ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. – Six players scoring double figures for the second game in a row and the Drew University men's basketball pulled away late to earn a 103-77 Landmark Conference victory at Elizabethtown College Wednesday evening.
The Rangers (13-3, 9-0 LC) used a 16-2 run to turn a nine-point lead into a 23-point advantage with 6:50 remaining en route their fifth win in a row.
Drew reached the century mark for the fourth time this season but the first time in Landmark Conference play. The Blue and Green shot 48.7% from the field and 35.1% (13-for-37) from 3-point range.
Senior guard
Malcolm Newman scored 18 points for the Rangers, who completed the first half of their Landmark Conference schedule unbeaten. He shot 7-for-12 from the field and 3-for-5 from beyond the arc.
Senior guard
Josh Kline contributed a big all-around performance with 14 points, seven rebounds, and a school-record-tying seven steals. Senior forward
Peso Crump added 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting, and senior guard
James Anderson pitched in with 12 points. Sophomore guard
Eli Yusavage notched 11 points while junior forward
David Musial pitched in with 10 points, six rebounds, and five steals.
Rance Russo scored 20 points to lead the Blue Jays (6-10, 3-6 LC).
The Rangers led 70-61 with 10:35 left before embarking on their game-breaking run, which included eight points and a pair of 3-pointers from Kline. They led by as much as 28 down the stretch.
Drew trailed just once on the evening – when it was 2-0 – and outscored Etown 17-4 to open the game. The Blue Jays answered with a 6-0 spurt, but the Rangers came back with an 11-0 outburst to go up 28-10 with 11:42 on the clock. The run was fueled by 3-pointers from sophomore forward
Matthew Zenker, Anderson, and Yusavage and a dunk from Zenker - his first slam of the evening.
Elizabethtown rallied late in the opening half, however, and trailed just 51-42 at the intermission.
The Rangers led by 15 twice early in the second half before the Jays rallied again, this time with an 8-2 run, setting up Drew's late push.
Drew continues its three-game road trip on Saturday, when it visits Goucher College at 4 p.m. in another Landmark Conference tilt.