Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Hofstra
Hofstra Holds Off Drexel, 56-48
3/1/2008 2:44:33 PM | Men's Basketball
Hempstead, N.Y. – Drexel rallied from a 17-point deficit in the first half, but Hofstra held on to defeat the Dragons, 56-48, at the Mack Sports Complex. The Dragons ended the regular season with a 12-19 overall record and a 5-13 mark in league play.
The Drexel defense held Hofstra (12-17, 8-10) without a field goal for a span of almost five minutes as the team mounted a comeback bid. Trailing by 10, Scott Rodgers (Philadelphia, Pa./Central) scored five straight points and then Rob Hampton (Queens, N.Y./Christ the King) drove to the basket and was fouled. Hofstra's Dane Johnson was called for a technical foul right after the play at the 3:55 mark and the Dragons made three of the four free throws awarded to cut it to 46-44. The defense held once again and Drexel had a chance to tie the game when Frank Elegar (Bronx, N.Y./St. Raymond's) was fouled with 2:58 to play. Elegar made one of two from the line to slice the lead to one, but Hofstra's Greg Johnson scored the next eight points, including a three-pointer as the shot clock ticked down to give the Pride the victory.
Drexel's offense struggled for most of the first half. The Dragons made just four of their first 21 shots from the floor, before starting to find the range, and finished the half shooting 28 percent. Hofstra led 27-10, but a 9-0 run cut the lead to eight at the half. Rodgers had a pair of three-pointers in the run and Tramayne Hawthorne (Steelton, Pa./Steelton-Highspire) added another.
Hawthorne and Rodgers each finished with 13 points and had three three-pointers. Antoine Agudio, the CAA's leading scorer, led Hofstra with 13 points and eight rebounds. He was held to just 5-for-16 from the floor.
The Dragons begin the CAA Tournament on Friday in the Richmond Coliseum. The pairings for the tournament will be announced after the final CAA game this evening.
