It’s hard to tell from glancing at the final score, but Drexel led Monday night’s Colonial Athletic Association game for the first 17 minutes. After taking the lead with 2:32 left in the first half, though, William and Mary never looked back and led for the remainder of the game en route to a 73-47 conference win.
The Dragons (2-11, 0-2 CAA) started out hot, jumping to a 12-3 lead. The Tribe (8-5, 2-0 CAA) then scored nine straight points, including seven from senior guard Marcus Thornton, to tie the game at 12. The College and Drexel traded multiple baskets until a layup by junior guard Terry Tarpey gave the Tribe a 28-27 lead. Tarpey almost finished with his second double-double of the season, ending the night with 10 rebounds and nine points.
After ending the first half with a narrow five-point lead, the Tribe kicked it into high gear in the second half. The College came out of the locker room and began an 18-5 run, putting the Dragons away for good.
Thornton led all players with 23 points on the night. He shot 5 of 7 from three-point range alongside four rebounds, six assists and two steals. Sophomore guard Daniel Dixon also played a strong game, scoring 14 points and grabbing five rebounds. Coming off the bench, freshman guard Greg Malinowski led all reserves in points and rebounds, tallying six points and five boards.
The College dominated Drexel in the paint, out rebounding the Dragons 41-24. The Tribe had an excellent shooting night, hitting 44 percent from deep and 55 percent overall. Ball handling was more of a concern, as the Tribe recorded 14 turnovers to just six steals.
With the win, the College begins conference play 2-0 and picks up its second road win in the process. The Tribe next faces Elon Thursday before returning to Kaplan Arena Jan. 10 to face James Madison.
Let’s go tribe! Continue the season on a strong note.