Box Score
MADISON, N.J. – Playing the finale of four-straight road
games, the Susquehanna men's basketball team was unable to
pull off the upset, falling 84-79 to Drew on Saturday evening.
SU (9-13, 5-6) saw two players tally 20 points, as senior
Rob Estep (York, Pa./West York/Hobart) and junior
Spenser Spencer (Seattle,
Wash./Lakeside) combined for more than half of the
Crusaders' points. Joining the pair in double figures was
sophomore Harvey Pannell with 18 and freshman
Harley Sellinger with 11.
Estep also finished just one board shy of a double-double as he
pulled down nine rebounds, three of which came on the offensive
glass. SU finished with 18 offensive boards to Drew's
eight.
Unfortunately, the Crusaders were unable to put a stop to
Drew's offense, as the Rangers (13-9, 8-3) shot at a
50-percent clip from the floor and converted on 48 percent of its
three-point shots.
The teams traded buckets for the opening minutes of the game,
with SU holding a 10-9 lead thanks to a Pannell basket with 15:36
on the clock. Estep's jumper two minutes later kept the
Crusaders within two (14-12).
With 5:46 to play in the half, Drew went up by four after a
Bobby Falconiero three and teammate Dylan Bulger followed with two
free throws 60 seconds later made it 29-23.
Estep dialed up a three-pointer on Susquehanna's ensuing
possession to make it 29-26. The Crusaders scored 10 points over
the final 2:48 of the half, capped off by Pannell's jumper at
the four-second mark, to stay within three, 39-36, at the midway
point.
Down by six (47-41) with 15:10 on the clock, Spencer was fouled
on a three-point attempt and he subsequently sank all three ensuing
free throws to make it a three-point game at 47-44. Spencer was
fouled his next time with the ball and again sank both free throws
for a one-point contest with 14:30 remaining.
Spencer kept his hot hand going, nailing a three for a 56-53
score with 11 minutes to play. He then somehow managed
convert on a basket as he was falling to the floor for a 59-55
contest.
E.J. Duncan (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Pope John XXIII
Regional) came off the bench with less than eight minutes
remaining in the half and his three-pointer with 6:32 on the clock
made it 65-60.
More than two minutes later, it remained 65-60 until
Bulger's layup sparked a 6-0 run that ran the clock to under
three minutes.
Both teams were over the limit with 1:30 still to play and with
Drew ahead by 10, 75-65, SU had little choice but to foul. Nine
Rangers free throws over the final 60 seconds clinched the
outcome.
Next game: Friday, Feb. 11 vs. Scranton – 7:30
p.m.
