MORRISTOWN, N.J. - Senior forward Nate Aldrich posted a double-double of 20 points and 15 rebounds, but the Drew University men's basketball lost a 71-67 decision at the College of Saint Elizabeth in a non-conference tilt that came down to the wire Tuesday evening. The Rangers (3-1) suffered their first loss of the season while the Eagles (3-0) won their third in a row.

Turning Point: It was an extremely tight ballgame down the stretch; in fact, neither side managed to hold more than a three-point lead from the 7:44 through the 1:21 marks. But after the Rangers missed on a 3-pointer that could have given them the lead, Saint Elizabeth rebounded before converting a lay-up with 1:21 left that made it a two-possession game (69-65). Junior guard Riley Collins sunk a pair of free throws with 48 ticks showing and grabbed a rebound on the ensuing possession, but his late jumper was off the mark and Jason Saldiveri iced the game with a pair of free throws with one second left.

Trading Runs: There were three ties and six lead changes in a very close first half before the two sides exchanged runs to begin the second period. The Eagles opened with a 8-0 outburst to assume a seven-point advantage (39-32) just a minute and a half into the stanza, and they led 42-35 with 17:45 left. But the Rangers stormed right back, using a 7-0 run to pull even with 16:12 remaining. A lay-up from senior guard Darius Reiter kicked off the run and was followed by a conventional 3-point play from Aldrich. Sophomore forward Malachi Walker capped the spurt with a lay-up to make it a 42-42 game, setting up the nip-and-tuck finish that included six ties and nine lead changes. 

Top Performers: Aldrich's double-double was his first of the season but the 31st of his career. he shot 9-for-15 from the field, and seven of his rebounds came on the offensive glass. He also notched two blocked shots and a pair of steals. Collins finished with 18 points to push his career total to 996 while tying career-highs with six rebounds and six assists. Senior forward Sky Harris contributed nine points off the bench. Jason Saldiveri paced the Eagles with a game-high 27 points to go with 11 rebounds. 

Stat Sheet: In an evenly-played game, the Rangers shot 36.9 percent from the field while Saint Elizabeth shot 40.6 percent. Drew out-rebounded the Eagles 44-41 and collected 34 points in the paint and 15 second-chance points. 

Up Next: The Rangers return to action on Sunday, when they visit Centenary University at 3 p.m. in another non-conference outing.