better in those situations to not get comfortable, just continue to compete and be greedy.”
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