Fairfield Downs Drexel, 69-58

Sunday, December 16

Fairfield, Conn.

4:00

Drexel University

3-7

Fairfield

7-5

Drexel

Fairfield

12/16/2012 6:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Bridgeport, Conn. – Fairfield went on a 16-1 run midway through the second half and defeated Drexel, 69-58, in a non-conference game at Webster Bank Arena. The Dragons fell to 3-7 on the season, while the Stags won their third straight game and are now 7-5.

Fairfield trailed, 38-36, with 13:57 to play after a Damion Lee driving lay-up. However, the Stags went on an 11-0 run to take control of the contest. Desmond Lee scored eight straight points during the run, including a pair of three-pointers, as Fairfield went ahead, 47-38. Drexel went without a field goal for almost eight minutes. That was a stark contrast to the opening minutes of the second half, when Drexel opened the half with four straight buckets to take the lead.

Drexel trailed by as many as 13 before mounting a comeback. The Dragons got the deficit down to five when Tavon Allen ran the length of the court and scored on a right-handed lay-in with just under two minutes to play. The Stags answered and iced the game when Colin Nickerson sank a three-pointer as the shot clock winded down with under 30 seconds to play.

The Dragons struggled on the defensive end in the first half as Fairfield took a three-point lead to intermission, 28-25. Drexel did force nine turnovers, but the Stags were 12-for-23 from the floor. The Dragons had their chances with some good looks, but were just 33 percent from the floor shooting. Drexel's big men accounted for 18 of the team's 25 points, as Daryl McCoy, Dartaye Ruffin and Kazembe Abif each scored six points.

Lee led Drexel with 15 points, but was just 4-for-15 from the floor. Massenat added 11 and was held without an assist for the first time this year. Ruffin scored 10 points, while McCoy finished with eight points and eight rebounds. Allen scored eight points, all in the final four minutes of play. Derek Needham led the Stags, who shot 58 percent in the game, with 20 points. Wade added 15 points, while Nickerson and Maurice Barrow each scored 12.

Drexel returns home and has two home games at the Daskalakis Athletic Center. The Dragons host Davidson on Dec. 22 at 8 p.m. in a nationally-televised game on the NBC Sports Network. Drexel will also host Saint Joseph's at the DAC on New Year's Eve beginning at 4 p.m.