By Dave Johnson
W&M Athletics
 
In last month's win at Drexel, William & Mary scored 83 points in regulation on 48% shooting. The Tribe didn't come close to those numbers in Thursday night's rematch, and the result was a 72-57 loss in Kaplan Arena.
 
W&M shot 38.5% from the floor and matched its season low in a conference game with seven assists. Quinn Blair was the only consistent scoring threat with 15 points (4-of-4 from the floor, 6-of-7 from the free throw line) in 21 minutes off the bench.
 
The Tribe (5-23, 4-11 CAA) took its last lead at 14-12 on Miguel Ayesa's 3-pointer with 9:14 left in the first half. But the Dragons closed with a 22-10 run and never trailed again.
 
"I thought we had a really good focus early," W&M coach Dane Fischer said. "We kept the ball out of the paint well in the first half. They hit some threes, (and) we could have gotten out to the shooters a little better, but I liked the way we were defending in the first half.
 
"Offensively, we never really got going in either half and just struggled to move the ball like we needed to. Quinn Blair gave us a great spark off the bench in the second half, but it wasn't enough tonight."
 
Blair, one of three scholarship seniors on the roster, scored 11 points in a 4:12 stretch of the second half. His two free throws with 7:21 remaining cut Drexel's lead, which had been 16 points early in the second half, to 54-50.
 
"He did a great job tonight of attacking the basket, which is what's there against Drexel," Fischer said of Blair. "They want to stay home on shooters and make you take tough finishes. He's one of our best finishers and just did a phenomenal job of getting to the rim.
 
"In the first half, we were stuck for a long time. What got us over the hump was him getting to the foul line. He gave us a great spark."
 
But four points was as close as W&M would get. Drexel (13-12, 8-7) answered with a 12-3 run and pulled away.
 
Brandon Carroll scored William & Mary's first five points, but he also picked up its first two fouls. They came in the game's first 5½ minutes.
 
"He picked up those two fouls quickly, and that early in the half is tough because obviously you've got to sit him for a while," Fischer said. "We got him back in there toward the end of the first half, but that breaks up the rhythm of the player a lot of times."
 
Carroll finished with 10 points.
 
There was a scary moment with 14:41 remaining in the game when Drexel's Camren Wynter flipped over the press table while chasing a loose ball. He was attended to for several minutes before leaving for the remainder of the game.
 
"I'm certainly hoping that Cam Wynter is OK," Fischer said in his opening statement. "He is one of the better players in this league and he's had a terrific career. I'm hoping that was more precaution than anything because you want to see that kid be able to finish out his career."
 
Next up: W&M will play its final home game against Delaware (18-9, 9-5) Saturday at 4 p.m. The Blue Hens defeated the Tribe 84-74 last month in Newark. The Tribe will honor its Senior Class approximately 20 minutes before tip-off. Fans are asked to arrive early to celebrate the group.