Delaware Gets Past W&M 75-74 To Win First CAA Title - Mar 13, 2014

It was only fitting that the 2014 CAA men's basketball championship came down to the very last play to decide the champion.
In the league's first year in Baltimore, Md., a brand new setting for the championship, the top-seeded Delaware Blue Hens came out victorious over third-seeded William & Mary, 75-74, to claim the school's first ever CAA basketball title on Monday night at Baltimore Arena.
The top-seeded Hens (25-9), making their first-ever appearance in the CAA title game, overcame a six-point deficit with 1:20 to play and earned the victory when sensational Tribe junior Marcus Thornton (6'4''-G)'s jumper bounced off the back of the rim as time expired.
Senior forward Carl Baptiste (6'9''-F) scored a career-high 24 points for UD, including the game-winning basket with 12 seconds remaining. Guards Jarvis Threatt (6'2''-G), who was selected as the tournament's Most Outstanding Performer, and Devon Saddler (6'2''-G) added 18 and 16 points, respectively. The Blue Hens punched their ticket into the 2014 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship for the fifth time in school history, but the first time since 1999 prior to joining the CAA.
William & Mary (20-12), which was making its third appearance in the CAA title game in the past seven years, was led by Thornton, who scored 22 points, grabbed four rebounds and dished out four helpers. Senior Tim Rusthoven (6'9''-F) ended his impressive career with 16 points, four boards and three blocks, while CAA Rookie of the Year Omar Prewitt (6'6''-G) notched 14 points, all of which came in the second half.
William & Mary took its six-point lead (74-68) with 1:20 remaining after a clutch Prewitt 3-pointer. Delaware quickly answered, though, as Saddler sank two free throws to cut the deficit to four.
Prewitt had a chance to keep the edge for the Tribe, but he missed the first of a one-and-one and UD regained possession. Threatt made the most of the opportunity and converted a three-point play to make it a one-point game (74-73) with 51 seconds left.
Following a missed jumper by Thornton with 32 seconds to go, the Blue Hens turned to Baptiste down-low in the paint. He answered with the eventual game-winning basket with just 12 seconds showing, before Thornton's last-second attempt missed.
The game started at a hectic pace, as William & Mary jumped out to an 18-10 lead just over five minutes in. In a common first half theme, though, UD battled back and took the lead (29-24) following a Kyle Anderson corner 3-pointer with 7:55 remaining.
Rusthoven provided a spark for the Tribe, scoring three-straight baskets to help his team re-take the lead, 30-29, but it was short-lived.
Delaware ended the half of a 10-3 run, with Saddler and Baptiste supplying four points each. Threatt joined the action with three seconds to spare, nailing a jumper from the top of the key to give the Hens a 39-33 halftime edge.
At the start of the second half, little changed in terms of intensity. The advantage still remained with the Blue Hens, who pushed the lead to 12 (47-35) less than four minutes in. Anderson provided two triples in between a Baptiste bucket.
The Tribe responded as Prewitt accounted for nine-straight points to cut deficit to 53-48 with 12 minutes remaining.
William & Mary shot 52.5% from the floor to the Blue Hens' 43.5% and the Tribe also had a 36-34 advantage on the glass. However, W&M made just 3-of-11 at the free throw line while the Blue Hens converted 15-of-18 from the charity stripe.
Threatt was joined by teammates Baptiste and Saddler on the all-tournament team. Thornton and senior guard Brandon Britt (6'2''-G) represented William & Mary on the team. Northeastern forward Scott Eatherton rounded out the squad.

Courtesy of CAA

CAA Tournament Final: Delaware - William & Mary 75-74

CAA Tournament Semifinals:
Delaware - Northeastern 87-74
William & Mary - Towson 75-71

All-CAA 1st Team 2014

Benimon

Massenat

Saddler

Thornton

Usher