The Basics
• Score: Christopher Newport-64, #14 Johns Hopkins-62
• Records: JHU (0-1) • CNU (2-0)
• Location: Newport News, VA • Freeman Center
• The Short Story: The 14th-ranked Johns Hopkins men's basketball team fell just short in its comeback attempt Sunday afternoon as the Blue Jays dropped their season opener, 64-62, at host Christopher Newport.
How it Happened
• Hopkins trailed 62-52 with 2:26 to play when graduate student Conner Delaney scored off a feed from junior Sidney Thybulle to spark a 10-2 Blue Jay run. After trading empty possessions, Delaney drained a three to pull JHU within five with 1:19 left. Matthew Brodie converted a pair of free throws, but a Tom Quarry put back on the other end made it a 64-59 game.
• Trey Barber missed the front-end of a one-and-one on the ensuing possession and another Delaney three sliced the deficit to two with 22 seconds on the clock. Junior Carson James stole the inbounds and Delaney had a good luck at the buzzer, but it didn't fall.
• Hopkins opened the game with back-to-back threes by senior Ethan Bartlett and Delaney to take a quick 6-0 lead. Jason Aigner got Newport on the board with a bucket from deep to ignite a 12-3 spurt as the Captains took a 12-9 lead at the 12:06-mark. Delaney cut the deficit to one with a bucket in the paint but baskets by Aigner and Jahn Hines put Christopher Newport up 16-11 midway through the half.
• Five straight points from Delaney pulled the Blue Jays even but a three by Aigner kick-started a 14-5 spurt as the Captains pushed out to a 30-21 lead with 3:51 to play in the half. Bartlett scored a layup to spark a 7-3 burst as the Blue Jays cut the deficit to five at the half.
• Hopkins opened the second half with a Quarry jumper and a Bartlett three, sandwiched around a Hines jumper to pull within two. CNU answered with seven straight points however and just like that the lead was nine with 15:36 on the clock. The teams traded scores over the next 10 minutes and the lead was 10 with 5:47 to play. Delaney hit a three to cut the lead to single digits, but CNU came right back with a Ty Henderson three and a Barber layup to take a 12-point lead.
• The Blue Jays and the Captains again swapped scores over a 90-second span and Newport led 62-52 at the 2:26-mark. Delaney then sparked that game-ending run with his bucket in the paint at 2:14.
What it Means
• Hopkins falls to 1-2 all-time against Christopher Newport.
Inside the Box Score
• Delaney led all scorers with a career-high-tying 32 points. He made a career-best seven three-pointers and also grabbed five boards. Bartlett finished with 11 points and seven rebounds, while Thybulle had four blocks, four assists and eight rebounds in his first career start. Quarry matched Thybulle's eight rebounds and added nine points.
• Barber posted a double-double with 17 points and a game-high 10 boards and five blocks. Henderson added 14 points and four assists, while Hines chipped in 12 points.
Up Next
• Hopkins returns to action on Wednesday, November 10 as the Blue Jays host the Salisbury Sea Gulls. Tip-off for JHU's home opener is slated for 7:00 pm.