WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The William and Mary men's basketball team suffered an 80-66 setback to Drexel on Senior Day at Kaplan Arena. The Dragons used a 17-1 run to end the first half and 11 3-pointers to outdistance the Tribe. Prior to the game, W&M (18-11, 12-6 CAA) honored its four-member senior class of manager Brian Gelston, Tyler Johnson, Tom Schalk and Marcus Thornton. Despite the loss to the Dragons (11-18, 9-9 CAA), the Tribe still claimed a share of the CAA regular season championship.

Thornton led the way for the Tribe in his final game at Kaplan Arena, scoring 19 points and dishing
out six assists. He knocked down a trio of 3-pointers and in the process moved into the fifth on the CAA's all-time 3-point field goals list. Junior forward Terry Tarpey added his ninth double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while sophomore Daniel Dixon returned to action after missing five games and added 14 points, including a 4-of-7 effort from 3-point range.

After a low start by both teams, W&M opened up a nine-point advantage thanks to an 11-0 run. Trailing 4-2, Tarpey scored on a fast-break lay-up off a dish from sophomore Omar Prewitt to knot things and start the run. Dixon knocked down a triple and Thornton drilled one of his own to give the home side a 13-4 lead with 11:20 remaining in the opening half. 

Drexel responded with a 13-2 run to move back in front, highlighted by the play of Freddie Wilson. The Dragon senior drilled a trio of 3-pointers during the stretch as DU hit four straight shots. Wilson's third trifecta of the night at the eight-minute mark gave the visitors a 17-15 lead.

W&M pulled even at 20 on a Dixon 3-pointer at the 6:19 mark, but the remainder of the first half belonged to the Dragons. DU closed the opening 20 minutes on a 17-1 run to take a 16-point cushion to the locker room. Tavon Allen scored 11 of the Dragon's final 20 points of the first half. He hit three straight 3-poitners during a stretch and connected on a pair of free throws with less than 30 seconds remaining for the final half-time margin to 37-21. It total, Drexel connected on 7-of-12 (58.3 percent) from 3-point range in the first 20 minutes.

The Green and Gold scored eight of the second half's first 11 points to cut the gap to 40-29 on a Schalk lay-up off a feed from Thornton at the 16:47 mark. Drexel though responded with two straight 3-pointers to extend the margin to 17.

The Dragon's advantage was 15, 54-39, with 10:23 left following two Tyshawn Myles free throws. A Thornton 3-pointer and two Tarpey free throws narrowed the gap to 10 with 9:34 remaining, but Wilson knocked down a big 3-pointer on the ensuing DU possession to stem the Tribe's momentum.

W&M cut the gap to nine points on three occasions, but each time Drexel had an answer. Thornton's patented step-back jumper at the 4:27 mark closed the Tribe within 64-55. The Dragons responded with six straight points, including the final four from the free throw line, to extend its lead back to 15, 70-55, and put the game out of reach.

Drexel finished shooting 49 percent (24-of-49) from the field, including an 11-of-21 effort (52.4) from 3-point range. The Dragons also did a number at the free throw line and on the glass. DU shot 80.8 percent (21-of-26) from the free throw line, including 17-of-22 (77.3 percent) in the second half. Drexel held a 36-25 advantage on the glass.

Wilson and Allen turned in iron-man efforts, playing all 40 minutes and scoring 24 and 22 points, respectively. Wilson was 8-of-12 from the field and 6-of-9 from 3-point range, while Allen hit on 5-of-10 from long range. Rodney Williams just missed a double-double for DU with 18 points and nine rebounds.

The Tribe finished the game at 45.1 percent (23-of-51) from the field, including a 55.6-percent (15-of-27) clip in the second half. W&M hit 10 3-pointers for the 13th time this season, shooting 35.7 percent (10-of-28) from distance. The Green and Gold dished out 16 assists on 23 made field goals and only turned it over four times, which is tied for the third lowest total in school history.

Thanks to Elon's victory over UNCW on Saturday, W&M is the regular season champion and will be the No. 1 seed in the CAA Tournament, March 6-9, in Baltimore, for the first time in school history. The Tribe will face the winner of No. 8 Elon and No. 9 Towson at noon on Saturday, March 7. The quarterfinals of the CAA Championship will be televised regionally on Comcast SportsNet.

Tribe fans can also listen into the broadcast over the Tribe Radio Network with Jay Colley and Charlie Woollum on the call. The Tide 92.3 FM and 107.9 Bach FM are the flagship stations of the Tribe Radio Network, and the broadcast will be streamed online at TribeAthetics.com.

On Monday night, the Chesapeake Bank Tony Shaver Show returns to Paul's Deli, 761 Scotland Street, in Williamsburg. The Show kicks off at 7 p.m. and will be aired on the Tribe Radio Network and TribeAthletics.com. The Tide 92.3 FM and 107.9 Bach FM are the flagship stations of the Tribe Radio Network. Come out or tune in to hear Coach Shaver's thoughts on the upcoming CAA Tournament.