Men's Basketball Falters Down the Stretch in Loss Sunday to UNCW, 77-71

Sunday, January 24

Daskalakis Athletic Center

12:00

Drexel University

3-16, 1-7CAA

UNCW

14-5, 6-2CAA

UNCW

DREXEL

Photo by: Gavin Baker

Men's Basketball Falters Down the Stretch in Loss Sunday to UNCW, 77-71

1/24/2016 1:51:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA -- After holding a five-point halftime lead, the Drexel men's basketball team faltered down the stretch and fell to the UNCW Wilmington Seahawks on Sunday at the Daskalakis Athletic Center, 77-71.

The Dragons would build their lead up to eight points early in the second half. With the Drexel lead at 42-34, Wilmington regained the momentum by going on a 14-3 run over the next six minutes to take a 48-45 lead. Drexel would not retake the lead the rest of the way, although there were chances.

Rashann London, who had a dozen for his first double-digit scoring game is the last matchup against Wilmington on New Year's Eve, hit a three with 3:53 remaining to cut the Seahawks' lead to 62-61. C.J. Bryce, who finished with 17 points and seven boards, countered with a layup on the other end then stole the ensuing inbounds pass from Kazembe Abif and completed the three-point play to grow the Wilmington lead back up to six. The Dragons would not get back closer than three before ultimately falling.

Rodney Williams finished 7-for-11 from the floor to score a team-high 17 points and added a career-high seven blocked shots and five rebounds. The junior now has 96 career blocks and is one block shy of tying Samme Givens for eighth all-time at Drexel. The effort would fall short against a high-powered Seahawks offensive attack.

Wilmington's second-leading scorer Craig Ponder netted his 1,000th career point with his only bucket of the game at the 14:21 mark. The redshirt senior came in averaging 11.9 points per game, but the Dragons were able to hold him to two points in limited minutes off the bench. The Seahawks' other three guards would prove to be too much to overcome. Chris Flemmings, Bryce and Denzel Ingram, who all came into the game averaging in double figures, combined to score 59 of the Seahawks' 77 points. Flemmings and Ingram each had 21 points, and Flemmings led the Seahawks with nine rebounds.

Abif finished with a solid day on the offensive end, scoring 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting for his fourth game in double-digits in his last six. Sammy Mojica hit three threes. The Dragons' leading scorer Tavon Allen managed eight points, six rebounds and four assists. Terrell Allen, who is second in the CAA in steals, added three more thefts in the contest to go along with eight points and five assists. The Dragons assisted on 15 of their 23 made baskets.

The Dragons held a five-point lead at the half due in large part to the play of Williams. The junior forward tallied 11 of his team-high 17 points in the back and forth opening period, showing a full array of post moves and a mid-range jumper. With an early 11-7 lead, Wilmington went nearly five minutes without a point in the middle of the half, and the Dragons turned it into a 13-11 advantage their way. The lead changed hands six times in the game, and the Dragons held it at the half after an 8-2 burst in the final 1:41 of the first capped by a Tavon Allen three before the buzzer. Drexel shot 52 percent in the frame.

Despite the strong play on the offensive end from Drexel's starting big men, Abif and Williams, the Dragons were overmatched on the glass. The Seahawks outrebounded the Dragons, 43-29, pulling down 15 on the offensive end and turning them into 15 points. The Seahawks were also able to attack the rim, outscoring the Dragons in the paint, 38-22.

The Dragons (3-16, 1-7 CAA) welcome Towson to the DAC on Thursday night at 7 p.m.