Ben Moore and Stephan Hicks scored 21 points apiece, but the Mad Ants lost 127-120 to the Delaware 87ers in front of 4,013 fans today at the Bob Carpenter Sports Convocation Center in Newark, Delaware.

The 87ers (9-17) made 62 percent of their shots from the field, much better than the Mad Ants’ 43-percent shooting.

It was only the second loss in the last six games for Fort Wayne (15-12).

Askia Booker led Delaware with 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range, and he added eight assists and four rebounds. Christian Wood had 26 points and 10 rebounds.

Shawn Long added 21 points for the 87ers, who won despite 25 turnovers, 14 more than Fort Wayne had.

James Blackmon Jr., the former Bishop Luers and Indiana University star, had 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting, for Delaware.

Fort Wayne got 17 points from Trey McKinney Jones, 16 points from Walt Lemon Jr. and 12 from Jarrod Uthoff, who also had eight rebounds in a game that saw 10 lead changes.

The Mad Ants had a 36-28 lead but that fell to a one-point lead, at 63-62, at halftime. The 87ers took control in third quarter with a 35-20 run.

Fort Wayne outscored Delaware 30-8 on second-chance points and 20-10 on fast-break points.

The Mad Ants play host to Sioux Falls at 7 p.m. Friday at Memorial Coliseum.

jcohn@jg.net