2014-15 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY MEN'S BASKETBALL NOTES - GAME 1
HORNETS (0-0/ vs. Penn “Quakers” (0-0)
Sat., Nov. 15, 2014 - 4:30 p.m.
Phila., Pa. (The Palestra - 8,722)
THE GAME
Delaware State tips-off the 2014-15 season at the historic Palestra in the City of Brotherly Love for a first-time meeting against the Penn Quakers. The Hornets were 9-21 overall and tied for eighth place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with a 5-11 league mark during the 2013-14 season. Delaware State was 4-15 and 0-6 (MEAC) when assistant coach Keith Walker was named interim head coach on Jan. 30, 2014. Walker led the Hornets to a 5-6 overall record (5-5 MEAC) in the final 11 games last season. Walker was officially hired as DSU's head coach last spring. The Hornets return eight letterwinners from the 2013-14 squad. In addition, two players who last competed at DSU during the 2012-13 season have rejoined the team. Delaware State also features six newcomers, including a former West Virginia University signee and a transfer from Division I Towson University. MEAC insiders believe the Hornets will be an improved team this season. DSU has been picked to finish fifth in the 2014-15 MEAC regular season race, according to a poll of league head coaches and sports information representatives.
Penn returns five letterwinners from its 2013-14 squad, which posted an 8-20 overall record and a 5-9 mark in the Ivy League. The Quakers are led by the junior duo of Tony Hicks (14.9 points per game) and Darien Nelson-Henry (10.6 ppg, 5.3 rebounds per game). Penn also welcomes back several players who missed a majority of last season due to injury, and six freshmen have joined the roster for the upcoming season.
DSU vs. PENN/IVY LEAGUE SERIES HISTORY
Despite being separated by about 75 miles, this is the first meeting between the Hornets and Quakers. However, this will not be Delaware State's first visit to the Palestra. The Hornets
defeated Maryland-Eastern Shore and lost to Howard in the Palestra when the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference held its post-season tournament there in 1985. This will be just DSU's
second contest against an Ivy League school. The Hornets fell to Columbia 47-41 in the 2007 Pre-season NIT at Ohio State University in Columbus, OH.
