EASTON, Pa.- Lafayette continued the 2023-24 season with a 69-48 loss to Drexel on Wednesday evening in Kirby Sports Center.

Justin Vander Baan guided the Leopards with 13 points, four rebounds, one assist and a block. Drexel out-rebounded the Maroon and White 46-31 and added 38 points in the paint as the Dragons pulled away in the second half. 

Devin Hines opened the contest with a 3-pointer at the 18-minute mark, leading 3-0. Lafayette and Drexel traded an even 8-8 run to stay locked in an 11-11 tie at 11:33. Vander Baan fueled the stretch with six points.

The programs sat scoreless thereafter until Vander Baan dodged his defender to add a layup under the basket (7:22). The Leopards edged the Dragons in an ensuing 7-6 run, holding a 20-17 advantage down to the three-minute mark. Kyle Jenkins and Eric Sondberg sank 3-pointers to close out the first half, leading 23-21.

Drexel opened the second half with a 12-6 run to take a 33-29 lead by the 16:11 mark. Seven Dragon players combined to tally 27 points over the following 12 minutes, almost doubling Lafayette's output of 14. 

To 4:55, Drexel posted a 16-8 run, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Mate Okros. The 21-point lead, 64-43 at 2:53, was the Dragons' largest of the game. Okros led the Dragons with 14 points, shooting five-of-six from the field and four-of-five from the 3-point range.

Drexel shot 46.4 percent from the floor overall and went 18-for-31 from beyond the arc in the second half. The Dragons held the Leopards to 30 percent overall from the floor. Lafayette made a season-low six turnovers and forced 12 Dragon turnovers.

Next up for the Leopards is Cornell on Saturday at 2 p.m.
 

For the latest on the Lafayette College men's basketball program, follow the Leopards on X @LafayetteMBB and Instagram @lafayettembb.