MADISON, N.J. – Susquehanna University outscored the Rangers 48-34 in the second half and the River Hawks handed the Drew University men's basketball team a 75-63 setback in Landmark Conference action Saturday afternoon in Baldwin Gym.
The Rangers (8-5, 0-2 LC) led 29-27 at halftime, but Susquehanna used a 9-0 run midway through the second half to open up a 10-point lead. Drew was unable to get closer than six the rest of the way.
Junior guard
Andrew Turco scored 15 points and knocked down four 3-pointers for Drew while senior forward
Howard McBurnie, Jr. notched his fifth double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds. With his seventh rebound, he became just the fifth Ranger in program history to reach 700 for his career.
Senior guard
Mario Haklaj scored nine points in his Drew debut, as did senior guard
James Anderson. Senior forward
Michael Kane added eight boards for Drew.
Howie Rankine, Jr. paced the River Hawks (5-8, 1-1 LC), who shot 65.6% in the second half and 50.0% for the game, with 20 points and nine rebounds while Brandon Lavitt contributed 19 points.
The Rangers outscored Susquehanna 14-9 to start the game. The River Hawks came back to take the lead, but Drew answered with an 8-0 run to assume a 24-17 lead with 6:10 showing. Freshman forward
Kevin Cronin kicked off the spurt with a 3-pointer before a Haklaj lay-up and Turco 3-pointer capped it. Drew carried a 29-25 lead into the locker room.
The visitors opened the second half on a 14-6 run to go up 39-35 with 15:43 on the clock. Anderson knocked down a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to one before Susquehanna embarked on its 9-0 surge to go up 48-38 with 12:59 remaining.
Turco provided a spark just over a minute later when he completed a four-point play to make it 50-44. However, the Hawks came back with a 7-2 run to push their lead back into double digits, and the Rangers would only to get to within nine down the stretch.
Drew is back in action on Tuesday, when they visit Moravian University at 1 p.m. in another Landmark Conference affair.
