Drexel Dragons
Colonial Athletic Association (27-6, 16-2)
Drexel has had a fantastic season in the CAA. They have run right through the competition compiling only two losses in conference all year and only five overall before running into VCU in the conference tournament final. They duked it out with George Mason all season for the regular season conference title. They finished the season with a 17 game winning streak heading into the conference tournament. It’s possible if Drexel were playing like they were at the end of the season at the beginning of the season, they could have had a few of those losses back. This is a team that executes well.
Big Wins: 12/10 Princeton (64-60), 1/8 VCU (64-58), 1/12 George Mason (60-53)
Bad Losses: 11/18 vs Norfolk State (56-61), 12/3 at Delaware (60-71), 1/2 at Georgia State (44-58)
Coach: James Flint (10 seasons at Drexel)
Why They Can Surprise:
If this team wins games in the postseason, it will be because of their defense. They’ve held opponents to only 38.4 percent from the field this season, including 28.3 percent from behind the 3-point line. If their opponent has a tough time shooting, it opens the door for Drexel to maximize their opportunities on the offensive end. The Dragons typically outrebound their opponents by six or more per game, which also limits the possessions for other squads. They also have Franz Massenat, who leads the team in points and assists. He plays over 35 minutes per game and shoots a strong 44.2% from behind the 3-point line. He will have to carry them.
Why They Can Disappoint:
Drexel shoots over 43% from the field, but they don’t score an awful lot of points. At just under 65 per game, they will have to find a way to score more points than that to win games in the postseason. Part of the reason for that is the Dragons turn the ball over more than their opponents do. It’s not by much, but in the waning minutes of a game, those little things matter. The Dragons are not particularly big up front. They would have a hard time banging around with some of the more skilled big men in the country. That rebounding efficiency would be put to the test. The suspension of Derrick Thomas was a problem for Drexel during the CAA Tournament and his status for the postseason is unclear.
Probable Starters:
Frantz Massenat, Sophomore, Guard, 13.6 ppg, 4.5 apg
Chris Fouch, Junior, Guard, 10.5 ppg, 1.2 apg
Damion Lee, Freshman, Guard, 12.7 ppg, 1.7 apg, 4.5 rpg
Sammie Givens, Senior, Forward, 11.4 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.1 bpg
Daryl McCoy, Junior, Forward, 4.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg
Key Roleplayers:
Dartaye Ruffin, Sophomore, Forward, 5.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg
Derrick Thomas, Junior, Guard, 8.0 ppg, 2.1 apg
Aquil Younger, Freshman, Guard, 0.6 ppg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 64.9 (240th in nation, 8th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 55.3 (5, 1)
Field-Goal Percentage: 43.8 (151, 2)
Field-Goal Defense: 38.4 (9, 2)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 6.1 (173, 4)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 37.4 (45, 1)
Free-Throw Percentage: 74.5 (33, 1)
Rebound Margin: 5.7 (26, 2)
Assists Per Game: 12.5 (198, 5)
Turnovers Per Game: 11.5 (30, 1)
Last Five Postseason Appearances:
Drexel 2007 NIT First Round loss to North Carolina State
Drexel 2005 NIT Opening Round loss to Buffalo
Drexel 2004 NIT First Round loss to Villanova
Drexel 2003 NIT Opening Round loss to Temple
Drexel 1997 NIT First round loss to Bradley
*all team stats through 3/4
See All Men’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
