Norfolk, Va. (Mar. 7, 2016) ---Twelfth-seeded Delaware State held double-digit leads in each half, but ran out of gas late in a 63-58 loss to No. 5 Savannah State in a MEAC Tournament opening round game at the Scope Arena this evening.
The loss ends Delaware State's season with a 7-25 overall record. The Tigers (15-14) advance in the tournament to take on No. 4 Bethune-Cookman on Thursday.
Savannah State outscored DSU 6-0 in the final 2:21 of the game after trailing 58-57 following a three-pointer by Hornet forward Dana Raysor with 2:45 left.
“You hate to have a season end this way,” said Delaware State head coach Keith Walker, who led the Hornets to the MEAC Tournament title game a year ago. “Overall, I thought we played well enough to win, but struggled with our execution down the stretch. I give Savannah State a great of deal of credit for the way it fought back and performed in the late stages of the game.”
Delaware State led 37-29 at the half, and opened up a 42-31 lead on a three-point play by Kavon Waller with 17:35 left to play.
The Tigers outscored the Hornets 21-9 over the next 13 minutes, and pulled ahead 52-51 in a lay-up by Christopher Martin with 4:36 remaining. Martin led Savannah State with a game-high 21 points on seven-of-13 shooting from the field, highlighted by four three-pointers (4-10).
Delaware State regained the lead on the ensuing possession, 53-52, when DeAndre Haywood hit floater in the lane.
The lead changed hands three more times over the next two minutes until Lenjo Kilo (10 points) gave Savannah State the lead for good, 59-58, on a jumper at the 2:21 mark of the second half.
The Hornets came up empty on their next possession and Troyce Manassa (13 points) hit two free throws to give the Tigers a 61-58 lead with 1:33 left.
Delaware State committed turnovers on its next two possessions, but Savannah State failed to capitalize. The Hornets still trailed by three and regained the ball with 23 seconds left, but Devin Morgan and Dana Raysor each missed three-point attempts on the final DSU possession.
Martin hit two free throws with 1.1 seconds left to seal the win for Savannah State.
In the first half, Savannah State led 10-7 before the Hornets began a nearly eight minute rally to open up a double-digit lead. Morgan capped off the 20-5 run with a three-point field goal to give DSU a 27-15 lead. Morgan had two three-pointers, while Raysor and Waller also knocked threes during the spurt.
The Hornets were outscored 34-21 in the second half.
After shooting 57.1% in the first half (16-for-28), DSU hit on just six-of-22 shots in the final 20 minutes (27.3%).
Waller led three Delaware State players in double figures with 15 points. Raysor had 13 points, highlighted by three three-pointers, and Haywood added 10.
Morgan, the 2015-16 MEAC Rookie-of-the-Year and the Hornets' leading scorer entering the contest at 12.1 points per game, was held to six points, snapping a string of 10 straight double-figure scoring games. He did hit two three-pointers in the contest, extending his string to 28 games with at least one three-point field goal.
Lenjo also had a game-high 12 rebounds for Savannah State.
Despite finishing 18 games below .500 a year after being 20 minutes away from a MEAC championship, Walker is optimistic about his team's chances next season.
“The majority of our key players will be back next season,” Walker said. “With another year of experience under their belts and the additional talent we plan to bring in, I believe we can be one of the better teams in the league next season.”
STINGERS
The Hornets are now 26-45 all-time in the MEAC Tournament … Savannah State swept two games against DSU this season and avenged a 64-58 loss to the Hornets in the 2015 MEAC Tournament opening round … junior forward Mrdjan Gasevic made his first start since Nov. 21 vs. Lamar … Morgan played all 40 minutes in the game, while Waller logged a career-high 36 minutes … Haywood reached double-figures in scoring in each of the last eight games this season … Delaware State was six-for-seven at the free throw line, while Savannah State shot 15 free throws, hitting 10.
