PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — Deuce Jones scored a game-high 29 points and Saint Joseph’s capitalized on a dominant performance from the free-throw line to pull away from city rival Drexel 76-65 in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Saturday afternoon at Hagan Arena.

In a contest defined by trips to the charity stripe, the Hawks were nearly flawless, converting 26 of 30 free throws. The Dragons, by contrast, managed just 9 of 14 from the line, a disparity that proved decisive in an 11-point victory.

The game was a back-and-forth affair for much of the first half. Drexel, led by a double-double from Villiam Garcia Adsten, built an early lead and took a 37-34 advantage into halftime. Garcia Adsten, a sophomore from Stockholm, Sweden, finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Saint Joseph’s seized control after the break, outscoring the Dragons 42-28 in the second half. Jones, a guard from Trenton, New Jersey, was the catalyst, scoring the bulk of his points by aggressively attacking the basket and drawing fouls. He played just 22 minutes but was efficient, adding two rebounds and two assists to his scoring outburst.

The Hawks’ offense, which posted an offensive rating of 102.4 points per 100 possessions, was more effective than Drexel’s, which struggled with an offensive rating of 90.7. While both teams had nearly identical field goal percentages, Saint Joseph’s ability to generate high-percentage shots at the line and capitalize on Drexel’s mistakes was the difference. The Hawks scored 16 points off 11 Drexel turnovers, while the Dragons managed only seven points off nine Saint Joseph’s giveaways.

Dasear Haskins provided crucial support for the Hawks with 15 points and six rebounds. Anthony Finkley added 13 points and Derek Simpson chipped in eight points and seven rebounds.

For Drexel, Garcia Adsten was complemented by Shane Blakeney, who had 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and Josh Reed, who also scored 12 points. The Dragons won the battle on the offensive glass, grabbing 15 rebounds to the Hawks’ seven, but could not convert those second chances sufficiently to keep pace.

With the win, Saint Joseph’s improves to 2-0 on the young season. The Hawks’ next contest is on the road against Virginia Tech on Wednesday. Drexel falls to 1-1 and will look to rebound Tuesday at Colgate. The game was played before an announced crowd of 2,401.