MADISON, NJ - Despite a 19-point effort from
Billy Anderson, the Susquehanna men's basketball team fell short on the road at Drew University, 82-68. The game marked the first Landmark Conference contest for both teams in the new year, with the River Hawks now at 2-3 in the conference and the Rangers a perfect 5-0 (9-3 overall) in their first matchup since last season's Landmark Semifinals.
Anderson scored 12 of his 19 points in a first half that saw the River Hawks take a nine-point lead with just under four minutes remaining. It was a game of runs as Susquehanna got out to a 5-0 lead early. The two teams were knotted within four points until the River Hawks took a nine-point lead, their largest of the game, after a
Cooper Haberern three made it 33-24. Drew responded before the halftime break, though, chipping away at the near double-digit lead and getting back within two at the end of the half as SU led, 39-37. Turnovers contributed to the River Hawks' struggles with 21 versus Drew's eight, with the Rangers taking advantage for 18 points off turnovers.
The second half saw the Rangers firing right away, going on an 8-0 run and taking the lead, one that they would not let go of for the remainder of the game.
Audric Washington, who scored 13 points, was a key contributor as the River Hawks were able to bring the lead down within a few possessions. Mike Pirone and
Cooper Haberern also played big roles for Susquehanna, scoring 11 and 10 points respectively, while Pirone added seven more rebounds to his line. Anderson brought the River Hawks within three with around five minutes remaining, but Drew's Pat Higgins, who had 15 points on the night, initiated the start of what would be a 7-1 run to put the game away.
The loss for Susquehanna dropped their record to 5-7 with a 2-3 Landmark Conference record. They look to get their first win of 2025 on Saturday, when they host the University of Scranton. The River Hawks have won four of their last five games against the Royals, who come into the game with a 6-6 record.
