POUGHKEEPSIE, NY -- Marist senior forward Spongy Benjamin posted career-highs of 21 points and 17 rebounds to lead a balanced effort as the Red Foxes defeated Delaware, 89-78, in men’s basketball non-conference action Sunday afternoon at the McCann Center.

Marist (1-0) put five players in double figures as David Denezin posted 16 points and a game-high six assists, Dejuan Goodman and Jay Gavin each chipped in 13 points, and Ryan Stilphin recorded 11 points. The Red Foxes played without senior Louie McCroskey, a transfer from Syracuse University who was held out of the game due to a pending eligibility issue.

Senior forward Herb Courtney, an All-CAA Preseason First Team selection, scored a game-high 24 points, all but three in the second half, and added a team-best seven rebounds to lead the Blue Hens (0-1), while sophomore point guard Brian Johnson (at right) had 23 points and five assists. Sam McMahon scored 10 points and tied for the team lead with seven rebounds, while freshman Edwin Santiago chipped in 10 points in his Delaware debut.

Led by the 6-8 Benjamin, Marist held a commanding 44-30 edge in rebounds, including 19 offensive boards that led to a 20-9 edge in second chance points. The Red Foxes shot 52.5 percent from the field and connected on 22 of 36 free throws while holding the Blue Hens to 44.1 percent shooting from the floor.

After the teams traded baskets early, Delaware, coming off a 5-26 season in which the Blue Hens set a school record for losses in a season, used a 7-0 run to take a 13-6 lead with 12:42 remaining in the first half. The Hens still led 22-16 at the 6:48 mark, but the Red Foxes used a 10-0 spurt to go up 26-22 with 4:58 left in the period. Marist, which went 25-9 last year and defeated Oklahoma State in the first round of the Postseason NIT, led by five late in the half before a three-pointer by Brian Johnson made it a 36-34 game at the half.

However Marist, picked fifth in the MAAC Preseason Poll this year, opened the second half with six straight points, including four by Benjamin, to take a 42-34 lead with 17:44 to play. Marist increased its lead to 52-42 with 14:32 remaining, but Delaware, selected 10th in the CAA Preseason Poll, answered with a 12-4 run to pull within 56-54 with 11:29 left on a pair of free throws by Johnson.

The Red Foxes would respond, as a 10-0 Marist run made it a 66-54 game with 8:46 remaining. Johnson countered with five straight points, and a three-pointer by Santiago cut the Marist lead to 70-64 with 6:43 to play. However Marist, which improved to 3-0 all-time against Delaware and defeated the Blue Hens in the teams’ season-opener for the second consecutive season, scored seven straight points to go up 77-64 with 4:31 left and wasn’t threatened again.

The Blue Hens, who had three players foul out and were whistled for 34 fouls, are now 51-52 in season-openers in school history, including 0-2 under head coach Monté Ross.

“The things we were worried about coming into this game was Benjamin’s height and their guards’ ability to drive to the basket, and both of those things came back to haunt us,” Ross said. “We just ran into some foul trouble and ran out of gas in the second half. Our freshmen played with some poise in a very good college basketball environment, and they will be better off for it.”

The Blue Hens return to action on Saturday, November 17 when Delaware travels to Rider for a 3 p.m. game with the Broncs.

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