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Delaware edges Drexel in CAA tournament

Rulon Washington

2:51 p.m., March 3, 2006--The University of Delaware men's basketball has defeated Drexel University 52-49 to advance to the quarterfinals in the Colonial Athletic Association championship tournament being played at the Richmond Coliseum.

The Fightin' Blue Hens will next face the conference tournament's top seed, the University of North Carolina Wilmington, at noon Saturday, March 4.

UNC Wilmington won the conference regular season championship with a record of 22-7 overall and 15-3 in the conference. During the regular season, the Seahawks defeated UD twice, 71-58 on Jan. 5 at the Bob Carpenter Center and 70-54 on Feb. 9 at Wilmington, N.C.

Against Drexel, UD broke out to a 24-20 lead at the half despite foul trouble limiting the minutes played by All-CAA senior forward Harding Nana.

Drexel scored the first eight points of the second half before guard Rulon Washington broke a UD drought of more than four minutes by hitting a three-point basket to bring the Hens to within one point at 28-27. The game quickly bogged down in a hail of foul calls, with the teams trading leads.

Nana fouled out with just over two minutes remaining and the Hens down 47-46, but Washington buried another three-point basket. Drexel tied the game 49-49 with about one minute left to play.

UD took the lead for good at 51-49 when guard Sam McMahon hit a basket. Forward Henry Olawoye extended the lead to 52-49 on a foul shot and Drexel was unable respond as time expired.

Nana finished the game with 16 points and six rebounds, while Washington had 16 points and was a perfect four-for-four on three-point attempts. Forward Raphael Madera had seven points and freshman guard Zaire Taylor had six.

The victory was the ninth of the season for Head Coach David Henderson's Hens, who are now 9-20.

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