Heartbreak on the Court: Men’s Basketball Stumbles Against Drexel in Final Moments

STONY BROOK, N.Y. — Stony Brook men’s basketball suffered a defeat against Drexel, 67-51, on Thursday night at Stony Brook Arena. CJ Luster II achieved a team-best 21 points, however, the Seawolves’ offense was outscored 13-2 during the last eight-plus minutes of the match and succumbed to the Dragons.

HOW IT UNFOLDED

• Stony Brook and Drexel exchanged baskets early before the Dragons seized control following the under-12 media break.
• Drexel embarked on a 20-7 run that spanned almost eight minutes, putting them ahead 30-16 with less than five minutes remaining in the half.
• The Seawolves’ offense produced 10 consecutive points, keeping Drexel scoreless for over four minutes and reducing their deficit to four points. The Dragons concluded the scoreless period with a basket in the final minute of the half, but Luster’s buzzer-beating jumper restored the four-point margin as the game headed into halftime.
• Stony Brook remained competitive, trailing by only one or two possessions behind Drexel for the initial 11-plus minutes of the second half but struggled to take the lead. A Joe Octave basket at 8:11 left made it a five-point game, 54-49, but the Seawolves’ offense went cold.
• Drexel netted 10 consecutive points, preventing Stony Brook from scoring for upwards of seven minutes to seal the victory.
• Stony Brook failed to register a field goal in the last eight-plus minutes of the game, missing their final seven attempts and ultimately losing, 67-51, to Drexel.

STATISTICS AND OBSERVATIONS

• Luster led Stony Brook in scoring, achieving a second consecutive 20-point game. He concluded with 21 points, making five three-pointers and contributed four steals defensively. Luster surpassed 20 points for the fifth time this season and has reached double digits in scoring across 11 games this season.
• Jared Frey contributed 10 points and was the only other player from Stony Brook to score in double figures. Frey and Luster combined for seven successful three-point shots, whereas Stony Brook’s other players combined for zero on 13 attempts from beyond the arc.
• Drexel out-rebounded Stony Brook 38-32, with the Dragons holding a slight 15-14 edge on the offensive boards. The Dragons capitalized on their offensive rebounds, ending with a 15-8 advantage in second-chance points.
• The Dragons recorded eight blocks and five steals. Offensively, Drexel posted a shooting rate of 50 percent (11-22) from three-point range and assisted on 17 of their 25 successful field goals.
• In the second half, Stony Brook was outscored 35-23. The Seawolves made just 25 percent (7-28) of their attempts from the floor during the last 20 minutes, concluding the game with seven consecutive misses and without a field goal in the final 8:11 of play.

WHAT’S NEXT
Stony Brook concludes its three-game homestand, facing Northeastern on Saturday, January 11. The match between the Seawolves and the Huskies is set to tip-off at 7 PM from Stony Brook Arena, and it will be broadcast live on SNY and available for streaming on FloCollege.

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