Dragons Late Comeback at Hampton Comes Up Just Short, 75-72

Saturday, February 18

Hampton, Va.

4 p.m.

Drexel University

15-14, 9-8CAA

Hampton

7-22, 4-12CAA

Drexel

Hampton

Dragons Late Comeback at Hampton Comes Up Just Short, 75-72

2/18/2023 5:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

HAMPTON, Va. - Drexel rallied from a 12-point deficit to tie the game late but came up just short in a 75-72 road loss to Hampton. Mate Okros had his long 3-point attempt from the wing hit the rim after a pair of Pirate free throws gave Hampton a three-point lead. Yame Butler had a career-high with 30 points, while Lamar Oden, Jr. also had a career-high with 21 points.

Drexel (15-14, 9-8 CAA) trailed by 10 with just 3:29 to play after a Hampton 3-pointer. The Dragons battled back and went on a 10-0 run to tie the game. Lamar Oden, Jr. started the run with a 3-pointer and then hit a pair of free throws, slicing the lead in half to 68-63. Drexel's defense pressed and forced a turnover. Yame Butler came up with the steal and found Kobe MaGee, who drained a trey and cut the deficit to two. Drexel's defense came up with its third straight defensive stand and another turnover. Oden, Jr. was fouled once again and calmly made a pair to even the score at 68-68 with 1:14 left on the clock.

Hampton (7-22, 4-12) finally broke the drought as Russell Dean was fouled and made a pair of free throws. Drexel answered when Yame Butler tied the game at 70-70 on a difficult drive through contact. Kyrese Mullen gave Hampton the lead for good with 28 seconds to play when he drove to the basket and made it 72-70. Drexel tried to answer as Butler was fouled in the paint with 11 seconds to play. The junior missed both of his free throw attempts and Drexel was forced to foul. Mullen was fouled immediately and sank one of two, giving the Pirates a three-point lead with just 10 ticks remaining on the Hampton University Convocation Center clock. The Dragons got the ball in right way and Butler again was fouled. This time he made both. Coletrane Washington fouled Dean again and he made both free throws which set up Drexel's chance to tie the game.

Drexel played the game without Amari Williams, Jamie Bergens and Justin Moore. Williams was hurt in their last game against UNCW and was unable to go. Butler and Oden, Jr. picked up some of the slack. Butler was 3-for-6 from behind the arc, sank 11 of his 13 free throw attempts and became the first Dragon to score 30 points in a game this season. Oden eclipsed his career-high and had 14 of 21 points in the second half. He also had his second double-double with 10 rebounds.

Hampton led by as many as eight points in the first half due in large part to a 13-2 run late in the half. Drexel cut the lead to four, but the Pirates scored on their final possession at the buzzer to make it a 37-31 Hampton lead. The Pirates shot 50 percent in the first half as Mullen and Dean combined for 21 of their 37 points. Dean finished the game with 23 point and six assists.

The Dragons return home for their final regular-season game on Thursday when they host Northeastern.