Drexel Hoping For Big Stretch Run
By Matt Leon
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Just seven games remain in the regular season for the Drexel Dragons, the first of which will be Saturday at the DAC as the Dukes of James Madison come to town.
Drexel got off to a hot start this season, but then they were hit with a ton of injuries that really challenged the roster mid-season. Now the Dragons have gotten healthier over the last couple of weeks and last time out, on Monday, they beat UNC-Wilmington, 61-50. The 50 points representing the fewest they have allowed in a game this season.
"Hopefully we're rounding into shape," Drexel head coach Bruiser Flint tells KYW Newsradio. "Getting some guys back. (Sophomore guard/forward) Tavon (Allen) moved around a lot better than he has in the previous two games (recovering from an ankle injury) and he got some points for us (17). (Junior forward) Kazembe (Abif, who had a knee issue), those guys are starting to move around a lot better, (senior forward) Dartaye (Ruffin, recovering from a calf injury), hopefully we're getting healthy enough that we can hopefully make a run towards the end of the year."
The Dragons sit at 12-10 and they are 4-5 in the CAA heading into Saturday's game. James Madison is 8-15 and 3-6 in the CAA. But a quick glance at the Dukes games this season and you see a campaign featuring five losses by five points or less.
"They are really good defensively," Flint says. "They've had trouble scoring at times. They're long, they're athletic, I think they've got some of the better young kids in the league. It's going to be a tough game. They really get after you defensively and they make you earn everything, that's why they play a lot of tough games, they keep themselves in it from the defensive standpoint."
This will be the first of two meetings between these teams. They will also meet on February 19th in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Saturday's game at the DAC gets underway at 2:00pm.
You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.