Drexel’s Year?
Coach Bruiser Flint has been on Drexel’s sidelines for ten years. Few teams in the conference have had consistent success like the Dragons. During those ten years, Coach Flint has seen George Mason and VCU make the Final Four. He has also seen those teams go through their ups and downs. But through it all Drexel has been right there. Right there watching what could happen to them, but it always happens to somebody else. It’s always been the bridesmaid, never the bride for Coach Flint and Drexel.
Coach Flint has a 106-74 record in Colonial Athletic Association play during those ten years. His team has finished with a losing overall record just twice. If you are picking your preseason top four for the CAA, Drexel is a staple on that list. But what do the Dragons have to show for it…four trips to the NIT. Even after a 21-10 season last year the Dragons were shut out of the NIT. This was a team that was a layup away from knocking VCU out of at-large contention long before their Final Four run.
Part of the problem is the lack of respect the CAA receives. VCU’s run should help with that issue. Last year Drexel was just 11-7 in conference play, one game behind VCU. This is a team that beat Louisville, but a couple tough conference losses put an end to any at-large hopes. But that is what happens in the CAA. Losing to James Madison twice does not sound too good, but it’s not all that awful either. The Dukes were one of six teams in the conference to win at least 21 games last year.
But this year, as we often say, could be the year for Drexel. The conference is not getting any easier, but Drexel is getting better. They proved to be a good team last season. The inconsistencies were brought out by youth and inexperience. That excuse is no longer valid and this group has the experience to win some CAA tournament games and, just as importantly, show up game in and game out and avoid those bad losses to teams like William & Mary.
Unfortunately for the Dragons, another fourth place finish or so in the CAA may not be good enough to make the NCAA Tournament. And this team can still look forward to the future instead of living in the present. There is only one senior on the roster, so if Drexel falls short of their goals this year, we will have the same conversation again next September about how this could be the year for Drexel.
Read the in-depth men’s basketball preview for this team
