PHILADELPHIA, Pa. ? Drexel scored first and never looked back handing Towson a 78-65 Colonial Athletic Association setback that gave the Dragons a sweep of the Tigers for the 2008-09 season.

            The Tigers dropped to 9-18 on the year and 4-11 in the league. Drexel improved to 14-10 and 10-5 in the CAA.

            Towson made the trip to the city of brotherly love without the services of two top players. Sophomore forward Robert Nwankwo remained in Towson to serve a one-game suspension for violating team standards. Junior Josh Thornton, the CAA's premier three-point shooter, was excused for a personal family matter.

            Despite being undermanned Towson stayed with the Dragons until the final minute of the first period.

            After David Brewster's free throw trimmed Drexel's lead to two, 28-26, with 2:17 left in the session, the Dragons closed out the period with an 8-0 run that gave them a 36-26 advantage at the break.

            “The score should have been closer at halftime,” said Towson coach Pat Kennedy. “We just weren't able to make it up in the second half.”

            Towson never recovered from that late first half charge. The Dragons led by as many as 14 throughout much of the second period when they shot 58 per cent from the floor..The Tigers cut the lead to seven, 49-42, but back-to-back three-pointers by Drexel's Tramayne Hawthorne, stopped the rally. Hawthorne finished with a game high 23 points, two shy of his career high. He was 5 of 8 from beyond the arc.

            Drexel's biggest lead was 16 points with 14 seconds left in the game.

            The Tigers were led by Brewster's career high 16 points. Leading scorer Junior Hairston registered 14 points and a team high eight rebounds before fouling out at the 5:02 mark.

            The Tigers are back on the floor this Wednesday night when they host William & Mary in the Towson Center at 7:00 p.m.