By Andy Walter

NEWARK — Ryan Allen thinks every shot he takes is going to go in anyway.

But his confidence is even stronger when he’s playing in the Carpenter Center.

“That’s my gym,” the senior guard said with a smile. “That’s the gym I work out in every day. That’s the gym I get shots up in every day. For me, personally, the expectation when I let the ball go out of my hand, I think I’m going to make every shot.”

There were times on Wednesday night when Allen did indeed look like he could make almost everything he put up as he netted a career-high 35 points for Delaware in its tough 85-82 overtime victory over La Salle in its men’s basketball home opener.

It was the first time that the Hens (2-1) have played with a home crowd in the stands in 21 months. Delaware gave the fans their money’s worth.

The Hens beat Philadelphia’s Explorers (1-2) for just the fifth time in 24 all-time meetings and for the first time since 2011. Delaware had lost three in a row to La Salle, including a 10-point setback last year.

Wednesday’s matchup featured 13 lead changes and 11 ties.

Allen had a chance to win it for the Hens in regulation when he was fouled on a three-pointer with 2.4 seconds left and Delaware trailing 70-69. But Allen made only one of the foul shots as the contest went into OT tied at 70-70.

For the game, Allen went 11-of-17 from the floor, including 5-of-10 from three-point range. He also sank 8-of-12 free throws.

Allen knows as well as anyone that he needed to hit his foul shots when he had a chance to win the game.

“I’ve definitely got to finish games and make free throws,” he said. “That’s been a problem in the past. That’s something I’m going to continue to work on.”

“I can’t say enough about Ryan Allen,” said UD coach Martin Ingelsby. “What a night for him. He was fabulous on a big stage. I know he’s disappointed he missed those free throws but we’re not in that position without Ryan Allen.

“He is as confident a player as anybody I’ve coached — or really anybody that I’ve been around. He wants the ball in his hands, he wants to be the playmaker, probably more this year than ever. ... He wants that responsibility. He really just put everybody on his back tonight and said, ‘I’m not going to let this group lose.’”

The Hens never trailed in the five-minute extra session after Allen sank a pull-up jumper to start overtime.

Delaware got a big jumper from senior Kevin Anderson with 1:04 remaining to take a 77-74 lead. The basket gave Anderson 1,000 points for his career.

Anderson netted six of his 10 points in overtime.

The Hens were  11-of-12 from the foul line in OT, eventually going up 85-79 before La Salle hit a three-pointer just before the final buzzer.

“Everybody stepped up at different times throughout the game,” said Ingelsby. “For us to lose Andrew Carr, to lose Dylan Painter in regulation and to find a way to get it done in overtime, I think, is just huge for our confidence.

“I felt like it was three games in one. You’re up, you’re down, you miss free throws, you make free throws ... and just having our guys think.”

Center Dylan Painter also had a big night, collecting 19 points and 12 rebounds. But it was the big man’s outside shooting that helped give the Hens a 35-30 halftime advantage.

Painter swished back-to-back threes, including one at the halftime buzzer, after converting a three-point play. His personal 9-0 run gave Delaware its five-point lead.

But Painter also fouled out with 1:13 left in regulation. With Delaware's other top big man, sophomore Andrew Carr, fouling out three minutes earlier, the Hens were left playing four guards and freshman Jayare Davis down the stretch and OT.

Ingelsby said Painter’s confidence is at an all-time high right now.

“He’s such a big part of it,” said Ingelsby. “And he’s having fun. He’s got himself in great shape. This is his sixth year in college basketball. He’s a man out there.”