Fonz Hale scored 10 of his game-high 28 points during a game-tying 15-0 run late in the second half, but Salem University's rally came up short as the Tigers fell to Division I University of Delaware 79-76 in a men's basketball exhibition Saturday at Newark, Del. The Tigers had trailed by as many as 18 points after halftime.
 
Salem was down by 13 at halftime and trailed 55-37 less than four minutes into the second half. Hale converted a four-point play and Barron Tanner hit one of his five 3-pointers to help the Tigers bring the margin down to single digits at 62-53 with 11:27 remaining. Delaware used a dunk and a turnaround jumper by Aleks Novakovich to build the lead to 70-55 with 7:45 left to play. The Tigers would then hold the Blue Hens scoreless for more than five minutes to get back into the game.
 
Hale started Salem's run with a pair of free throws and a layup, and Stan Smith converted a three-point play to cut the margin back to single digits. Hale and Smith sandwiched three-pointers around a Delaware turnover to make it a two-point game. Salem forced a turnover with double team on Delaware's next possession and Hale finished with a fastbreak layup to tie the game 70-70 with 2:58 left in the contest.
 
Delaware (1-0) broke the tie with a free throw and after a defensive stop, Kevin Anderson hit a layup with 1:35 remaining for the Blue Hens' first field goal in more than six minutes. Salem tied the game 73-73 on Jordan Forbes' long three-pointer from above the top of the key with 1:22 left.
 
The Blue Hens broke the tie on Anderson's three-pointer with 58 seconds left and forced a turnover on Salem's next possession. Delaware worked the shot clock down and Ebby Asamoah gave Delaware a 79-73 with 18 seconds left.
                                              
The Tigers made it a one-possession game with 10 seconds left when Forbes drove the lane and dished to Hale, who rattled home a three-pointer from the right corner. Salem called a timeout and then forced an errant inbounds pass for a chance to tie the game. But a Tiger three-point attempt from the left wing was off the mark to end the game.
 
Salem opened the first-half scoring on a dunk by Forbes, but Delaware answered with three 3-pointers in a span of 90 seconds to grab an 11-4 lead. The margin reached double figures before three-pointers by Tanner, Hale and Aleksa Dobrijevic helped pull the Tigers within 22-19 with 8:57 left before halftime.
 
Delaware used the three-ball to put the lead back to double digits, but Andre Brantley provided a spark off the bench in his first action of the season to keep the Tigers within striking range. Brantley put home a slam dunk off a steal and added a three-pointer to draw Salem within 38-29 with 2:29 remaining.
 
The Blue Hens held the Tigers scoreless over the next two minutes and extended their lead to as many as 15 points. Forbes hit a turnaround jumper with 36 seconds left and Hale's steal with one second left on Delaware's final possession of the half helped pull Salem within 44-31 at the break.
 
Tanner finished with 16 points, while Forbes added 14 points and six rebounds to go with a game-high six assists. Hale led the Tigers with seven rebounds, while Smith and Tanner pulled down six boards apiece. Smith and Tanner combined for seven of Salem's 12 offensive rebounds. The Tigers were 10-for-21 from three-point range in the second half.
 
Anderson notched a double-double for Delaware with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Asamoah added 20 points off the bench.
 
Saturday's contest was the Tigers' first men's basketball game against a Division I opponent in four years. Salem played an exhibition game at Division I Longwood University during the 2016-17 season.
 
Salem was scheduled to play at Cedarville University Tuesday, but that game was canceled. The Tigers will have their first home game of 2020-21 December 12 as Salem plays host to Lincoln University (Pa.) at T. Edward Davis Gymnasium. Spectators will not be permitted due to COVID-19 restrictions, but Live Video and Live Stats will be available for the contest.