Drexel University
Temple
Temple Downs Men's Basketball at the Palestra, 64-51
12/15/2007 3:38:56 PM | Men's Basketball
Philadelphia, Pa.. – Temple ended the game on an 11-2 run and defeated Drexel, 64-51, at the Palestra this afternoon. Frank Elegar (Bronx, N.Y./St. Raymond's) scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half, but it wasn't enough as the Dragons were held to one field goal in the final six minutes of play. Both teams are now 5-5 on the season.
Drexel led by one with 16:49 to play but the Owls went on a 14-4 run to take the lead for good. Dionte Christmas had seven of his team-high 17 points during that stretch. Drexel answered as Elegar scored the next 10 Drexel points to cut the lead to four. Elegar ended up scoring Drexel's final 12 points of the game and all but four of their points in the final 20 minutes.
The first half also featured big stretches without points for both teams. Temple jumped out to a 27-17 lead, but the Dragon defense tightened in the closing minutes of the half. Temple was held without a point for a stretch of more than seven and a half minutes as Drexel took the lead. Temple finally got back on the board when Chris Clark hit a three-pointer with just 29 seconds to play. That bucket cut the Drexel lead to 31-30 and the two teams went to the break separated by just one point.
The Dragons played well on the glass and outrebounded the Owls, 40-29. Elegar had 12 rebounds, giving him his third double-double of the season. Evan Neisler (Raleigh, N.C./Boston College) had a career-high 11 rebounds, including 10 in the first half. Drexel struggled from the floor in the second half and was just 8-ofr 27 (.296) in the second half. The Dragons had eight of their 14 turnovers in the second half, and for the game the Owls scored 17 of their 64 points off of turnovers.
Mark Tyndale played well for the Owls and scored 14 points. He also handed out seven assists, grabbed eight rebounds and picked up four steals. Ryan Brooks and Sergio Olmos each added 10 points. Brooks had eight of his points down the stretch including a pair of three-pointers.
Gerald Colds (New York, N.Y./St. Raymond's) was the only other Dragons in double figures.. He scored all 11 of his points in the first half and also had four assists. Drexel junior Tramayne Hawthorne (Steelton, Pa./Steelton-Highspire) played just nine minutes. He was in foul trouble in the first half and left the game after having a Temple player land on him after he scored his only bucket midway through the second half.
The Dragons continue their six-game homestand on Saturday against Patriot League foe Bucknell at 6 p.m. The game will be shown live on CN8 and will be the last game before the holiday break.
