Score: UAlbany 70, Drexel 77
 
Location: Broadview Center | Albany, N.Y.
 
Records: UAlbany (6-6, 0-0 America East), Drexel (7-4, 0-0 CAA)
 
Short Story: The UAlbany men's basketball team hosted Drexel on Saturday night, falling for the first time at Broadview Center this season 77-70.
 
Coach Dwayne Killings: "Tonight was a tough loss for us. I thought that Drexel came in ready to go right away. We talked about winning the first four minutes of the game at Syracuse. I thought then we did a great job, Tonight, I didn't think we did that. I thought we were around the rim, we missed a couple of layups, point blank, I thought we got frustrated and tight, and as the game wore on, I don't think we were as focused as we should have been about parts of the game plan. Good challenge for us today, I think they [Drexel] are a good team. They were third in the Big Five in Philadelphia this past year for standings; I think they're tough. They're physical, they made all the shots they needed to make, and I think we learned a really hard lesson today about some of the things we've talked about over the last couple of weeks."
 
Key Stats:

• Amar'e Marshall led the Great Danes with 19 points.
• DeMarr Langford Jr. shot 7-9 )77.8%) from the field for 14 points while grabbing five rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 33 minutes of work.
• In 37 minutes on the court, Kacper Klaczek shot 6-11 (54.5%), finishing with 14 points.
• Justin Neely tied Langford Jr. for a team-high five rebounds.
• UAlbany finished the game shooting 27-57 (47.4%) from the field, 2-19 (10.5%) beyond the arc, and went 14-15 (93.3%) from the free throw line along with ten steals.

 
How it Happened:

• Cole Hargrove of Drexel scored the opening points of the contest off two good free throws to start a 9-0 run in the five minutes of play.
• DeMarr Langford Jr. was the first Great Dane to get on the board to stop the Dragon's run 5:11 into the game.
• Langford Jr. and Amar'e Marshall would find the basket for the Great Danes, and Drexel kept ahead 14-6 with 11:56 to play in the half.
• Damon Strand would knock down two free throws to cut UAlbany's deficit to six, 14-8.
• Drexel would jump ahead 25-14 after an 11-6 run with 7:25 to play in the first.
• At the 4:05 mark, the Dragons would keep the lead, 31-16.
• At the half, the Dragons would keep the lead, 37-25.
• UAlbany would start the second half on an 11-6, cutting its deficit to a single digit, 43-34, at 17:11.
• The Great Danes and Dragons would trade baskets before UAlbany would go on a 6-0 run, making it a three-possession Drexel lead, 51-44 with 12:01 to go.
• Justin Neely and Kacper Klaczek would combine for six points as the Great Danes made it a 56-50 game with 8:29 to play.
• Zach Matulu, Neely, and Marshall combined for five made free throws while Drexel extended its lead, 63-55, with 5:47 remaining on the clock.
• Trailing 67-59, Amar'e Marshall would knock down a corner three to cut the Great Danes deficit to five, 67-62.
• A Breakaway dunk by Zach Matulu would bring it to a one-score game, 69-66 with 1:29 to play.
• Drexel would close out the game, making eight free throws as the Dragons would come out with the 77-70 win.

 
UP NEXT: UAlbany's men's basketball will journey to face Sacred Heart at the William H Pitt Athletic & Convocation Center in Fairfield, Conn. On Wednesday, December 18, for a midweek 11:00 am tipoff.
 
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