A screen assembly includes a base pipe, plurality of joints including a filter layer disposed around the base pipe, a drainage layer between the filter layer and the base pipe, and a drainage layer connector positioned between adjacent joints. The base pipe include base pipe connectors aligned with the drainage layer connectors. A flow path exists from an outer annulus between an open hole and the filter layer of the joints, into the filter layer and the drainage layer, across the drainage layer in a downhole direction, across an annulus between the drainage layer connector and the base pipe, into a portion of the drainage layer corresponding to a bottom-most joint, and into an interior of the base pipe via an open flow area at the bottom-most joint for returning to surface.