Men’s Basketball Falls Just Short to NJIT After Late Push

Wednesday, November 28

Daskalakis Athletic Center

7 p.m.

Drexel University

2-4

NJIT

7-1

NJIT

Drexel

Men’s Basketball Falls Just Short to NJIT After Late Push

11/28/2018 8:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – The Drexel men's basketball team (3-4) staged a late comeback attempt but fell just short to the NJIT Highlanders (7-1) by a final of 70-67 from the Daskalakis Athletic Center on Wednesday evening. Junior Alihan Demir scored a game-high 18 points behind 8-of-14 shooting with 14 rebounds for a double-double as a total of five Dragons finished in double figures. The junior forward also had three assists and three blocks.

Senior Troy Harper chipped in 13 points while graduate student Trevor John had 11. Freshman Camren Wynter and sophomore James Butler each recorded 10 points on the night. Butler also had 12 boards for a double-double. In addition to Demir, John, junior Zach Walton and Wynter each dished out three assists.

The Dragons fell behind 45-36 at halftime after a back and forth contest in the opening 20 minutes. Drexel took an early 9-2 lead but the Highlanders answered with a 13-0 run. NJIT had a nine-point run later in the half and took a 45-36 advantage into the break. NJIT shot 58.6% from the floor in the first half and committed just three turnovers.

Drexel trailed by as many as 12 in the second half with 13:37 to play at 58-46 before chipping away at the deficit. John came down for the Dragons and hit two-straight threes to cut the edge in half to six, 58-52. An and one opportunity eventually helped the Highlanders push it back up to 10 with under 8:30 remaining, 64-54.

Over the next five-plus minutes, Drexel went on an 8-0 run to pull within two at 64-62 with 3:10 to play. The Dragons held the Highlanders scoreless across an almost seven-minute stretch until NJIT made a basket with 1:47 on the clock. Demir drained a three with 90 seconds to play as Drexel trailed by just one again, 66-65.

After a missed jumper, the Dragons were forced to foul as the Highlanders went back up by three. Harper scored with 27 seconds left to trim the lead back to one, 68-67. NJIT hit a couple free throws on the other end as Drexel was not able to convert in the final seconds as they fell 70-67.

NEXT UP
Drexel continues its homestand from the DAC on Saturday, Dec. 1 against Robert Morris. Tip is set for 2 p.m.