WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – On day one of the Chuck Daly Classic hosted by Keiser University, the 13^th-ranked Warner University men's basketball team upset 7^th-ranked Bethel College (Ind.) 90-87.  The Royals got 60 combined points from Eddie Delegal and Warren Hall to improve their record to 7-2.  The Pilots out of the Crossroads League drop to 10-2 with the loss.

It was a quick start by both teams in the first half as they battled back and forth in the early going.  The Pilots led 16-15 at the first media timeout and stretched their lead to 27-22 by the second media timeout with 9:18 to go in the half.

Neither team led by more than five points until a pair of free throws with 7:30 to go gave the Pilots a seven point advantage, 29-22.  The Royals fought all the way back over the next three minutes with a 13-6 run to tie things up at 35-35.  From there the two sides exchanged the lead four times over the final three minutes.  Warren Hall drained two free throws with two seconds left to put the Royals back on top 42-41 heading into halftime.

Delegal and Hall were the story for the Royals in the first half with 34 of the teams 42 points.  Delegal led the way with 18 points while Hall scored 16 and was 4-for-6 from behind the arc.  The Pilots shot 55.6% from the field and outrebounded the Royals 18-13 but trailed on the scoreboard 42-41. 

The see-saw battle continued in the second half with two tie scores within the first five minutes of action.  At the 12:23 mark, Warner's John Barrett drained a three pointer to give the Royals their largest lead of the game, 60-53, as part of 12-5 run.  Three minutes later Antonio Ansley made it an eight point lead with a three pointer of his own for the Royals.

The Royals' lead grew to as many as 16 down the stretch but three, three pointers in the final two minutes gave the Pilots life and got them to within three points of a tie game in the final seconds.  Bethel's Jordyn Coon forced a turnover with nine seconds left but Caleb Oetjen missed the game-tying shot as time expired giving the Royals the upset victory.

Delegal led all players with 31 points in the game going 10-for-17 from the field and 10-of-14 from the free throw line.  He also hauled down 11 rebounds to record his fifth double-double of the season.  Hall followed with 29 points and was also 10-for-17 from the field.  Hall has now averaged 33.3 points per game over the Royals' last three games.

The Royals return to the court for day two of the Chuck Daly Classic on Thursday, Dec. 17, when they get a rematch with Edward Waters College at 5 p.m.  The Tigers handed the No. 13 Royals their first loss of the season 45-44 back on Nov. 7.


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