Drexel Moves On with 91-74 Victory over Elon
Dylan Smith
CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL | TICKETS | PHOTO GALLERY
HIGHLIGHTS | PRESS CONFERENCE – DREXEL | PRESS CONFERENCE – ELON
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Hot-shooting Drexel built a 23-point halftime advantage and weathered a second-half surge as the 8th-seeded Dragons defeated No. 9 Elon, 91-74, in the second round of the Jersey Mike’s CAA Men’s Basketball Championship on Saturday afternoon at CareFirst Arena.
Drexel (18-14) advances to play top-seeded Towson in the quarterfinals at Noon on Sunday. Elon dropped to 17-15 with the setback.
Drexel tallied its highest point total in a regulation game against a Division I opponent this season. The Dragons shot 50.9% from the floor, including 12-of-25 (48%) from three-point range. Point guard Jason Drake tied his career high with 25 points and backcourt mate Kobe MaGee added 24 points and eight rebounds. Drexel also got a double-double from Cole Hargrove with 19 points and a team-high 10 boards.
Elon was paced offensively by junior guard TK Simpkins and senior forward Sam Sherry with 23 points apiece. The Phoenix shot a sizzling 64.3% from the floor in the second half after going just 7-for-24 (29.2%) over the opening 20 minutes.
The two teams traded baskets early with Elon tying the contest at 13-13 on a Sherry jumper with 11:04 left in the half. However, Drexel caught fire from beyond the arc as consecutive treys from Yame Butler and MaGee started a quick 8-0 run. A three from Elon’s TJ Simpkins pulled the Phoenix within 28-20 with 5:32 on the clock, but the Dragons closed the half on a 14-0 run capped by a long Drake triple as time expired to go up 45-22 at the break. The Dragons were 7-of-13 from three over the opening 20 minutes, with MaGee hitting four as part of a 19-point first half while Drake drained a pair and added 14 points.
A Drake tip-in put the Dragons ahead 54-29 with 16:46 remaining when Elon reversed the momentum. Behind nine points from TK Simpkins and eight more from Sherry, the Phoenix went on a 25-5 run over the next 7:33 and closed within 59-54 on a trey by TJ Simpkins with 9:13 left.
Drexel answered with an 11-0 run that included a pair of threes from Butler and another from Shane Blakeney to regain control, 70-54, with 7:11 on the clock. Elon didn’t get closer than 13 points the rest of the way.
Along with its hot shooting, Drexel out-rebounded Elon 35-24, which included 17 offensive boards that they converted into 20 second-chance points.