Hot-Shooting Drexel Tops Charleston, 80-75
Rob Washburn
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HARRISONBURG, Va. Sixth-seeded Drexel shot 55.4% from the floor, including 11-of-18 from 3-point range, and held off #3 Charleston, 80-75, in the final quarterfinal game of the 2021 Hercules Tires CAA Men’s Basketball Championship, Sunday night at the Atlantic Union Bank Center in Harrisonburg, Va.
Grad student forward Zach Walton made 5-of-6 treys and led four Dragons in double figures with 17 points, while Camren Wynter pitched in with 16 points. T.J. Bickerstaff contributed 14 points and eight rebounds and James Butler added 12 points and eight boards. Drexel’s 3-point percentage was the best in the CAA Tournament since 2007.
Charleston junior guard Zep Jasper hit 5-of-10 treys and led all scorers with 27 points and Payton Willis added 22 points.
The Dragons (10-7) were hot from the start, building a 41-29 halftime edge behind 60.7% shooting from the floor, including 7-of-12 from beyond the arc.
Drexel maintained a double-digit advantage for much of the second half and was up by 11 with 5:10 remaining. However, Charleston rallied behind Jasper, who drained three consecutive treys and then made a layup to trim the deficit to five, 77-72, with 51 seconds left. A triple by Willis pulled the Cougars within 78-75 with seven seconds on the clock, but Matey Juric made a pair of free throws to seal the victory.
Drexel, which advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2012, faces #2 Northeastern at 9:30 p.m. on Monday.