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Penn falls to Delaware State in overtime, 77-75

A dreadful finish doomed what looked like a promising start for Penn. The Quakers went ice cold down the stretch in a 77-75, season-opening overtime defeat to Delaware State on Saturday at the Palestra.

A dreadful finish doomed what looked like a promising start for Penn.

The Quakers went ice cold down the stretch in a 77-75, season-opening overtime defeat to Delaware State on Saturday at the Palestra.

Tony Hicks led the Quakers with 31 points. Hicks had a chance to win it in regulation, but his bank shot from the right baseline at the buzzer went off the glass and then off the rim.

"It was just a bunny that didn't go in," Hicks said.

The Quakers looked in control, up by 62-54 with 6 minutes, 20 seconds left in the second half before an offensive drought, going 1-for-6 from the field with three turnovers in the final 6:20 of regulation.

"Everything was a struggle for us down the stretch," Penn coach Jerome Allen said.

The Hornets took control early in the extra session and secured the win when Hicks' three-point attempt with five seconds left that would have tied the game fell short.

It was a disappointing start for Penn, which is looking to rebound from last season's disappointing 8-20 campaign. Once a dominant force in the Ivy League, Penn is trying to get back to relevance in the Ancient Eight. The Quakers have won 25 league titles, but the last one came in 2007. And this season they were picked to finish seventh in the preseason.

Allen, not one for moral victories, praised his team's effort and the performance of freshmen Antonio Woods, Darnell Foreman, Mike Auger, and Sam Jones, who combined for 23 points and 102 minutes.

"I like coaching this group," he said. "They come ready to work every day. They're all disappointed, but any time you have that fire in your stomach from disappointment, I can take that because that means you're going to connect to the process to do what you have to do to get better."