Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Delaware
Men's Basketball Defeats Delaware in Newark, 69-61
1/20/2007 3:11:08 PM | Men's Basketball
The Blue Hens and Dragons were tied at 41-41 with just 9:35 to play after Herb Courtney hit a pair of free throws. Drexel answered when Matt Stevenson (Towson, Md./Loch Raven) nailed a short jumper to give the Dragons the lead for good. On the next possession, Stevenson fed Tramayne Hawthorne (Steelton, Pa./Steelton-Highspire) who sank a three-pointer to increase the lead to 46-41. The Blue Hens cut it to three, but couldn't get any closer as the Dragons put the game away from the foul line.
The teams struggled offensively in the first half. Drexel scored the last seven points of the first half and went to the break ahead, 26-24, despite committing 11 turnovers. Frank Elegar (Bronx, N.Y./St. Raymond's) had four of his team-high 19 points in the final minute of the half.
The Dragons shot 51 percent from the floor in the game, but were just 4-for-15 from three-point territory. They dominated the boards, outrebounding the smaller Blue Hens, 37-20. Crawford, who also had four blocks, reached double figures in rebounding for the seventh time in his last eight games. He was a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. Dominick Mejia (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern) added 13 points for the Dragons and had a pair of three-pointers.
Courtney, who finished 5-for-17 from the floor and was hounded by Crawford most of the night, and Sam McMahon each had 20 points for the Blue Hens. Delaware only made eight field goals in the second half, but stayed close by draining 19 of its 23 attempts from the free-throw line.
The Dragons are off until Wednesday, when they travel to Wilmington, N.C. to face UNCW. Game time is set for 7 p.m.. The game can be heard on WNTP 990 AM and on the web at drexeldragons.com.
