The Elon University men’s basketball team lost 82-77 to Drexel University in what is now their fifth loss in the last six games. Elon never led and now falls to a 5-7 record in the Coastal Athletic Association.
Drexel, who entered the game last in conference scoring, put up 82 points in front of an energetic crowd that saw a season high 2,021 people in attendance. Elon is now 13-12 following a 12-7 start. Head coach Billy Taylor said the team is currently going through a tough stretch and it’s up to them to bounce back.
“We got to step up,” Taylor said. “We often say no one feels sorry for us, so we just have to come to work and prepare ourselves physically and mentally.”
In a matchup that featured Elon’s second-ranked offense and Drexel’s top-ranked defense, Elon initially struggled to generate points offensively. The Phoenix committed multiple turnovers to start the game and missed their first four 3-point attempts.
Turnovers were particularly an issue for the Phoenix, as the Dragons scored 17 points off turnovers. Sophomore guard Bryson Cokley said the mistakes hurt as Elon struggled in transition whenever the Dragons forced an error. He said it’s something the team must work on.
Junior forward Isaac Harrell helped Elon chip away at Drexel’s lead with a career-high 25 points. After making four free throws early, Harrell hit two 3-pointers en route to 10 first-half points.
Harrell said that attacking the basket built his confidence, helping him convert his 3-point shots.
“I think it started early by getting to the free throw line in the early minutes and playing with patience before having open looks from three,” Harrell said. “I just kept on attacking and I think that’s something I can do. It made it a little bit easier to get open 3’s.”
Elon made it a one-score game at various points, but Drexel was just as efficient offensively. The Dragons went on an 8-0 run to go up 44-34 after the Phoenix had cut their lead to 34-36. Drexel’s 51% shooting from the field helped build a 46-38 lead heading into halftime.
Cokley said the team’s first-half performances haven’t been up to their expectations, citing how they put themselves in a position where they need to rally in the second half.
“We struggle with urgency in the beginning of games,” Cokley said. “We always go into halftime down, so togetherness is definitely something we need to work on in the first half because we usually wake up in the second half.”
Drexel appeared to be in complete control as they led by as many as 12 during the first nine minutes. Cokley tried to lead Elon back into the game with a 4-point play that started an 8-2 run to only trail by four. However, Drexel continued to end whatever scoring run the Phoenix had.
3-pointers by junior guard Shane Blakeney and senior guard Eli Beard gave the Dragons insurance that sealed Elon’s fate. Harrell said it was frustrating to not come up with the big defensive plays down the stretch.
“There was no pressure on the ball and they just got to swing the ball wherever they wanted,” Harrell said. “They got open shots at times that we needed to get big stops.”
The Dragons finished the game with four players with at least 10 points, along with 26 points from their bench. Taylor said the Dragons were very patient offensively and managed to consistently get good scoring opportunities.
“Their team played well,” Taylor said. “They got good depth, moved the ball side to side, and just waited for us to make a mistake.”
Elon’s next game is in Wilmington, North Carolina, where they’ll play the University of North Carolina Wilmington on Feb. 12 at 7 p.m.