After Strong NIT Showing, Drexel Ready For Home Opener
By Matt Leon
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The Drexel Dragons have really opened some eyes here in the early going of the season.
The Dragons are 4-2 and coming off a third-place showing in the NIT Season Tip-Off. They earned that third place finish with a thrilling, triple-overtime win over Alabama on Friday at Madison Square Garden. That win came two days after they nearly shocked #4 Arizona in New York, racing out to a 19-point lead, before eventually losing by four.
Now the Dragons are getting ready to finally play a game at the DAC. On Wednesday night they will host Cleveland State.
"We've played well to start the season," Flint tells KYW Newsradio. "Hopefully, we can continue it. I think we've been in some tough places, we haven't had a home game yet, coming out with a 4-2 record. We've been in some really tough, close games, against some really good competition. So hopefully that bodes well for us the rest of the season."
Bruiser Flint Interview
In that Arizona game, the Dragons fine junior guard Damion Lee suffered a knee injury. On Monday evening, Drexel got the bad news that Lee would be out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL in his right knee. Lee was averaging 13 points a game. This is the second consecutive season that the Dragons have lost a key player for the season. A year ago, it was guard Chris Fouch, who missed most of the campaign with a broken ankle.
Cleveland State will come to the DAC with a 4-3 record on Wednesday night. They beat Ball State by 23 on Saturday.
"Really good guards," Flint says. "Their guards really score the ball. They came within a minute of beating Kentucky last week (68-61 loss). Their guard play is outstanding. They have a really good big guy in (sophomore forward Anton) Grady. So they have pretty good balance on the team. They are another team, a lot of juniors, a lot of seniors, so they are very experienced. So I know it is going to be a tough game on Wednesday night."
Sophomore guard Bryn Forbes leads Cleveland State in scoring at 19.3 ppg.
Drexel and Cleveland State will tip-off at 7:00pm on Wednesday night.
You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.
