The Dragons will either win this game or get totally blown out. And I have no idea which.
If ever there was a time for Drexel to force their will and create a rivalry prizefight or a rockfight, this is that game. And they can. They will be bigger, they will be at home and hopefully they will have a good senior night crowd behind them. It's also been my experience that teams that lose a big player seem to see guys stepping up in his first missed game that often covers for the absence, and the effects of the missing player aren't usually felt until his second game out. With that and the hope of an overconfident UD squad, yes we can make lemons out of lemonade.
That's all I've got. Monte isn't a rocket scientist, there are no scary players on this UD team, and Bruiser is going to have to return to his roots. All that bodes well. The talent? Well at the guard spots that's going to UD. On the inside? We know Rodney and Marvin King-Davis are skilled, but beyond that we know UD has junk and DU well, how would we know? Looking back to Saturday in Boston, while most will remember Mohamed Bah for the missed free throw, hopefully no one forgets it as a possible turning point game for him. He had a huge three point play that swung the momentum back in Drexel's favor, and then saved a teammates awful shot at the buzzer to tie the game with half a second left. Lets see more of him and hope he continues to rise to the occasion in this game.
The Dragons need to challenge UD with the forwards that UD has less than no tape on, and make this a first to 50 wins experience. This game doesn't need to be a disaster, but if the Dragons let the Blue Hens play an up and down running game, it will very quickly become one.
Finally, lets talk about the Freddie Wilson experience. 5 years, 2 schools, and never in the uptemo offense that uses a point guard to distribute that he needed to be in. Yet despite an offense that didn't fit his skillset, he took the reduced minutes, even as a senior, with grace. His effort was rarely in question. There's a lot to be said for guys like that, and we can be proud of the Dragons culture and his role in it. So thanks for the plays Freddie, for making it absolutely rain threes at Davidson, Wilmington and James Madison, and safe travels.
Prediction: Drexel 50, Delaware (sucks) 47
Vegas Line: Drexel +1.5
Alan Boston's Notes: I wish I were in Philly for Senior Night at Drexel. Of course, I love to attend live college basketball, but the main reason I would be at the Drexel game would be to say a few kind words to likely outgoing coach Monte Ross. Ross endured many years of losing, all the while doing the right thing and being a class act. 8 years in, he finally makes the NCAA tournament. With virtually the entire team gone and what was left injured to start the year, Ross young team got off to a poor start. As players got healthy and as freshman grew up, Delaware has gotten better, much better. For running a clean ship, being a class act and legitimately doing a terrific job this year, they are apparently letting him go at the end of this year. Evil lurks in every corner of this once great game. I would just like to tell Coach Ross that I have a ton of respect for his demeanor. No I do not think he is a top coach, but he is certainly not bad either. Good guys deserve a job in this once pure sport. I hope Coach Ross lands a job elsewhere. He deserves to be in the game.
Unless you are immensely more talented, it is difficult to win as the road team and repeat at home. Drexel won in Delaware 66-62 and now faces them without their top player. However, Drexel needs this like blood. Their remaining roster is still better than Delawares and although the loss of Lee is devastating, it should get Drexel out of that ridiculous 4 guard nonsense. For that reason alone, I think Drexel gets it done.
Drexel 58 Delaware 53
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