Dover (Nov. 14, 2008) --- The Delaware State men's basketball team used balanced scoring and dominant rebounding to defeat scrappy Wilmington (Del.) University 71-59 in the Hornets' season opener in Memorial Hall Friday evening.
Six DSU players scored at least eight points, led by Marcus Neal's 12. Trevor Welcher, Kris Douse and Fred Bouie tallied nine points each, while Darrian David and Arturo DuBois added 8 apiece. DuBois, a transfer from Manhattan College in New York, also recorded 10 rebounds and a game-high five blocks in his first game with the Hornets. Delaware State's Frisco Sandidge led all players with 11 rebounds and four assists.
The Hornets held a 55-35 rebounding edge.
Antonio Sherrod led three Wilmington players in double figures with 18 points. He also led the team with nine rebounds. Kevin Cooper had 14 points, while Dominique Barron added 11 for the Wildcats.
“I'm most pleased about our rebounding and the fact that we were able to get significant minutes for a number of our players,” said Delaware State head coach Greg Jackson. “We got away from our offense a bit in the second half, but I give Wilmington a lot of credit for a really strong effort. The Wildcats made us work for every shot and rebound, so it was a hard-fought win.”
The score was 8-8 before Delaware State surged ahead for good. Terrence Parkes capped off a 10-3 run with a lay-up to give the Hornets an 18-11 lead with 11:18 left in the first half. Delaware State opened up its biggest first half lead, 31-18, on a lay-up by David with 2:49 left in the half.
The Hornets led 33-21 at the break.
Delaware State outscored the Wildcats 13-5 to start the second half, and opened up a 46-26 lead on a dunk by Parkes with 13:05 left to play.
Wilmington chipped away at Delaware State's lead throughout the second half, and pulled to within 67-59 on a three-point shot by Barron with 29 second left to play.
Delaware State closed out the scoring on two free throws by Bouie and a lay-up by Douse in the final moments of the game.
The Hornets were 27-for-60 from the field (45.0%), but just one-for-nine from behind the expanded three-point line. Wilmington hit 20 of 64 shots (31.3%), including four-of-14 from beyond the arc.
The NCAA expanded the men's three-point line by one foot to 20 feet, nine inches this season.
Delaware State will host Cheyney University on Saturday before beginning an eight-game, 16-day road swing at Lehigh on Monday.
