City of Basketball Love

Jeff Griffith (@Jeff_Griffith21)
--

In the absence of Charleston guard Canyon Barry, the Drexel Dragons were able to snap their four-game losing streak to knock off one of the CAA's best, by a final score of 61-54 over the Cougars. 

At First...
The Dragons certainly had to feel good about their first half performance, as they never trailed by more than seven to Cougars in the opening frame. After leading 2-0, it took Drexel until the final two minutes of the half to regain a lead, despite out-rebounding Charleston and forcing seven first half turnovers.

Despite shooting just 36-percent and making just one three-pointer in the first half, the Dragons would enter the break leading 31-28.

Turning Point...
To open the half, Drexel went on a quick run to lead 43-33 with 14:17 to go. Their lead stood above five points for the next ten minutes.

Charleston cut the lead to as few as two in the final minutes, but never regained the lead in the second half. Key free throws down the stretch allowed Drexel to hold on and gain a much-needed victory.

Shining Stars...
Rodney Williams led all scorers and matched his career high of 19 points, set against Elon on January 2. The junior forward was 7-of-11 from the field and 

For the Cougars, the top scorer was Payton Hulsey, who had eleven points and was the only Charleston player in double-digits, as seven different Cougars had at least five points. 

Noteworthy Numbers...
The biggest difference on the stat sheet between Charleson and Drexel was clearly free throws, not just the amount made, but the amount attempted. Drexel, who went 28-of-35 from the charity stripe, only allowed the Cougars to attempt 11 free throws, of which seven were converted.

The Dragons also survived an unimpressive 1-of-6 performance from beyond the arc.

Up Next...
Drexel (3-12, 1-3 CAA) @ Hofstra (Jan. 14, 7:00 p.m.)
Charleston (10-5, 2-2 CAA) vs. William & Mary (Jan. 14, 7:00 p.m.)