Lee's Last-Second Three Lifts Dragons over Quinnipiac Monday, 72-71

Monday, December 18

Daskalakis Athletic Center

7 p.m.

Drexel University

6-6

Quinnipiac

3-8

QUINNIPIAC

DREXEL

Photo by: Kevin Rossi

Lee's Last-Second Three Lifts Dragons over Quinnipiac Monday, 72-71

12/18/2017 9:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Sophomore point guard Kurk Lee hit a three with 2.1 seconds left Monday night to lift the Drexel men's basketball team over the Quinnipiac Bobcats at the Daskalakis Athletic Center, 72-71. With the victory, the Dragons get back to .500 at 6-6, while Quinnipiac drops to 3-8 overall.

The two teams battled the whole night with never more than seven points getting between them. Drexel held a four-point lead with just over three minutes to play after Tramaine Isabell connected on a jumper for two of his team-high 23 points. Eighty seconds later Cameron Young, Quinnipiac's leading scorer, drained a triple for three of his game-high 24 points to cut the Drexel lead to one with 1:47 left. After Isabell and Young traded two free throws each, Isabell turned the ball over in the backcourt and Isaiah Washington laid it in to put the Bobcats ahead before Rich Kelly's free throw pushed the Quinnipiac lead to two with 13 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, Lee took the inbounds pass into the offensive end and got into the lane before kicking to Alihan Demir in the left corner. Lee then v-cut back out to the left wing, took the pass from the driving Demir and buried the three with 2.1 seconds remaining just two days after having a game-tying attempt deflected at Temple. Kelly had a clean look from the left wing on the other end, but it fell short to preserve a 72-71 Drexel win.

Drexel got out to a slow start as Quinnipiac jumped out to an early seven-point advantage. The Dragons climbed back in it behind Isabell and Sammy Mojica, who combined for 23 of the team's 37 first-half points. However, neither team could pull away to grab control of the game. When the offense sputtered, Isabell's ability to get into the lane and draw a foul kept the Dragons from going too cold. He finished 8 of 10 from the line. The Dragons were able to find their stroke from deep, hitting five of their nine threes for the game in the opening frame, led by Lee, who hit four in the game to tie his season high. With that, Drexel was able to grind to a 37-36 halftime lead despite Austin Williams playing only six minutes because of a couple early fouls.

The second half saw more back and forth basketball, although it did seem like the Bobcats may make an early run. After a Demir three on a behind-the-back assist from Lee and a couple of traded baskets, Quinnipiac used an 8-0 run to take a three-point lead five minutes in. The Dragons were able to answer and eventually built a 52-48 advantage in their favor after a Tyshawn Myles tip-in with 10:13 left. Myles brought high energy in 19 minutes and recorded two massive blocks in the place of Williams, who only managed 19 minutes of his own. Drexel could not extend the lead beyond five, leaving the door open for Young and Quinnipiac to battle back. In the end, though, it would be the Dragons outlasting the Bobcats, 72-71.

Young led all scorers with 24 points on 8 for 15 shooting from the field, while Abdulai Bundu added 17 points on 6 for 9 shooting for Quinnipiac. The Bobcats shot 44 percent from the floor, but shot just 28 percent from deep. Isabell led the Dragons with 23 points on 7 for 12 shooting to go with seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. Lee totaled 14 points, including 4 of 7 from three, and added three assists and zero turnovers. Demir finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Mojica added 13 points. The Dragons shot 38.7 percent from the field and held a 46-28 advantage on the glass. They snagged 17 offensive rebounds to Quinnipiac's five.

The Dragons close out non-conference play Thursday night in Baltimore when they visit Loyola (Md.) at 7 p.m.