Defense Propels Drexel Past Monmouth, 64-45

Saturday, March 4

Washington, D.C.

2:30 p.m.

Drexel University

17-14,10-8CAA

Monmouth

7-26,5-13CAA

Monmouth

Drexel

Photo by: Rafael Suanes/CAA

3/4/2023 5:57:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Drexel advances to CAA quarterfinals on Sunday against UNCW

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Drexel's defense held Monmouth without a point for more than 10 minutes to start the game as the Dragons opened play at the CAA Championships with a convincing 64-45 win. The Dragons (17-14) will move on to the quarterfinals where they will meet UNCW on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the Entertainment and Sports Arena. Amari Williams led the way with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Justin Moore returned to action for the first time in a month and had a career-high eight assists.

The Dragons scored the first 18 points of the game and led by at least 12 points the rest of the way. Six different Dragons got on the scoreboard before Jack Collins scored at the 9:23 mark of the first half to get Monmouth (7-26) on the board. Drexel's defense held Monmouth to just five field goals and 18 percent shooting in the first half. It was a choppy first 20 minutes as the teams combined for 30 fouls. Three players went to intermission with three fouls.

Monmouth tried to get back in the game and went on a six-point run early in the second half to cut the lead to 41-29. The Dragons held the Hawks at bay and answered with an 11-2 run of their own to increase the lead to 22 with just under eight minutes to play. The last two points in that run came on Luke House free throws. House was sent to the line as Monmouth Head Coach King Rice was called for his second technical of the game and ejected.

Williams was an efficient 6-for-7 from the floor and had his 10th double-double of the season. He had two steals, one blocked shot and altered a number of other shots. House finished the day with 11 points and made seven of his eight shots from the line. Lamar Oden, Jr. chipped in with nine points, while Coletrane Washington added eight points and a pair of steals. He was 2-for-3 from behind the arc. Moore's eight assists tied Terrell Allen's mark for assists for a Drexel player in the championships. Allen set that record in 2016.

The 45 points allowed were the fewest a Drexel team has given up in a CAA tournament game since joining the league 22 years ago. The previous low was 47 against UNCW back in 2012. Monmouth finished the game shooting just 29.8 percent from the floor and only 1-for-8 from long range.

The winner of the Drexel-UNCW game will advance to Sunday's semifinals against either top-seeded Hofstra or William & Mary.