Madison, NJ, (November 30, 2005) – The DeSales University men’s basketball saw its three-game winning streak come to an end as Drew University pulled off a 65-53 upset in the Freedom Conference season opener for both teams on Wednesday evening in Baldwin Gym.

 

        The loss drops DeSales to 3-2 overall and 0-1 in the Freedom Conference, while the win improves the Rangers to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the Freedom.  DSU out-rebounded Drew, 38-26, but committed 21 turnovers and forced just 11 Drew miscues.  The Rangers also shot 37.5 percent (9-of-24) from outside the arc, while DeSales canned just 19.2 percent (5-of-26) from beyond.

 

        A 10-0 run by the Bulldogs cut a seven point deficit into a three-point lead, 16-13, midway thru the first period but Drew rallied to tie the game at 21 and finished the half with a 10-3 run to take a seven-point lead into the locker rooms.  Sophomore Phil Stricker (Womelsdorf, PA/Conrad Weiser) scored 17 of his game-high 26 points in the opening half to keep DeSales close.

 

        In the second half, Stricker started with a three-point play on the first possession and the margin was down to four points, but an 11-0 run on the strength of three treys from the Rangers pushed the Drew lead to 15 points, 42-27, with 16:41 remaining.

 

        Three consecutive lay-ups, one by senior Drew Christman (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) and two by Stricker, cut the score to 42-33, but that was the last time DSU was within single digits as Drew led by as many as 20 points, 60-40, and never really looked back.

 

        Stricker finished with a new career-high of 26 points on 10-of-15 from the floor.  Junior Steve Kriczky (Birdsboro, PA/Daniel Boone) added eight points and Christman finished with a season-high 10 rebounds.

 

        Four players reached double digits for the Rangers including Sam Taub with a team-high 16 points, Gerard Mullin with 14 tallies, Bob Carella with 12 points and Chris Lopez with 10 points.  Lopez added a team-high 10 rebounds to record the double-double.  Drew handed out 18 assists and committed just 11 turnovers.