Clutch play from Quinn Blair in the final 24 seconds lifted William & Mary to a 67-62 win over Delaware on Saturday at Kaplan Arena. The Tribe broke a four-game losing streak and earned its first Colonial Athletic Association men’s basketball victory of the season.
The Tribe (3-5, 1-2 CAA) led by a point with 26 seconds remaining when Luke Loewe, one of the best free-throw shooters in the country a year ago, missed twice from the line. But Blair grabbed the offensive rebound, was fouled and sank both free throws to increase the W&M lead to 64-61 with 24 seconds left.
Dylan Painter (14 points, 15 rebounds) made one of two free throws to pull the Blue Hens (3-5, 1-2) to within two points, before Blair was fouled after gathering the inbounds pass with 13.4 seconds to play. Blair, who went 7 for 7 from the free-throw line in scoring a team-high 13 points, made both of his free throws to make it 66-62 and clinch the victory.
After an entertaining first four minutes, during which the lead changed hands six times, Delaware used the inside scoring of Painter, the penetration of guard Ryan Allen (13 points) and the outside shooting of Ebby Asamoah (11 points) to twice forge nine-point leads in the first half.
W&M’s Yuri Covington (nine points) hit a big 3-pointer just ahead of the halftime buzzer, as he and fellow freshman Connor Kochera (12 points) combined for 16 first-half points to move the Tribe to within 36-31 at intermission.
The Tribe continued its comeback by improving offensively after shooting 31% from the field in the first half, while keeping 6-foot-10 Painter from getting the shots he was getting close to the basket in the first half. Forced outside, the Blue Hens made just 2 of 13 3-pointers in the second half.
The Tribe trailed by four points with less than five minutes to play, but Loewe, scoreless in the first half, scored four points in a six-point run. Loewe capped the run with a reverse layup to give the Tribe a 60-58 lead with 3:18 left, and W&M never trailed thereafter.
“I think that what this team has shown really all year to this point is just that fight and continuing to stick together,” Tribe coach Dane Fischer said.
The teams meet again at 2 p.m. Sunday at Kaplan Arena.
WILLIAM & MARY 67, DELAWARE 62
DELAWARE (3-5, 1-2 CAA): Carr 1-2 0-0 2, Painter 6-14 2-4 14, Allen 6-14 0-1 13, Arletti 6-14 0-0 13, McCoy 1-4 3-5 5, Asamoah 4-10 1-1 11, Ochefu 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 26-61 6-11 62.
WILLIAM & MARY (3-5, 1-2): Blair 3-8 7-7 13, Wight 4-6 1-2 10, Covington 4-15 0-0 9, Kochera 4-9 1-2 12, Loewe 3-14 2-4 8, Harvey 4-5 1-3 9, Milkereit 1-3 2-2 4, Stone 1-1 0-0 2, Ayesa 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-61 14-20 67.
Half—Delaware 36-31. 3-point goals—Delaware 4-18 (Asamoah 2-6, Allen 1-4, Arletti 1-4, Carr 0-1, Ochefu 0-1, McCoy 0-2), W&M 5-17 (Kochera 3-5, Wight 1-2, Covington 1-4, Blair 0-1, Milkereit 0-1, Loewe 0-4). Rebounds—Delaware 30 (Painter 15), W&M 41 (Harvey 9). Assists—Delaware 10 (Allen 3), W&M 11 (Loewe 7). Fouls—Delaware 21, W&M 16.
Marty O’Brien, 757-247-4963, mjobrien@dailypress.com
