Dragons Conclude the DirecTV Classic with a Win vs. Rice

Sunday, November 25

Anaheim, Calif.

4:00

Drexel University

2-4

Rice

1-5

Drexel

Rice

Dragons Conclude the DirecTV Classic with a Win vs. Rice

11/25/2012 5:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Anaheim, Calif. – Drexel shot a blistering 67 percent in the first half and defeated Rice in the DirecTV Classic on Sunday afternoon, 55-47. With the win, the Dragons snapped their two game losing streak.

Drexel held a 10-point lead at intermission, but the Owls (1-5) went on a 13-1 run to tie the game. Minutes later Keith Washington scored his only bucket of the game to put the Owls ahead by two with 11:37 to play. That lead didn't last long as Frant Massenat drained a three-pointer and then followed that with a bucket in the lane to put the Dragons ahead for good. The Dragons defense clamped down in the late going. Rice scored at the 5:43 mark, but would not put another point on the board for more than five minutes. Damion Lee made four free throws in the final minute to ice the game.

The Dragons went on an 8-0 run to take a 22-11 lead with 6:46 left in the first half. Tavon Allen started the run with a lay-up on a fast break. Massenat and Lee hit three-pointers on the next two possessions as the Dragons stretched their lead. The Dragons made four of their six long-range attempts in the first half as Lee and Massenat were a perfect 4-for-4 from deep in the first 20 minutes. On the other end of the court, Drexel's defense was significantly better than it was in the first two games of the tournament, holding the Owls to just eight field goals and 33 percent shooting from the floor.

Massenat finished with a season-high 20 points. He was 3-for-3 from deep and was 7-for-10 from the floor. Lee added 16 points and was perfect in six attempts from the line. Tamir Jackson led Rice with 20 points. The Dragons held the Owls to 37 percent shooting in the game and outrebounded their opponents by 10.

Drexel flies back home to Philadelphia on Monday morning. The Dragons are off until Saturday afternoon, when they host Rider at the Daskalakis Athletic Center. Game time is set for noon.