NEWARK, Del. - Towson's opportunity to end its longest losing streak in over three decades evaporated along with an 11-point lead when Delaware rallied to beat the visiting Tigers 80-70 Wednesday night in a Colonial Athletic Association contest in the Carpenter Center.

The loss stretched the Tigers' losing streak to 17 and kept them from gaining their first league victory, dropping them to 4-24 overall and 0-17 in the CAA. Delaware improved to 13-15 and 8-9 in league play and snapped a five-game losing streak at home with the victory. The win gave the Blue Hens their first sweep of Towson since 2002-03.

Towson has one game remaining on its 2010-11 regular season schedule and one last chance to notch a CAA victory when the Tigers host Drexel this Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. in the Towson Center.

Early on it appeared the Tigers might be headed for victory lane as they assumed a 32-28 lead into the intermission, just the seventh time this season they had a halftime advantage. Dre Conner's three-pointer at the 15:40 mark broke a third tie and gave Towson the lead, 9-6. The Tigers would hold that lead for the rest of the period and for over 10 minutes into the second half.

Towson stretched the margin to 10 (26-16) after RaShawn Polk buried a trey. But it was the inside play of Braxton Dupree and Isaiah Philmore that carried the Tigers in the first stanza. The two combined for 16 of the Tigers' first half points. Philmore would finish the game with his third double-double of the season, 22 points and 11 rebounds. Dupree just missed his seventh double-double, but broke out of a scoring slump he's had with 20 points and nine rebounds.

"Down the stretch we just made so many mistakes," said Tiger head coach Pat Kennedy. "It's just so reminiscent of what's happened this season.Then they made a few threes and that was the difference in the game."

The second half got off to a good start for the Tigers. Five minutes into the period they padded their lead to 11, 44-33. But the Blue Hens pecked away at it, using the three-ball to battle back. Delaware sank four of them in a row to rally. The Blue Hens were 1 for 10 from beyond the arc in the first half and 7 of 12 in the final 20 minutes.

Towson's lead melted from a combination of the torrid three-point attack and sharp shooting at the free throw line. Delaware finally took the lead on two Jawan Carter free throws with 9:17 to play.

Dupree gave the advantage back to Towson, briefly, with two free throws of his own, 56-55. But Carter drilled another trey for a 58-56 Delaware lead. Towson would tie the score at 62-62 with 6:07 left but the Blue Hens, on the mark from the beyond the arc as well as at the foul line, regained the advantage and slowly pulled away.

Fouling became a problem for both teams in the second half, but especially for Towson. A total of eight personal fouls were called in the first half and 25 in the second session. The Blue Hens were 20 of 24 from the charity stripe in the game. They were 19 of 22 in the second half. Delaware shot 51 per cent from the floor for the contest.

Carter, who shared game high scoring honors with Philmore with 22 points, was 10 of 10 from the foul line, picking up personals as he drove the basket. Devon Saddler penetrated the Tigers' defense for 20 points on 9 for 15 shooting, getting most of his output driving the lane.

Conner added 11 points and three assists for the Tigers, who have lost eight straight on the road.