Dragons Fall to UNCW in Double Overtime, 72-71

Thursday, February 16

Philadelphia, Pa.

7 p.m.

Drexel University

15-13,9-7CAA

UNCW

21-7,11-4CAA

OT 1

OT 2

UNCW

Drexel

Dragons Fall to UNCW in Double Overtime, 72-71

2/16/2023 9:50:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Luke House's 3-point attempt at the buzzer from the corner just missed as UNCW edged Drexel in double overtime, 72-71. The Dragons forced a turnover with three seconds remaining as UNCW (21-7, 11-4 CAA) couldn't get the ball inbounds. Drexel (15-13, 9-7) got the ball in to Yame Butler who drove and found House in the corner, but his shot came up just short as Drexel's eight-game home winning streak came to an end.

The Dragons came up with stops at the end of regulation and the first overtime to extend the contest. Shykeim Phillips had shots at the end of both periods, but both times the Drexel defense held. At the end of the first overtime, Mate Okros came up with a rebound with five seconds left and found Lamar Oden, Jr. near halfcourt. He took a few dribbles and fired a 3-pointer from the right wing, but hit the rim as the game continued.

Butler made his second straight start and scored a career-high 25 points in the loss for the Dragons. He also had a career-best nine rebounds and scored 13 of his 25 points in the two overtime sessions. Amari Williams added 14 points and nine rebounds before leaving the game late in the second half. Coletrane Washington came off the bench to score 13.

Trazarien White had a big game for the visitors. He scored a game-high 26 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and handed out four assists. Nick Farrar had 19 points and made five 3-pointers. He came into the game with just six all season.

Drexel went on 13-0 run over a stretch of 6:30 in the first half to open up a 22-7 lead. The defense held UNCW to just three field goals in the first 12 minutes of the game. However, UNCW chipped away and scored five points in the final three seconds of the half to make it 27-22 at the half. Phillips sank a jumper to cut the lead to eight and on the ensuing inbound pass, Drexel had the ball hit the baseline. UNCW got it back with less than a second to go and White scored on an alley-oop and was fouled. He made the free throw and the momentum swung as the teams went to the locker rooms.

The game went back and forth for most of the second half. There were 12 lead changes in the contest and the two teams were tied on 11 occasions. Drexel never led in the first overtime period and in the second, faced four-point deficits on two occasions and were still in position to take the last shot.

The Dragons will visit Hampton on Saturday before returning to the Daskalakis Athletic Center next Thursday for their regular-season finale against Northeastern.