On Friday, November 11, 2016 a new era of Drexel Basketball officially kicks off. I look forward to watching it, writing about it, and enjoying it. I won't be doing that on this blog. With this post, Dragons Speak is closing its doors.
This program hasn't been an easy thing to write about these past three years, and it makes one truly appreciate those who have subjected themselves to reading about it. When this blog became more than I ever expected with the coverage near daily, there was no way one person could keep up. I was bailed out by a number of Dragons who believed in the mission and donated their time to this page. With that, this page stopped being a blog about one persons thoughts and became a team effort for a daily, higher level of coverage.
When that surge of enthusiasm was rising Scott Kier floated an idea that was worthy of this new group of colleagues. A real home on the web for covering Drexel Basketball. Today that home launches and we hope to make it a worthy face for analysis and opinion alongside this new beginning of Drexel Basketball.
Dragon fans if you are still reading about this team then this is the site that is dedicated to you. Written by a staff that knows if you have stood with this University once, you are welcome to stand with us forever.
Please join us at the new project: Always a Dragon.
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Monday, November 7, 2016
Postgame - Drexel vs Keiser
Written by Scott Kier
Final Score: Keiser 76, Drexel 71
Drexel Player of the Game: Sammy Mojica
Key to the Game: Attitude
Next Game: November 11 at Monmouth
It has been 237 days since the Drexel Dragons set foot on the hardwood in front of a building full of basketball fans and boy, has a lot changed. Before taking a closer look at the happenings on Wednesday October 27, it should be noted that there have been some cosmetic and practical improvements made to the John Daskalakis Athletic Center during the off season.
Off the Court Changes
The entrance on Lancaster Way now has a glass front which adds more of a feeling that you are entering a sports venue and not a gym. On the western side of the building behind the benches Drexel has added bathrooms, so no more trips around the court and down stairs for those fans who choose to sit on that side of the building. Lastly, season ticket holders were invited to a pregame event in the new media room. According to Coach Zach Spiker, the program is going to do their best to have coaches available during pregame events for the fans.
Just prior to the start of Thursday night’s game, along with women’s coach Denise Dillon, Coach Spiker addressed the crowd, laying out expectations for the night. “Nobody is more excited to be here than we are,” Spiker said, speaking on behalf of his coaching staff. He went on to say that they expected the players to make some mistakes, but they hoped that they would not make the same mistake twice. The goals for the night, and for the season, Spiker said, were to rebound well, control possession and win the battle at the foul line. He likened these necessary efforts to the San Antonio Spurs 129-120 victory over the Golden State Warriors Tuesday night. The coach said with a smile, “As long as we can play like the Spurs, we should be good.”
Along with the exciting changes to the DAC, Spiker announced another big change: the team would be adding third jerseys. Anyone who followed the team some twenty years ago most assuredly remembers Malik Rose patrolling visiting courts wearing his gold away jersey, well, these jerseys are coming back. Coach Spiker said that they will be worn for rivalry games and against the other Philadelphia schools on the schedule this season.
Let’s Talk about the Game
While the Dragons ultimately lost to Rollie Massimino’s Keiser University Eagles by a score of 76-71, the game was full of bright spots, the brightest of which was the play of returning Junior Sammy Mojica who started and had a very quiet 18 points on 6-11 shooting. Mojica, who had initially announced that he was transferring from Drexel, changed his mind and decided to return to the program and the fan base should be excited that he did. Mojica is the only returning guard to a previously guard heavy program, other than Major Canaday, who spent all of last season injured (and indications are dim for this season as well).
Because of their general inexperience, the Drexel backcourt featured two freshman starters. Kurk Lee started at the point and put up a respectable 15 points on a not-so-respectable 4-14 shooting. He had a great first half where he committed just one turnover but late in the game with the team behind he started to try to do too much which seemed to be a theme. Everybody wanted to be “the guy” but what they need to realize is they are going to have more success as “the team.”
The third guard to start the game was Icelandic freshman Kari Jonsson who went 3-9 and 1-6 from three. The lanky 6’3 guard also missed a three at the end of the game that would have sealed things up for Drexel when they trailed 73-71 in the closing seconds.
The frontcourt, on the other hand, has returned. As expected, Rodney Williams was on he floor in the opening minutes. He put in a very Rodney-like double-double scoring 16, and adding 12 rebounds. The team’s fifth starter Mohamed Bah played just 13 minutes, but his presence was felt off the court too. As Dan Crain described him, Bah was “the best cheerleader we’ve ever put in uniform.” He was enthusiastic and energized on the bench, and that positivity is what is going to help this team through the season.
Miles Overton made his much anticipated debut on the floor for Drexel. Again, quoting Dan, “Everyone has a bad night” well, that night was this game for Overton who went 3-21 overall from the field and 1-10 from three. He’s going to have to become more consistent, and make shots when needed: in the clutch. His only two missed free throws, for example, were with the team trailing 73-71 with less than a minute to go. Overton was also dealt a technical foul which appeared to be for taunting another player after scoring a basket. That was an infraction that he was warned about by an official just minutes before. Overton’s technical was the second served to Drexel, and the first one needs to be talked about for all of the right reasons.
About four minutes into the game one of the Dragons, drew a charge in the lane. It was the kind of play that a basketball fan loves to see a player make, and apparently the bench loved it too. About a dozen players flooded the court, cheering their teammate on all rushing to pile on top of him and help him up. The refs “T’d” up the Dragons bench and the coach stood there with a smile on his face.
Since we have addressed the positives, let’s talk about the negatives. The first, and this should be no surprise to anyone, was the shooting. The team shot 32.8% from the field and attempted 67 shots. It should be mentioned, however, that they topped 67 attempts just three times last season and equaled that number twice. The also attempted 29 three pointers making just 8. Those 29 attempts were more than they shot in any game last season. Their 8 makes was topped just once last season.
The offense is going to take a little while to figure out. The new additions to the team are certainly going to add a new dimension. For example, on one play, Austin Williams received the ball on the wing. Jonsson started to come towards him as if to receive the ball on the handoff, but then made an abrupt back door cut, something rarely seen in years prior. Austin looked a tad lost, but with some adjustment the team will be able to add this sort of play to their offensive arsenal.
So how did Spiker’s Dragons fair on their established goals for the night? Rebounding can be called a win as the team out-boarded their opponents 50-43. Possession was a slim victory for our opponents. Keiser made more of their time with the ball as evidenced by their shooting percentage victory with 40% compared to Drexel’s 33%. Turnovers were almost equal at 14 and 13 respectively, and Keiser also won in the steals column 8-6. Where the Dragons really lost the game though was on the free throw line. The Dragons went 19-29 (65.5), as compared to Keiser’s 20-28 (71%). A few more made free throws would have sealed up the game for the home team.
This game was played with less than two weeks until the season begins, and there is definitely a different, more positive air around the program. As one season ticket holder commented after the game, “We just lost, and I’m not even mad.” Things just feel different. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and this Drexel program won’t be rebuilt in a season, but more about that later this week. Until then, let’s just prepare ourselves for what is bound to be an interesting season, win or lose.
Final Score: Keiser 76, Drexel 71
Drexel Player of the Game: Sammy Mojica
Key to the Game: Attitude
Next Game: November 11 at Monmouth
It has been 237 days since the Drexel Dragons set foot on the hardwood in front of a building full of basketball fans and boy, has a lot changed. Before taking a closer look at the happenings on Wednesday October 27, it should be noted that there have been some cosmetic and practical improvements made to the John Daskalakis Athletic Center during the off season.
Off the Court Changes
The entrance on Lancaster Way now has a glass front which adds more of a feeling that you are entering a sports venue and not a gym. On the western side of the building behind the benches Drexel has added bathrooms, so no more trips around the court and down stairs for those fans who choose to sit on that side of the building. Lastly, season ticket holders were invited to a pregame event in the new media room. According to Coach Zach Spiker, the program is going to do their best to have coaches available during pregame events for the fans.
Just prior to the start of Thursday night’s game, along with women’s coach Denise Dillon, Coach Spiker addressed the crowd, laying out expectations for the night. “Nobody is more excited to be here than we are,” Spiker said, speaking on behalf of his coaching staff. He went on to say that they expected the players to make some mistakes, but they hoped that they would not make the same mistake twice. The goals for the night, and for the season, Spiker said, were to rebound well, control possession and win the battle at the foul line. He likened these necessary efforts to the San Antonio Spurs 129-120 victory over the Golden State Warriors Tuesday night. The coach said with a smile, “As long as we can play like the Spurs, we should be good.”
Along with the exciting changes to the DAC, Spiker announced another big change: the team would be adding third jerseys. Anyone who followed the team some twenty years ago most assuredly remembers Malik Rose patrolling visiting courts wearing his gold away jersey, well, these jerseys are coming back. Coach Spiker said that they will be worn for rivalry games and against the other Philadelphia schools on the schedule this season.
Let’s Talk about the Game
While the Dragons ultimately lost to Rollie Massimino’s Keiser University Eagles by a score of 76-71, the game was full of bright spots, the brightest of which was the play of returning Junior Sammy Mojica who started and had a very quiet 18 points on 6-11 shooting. Mojica, who had initially announced that he was transferring from Drexel, changed his mind and decided to return to the program and the fan base should be excited that he did. Mojica is the only returning guard to a previously guard heavy program, other than Major Canaday, who spent all of last season injured (and indications are dim for this season as well).
Because of their general inexperience, the Drexel backcourt featured two freshman starters. Kurk Lee started at the point and put up a respectable 15 points on a not-so-respectable 4-14 shooting. He had a great first half where he committed just one turnover but late in the game with the team behind he started to try to do too much which seemed to be a theme. Everybody wanted to be “the guy” but what they need to realize is they are going to have more success as “the team.”
The third guard to start the game was Icelandic freshman Kari Jonsson who went 3-9 and 1-6 from three. The lanky 6’3 guard also missed a three at the end of the game that would have sealed things up for Drexel when they trailed 73-71 in the closing seconds.
The frontcourt, on the other hand, has returned. As expected, Rodney Williams was on he floor in the opening minutes. He put in a very Rodney-like double-double scoring 16, and adding 12 rebounds. The team’s fifth starter Mohamed Bah played just 13 minutes, but his presence was felt off the court too. As Dan Crain described him, Bah was “the best cheerleader we’ve ever put in uniform.” He was enthusiastic and energized on the bench, and that positivity is what is going to help this team through the season.
Miles Overton made his much anticipated debut on the floor for Drexel. Again, quoting Dan, “Everyone has a bad night” well, that night was this game for Overton who went 3-21 overall from the field and 1-10 from three. He’s going to have to become more consistent, and make shots when needed: in the clutch. His only two missed free throws, for example, were with the team trailing 73-71 with less than a minute to go. Overton was also dealt a technical foul which appeared to be for taunting another player after scoring a basket. That was an infraction that he was warned about by an official just minutes before. Overton’s technical was the second served to Drexel, and the first one needs to be talked about for all of the right reasons.
About four minutes into the game one of the Dragons, drew a charge in the lane. It was the kind of play that a basketball fan loves to see a player make, and apparently the bench loved it too. About a dozen players flooded the court, cheering their teammate on all rushing to pile on top of him and help him up. The refs “T’d” up the Dragons bench and the coach stood there with a smile on his face.
Since we have addressed the positives, let’s talk about the negatives. The first, and this should be no surprise to anyone, was the shooting. The team shot 32.8% from the field and attempted 67 shots. It should be mentioned, however, that they topped 67 attempts just three times last season and equaled that number twice. The also attempted 29 three pointers making just 8. Those 29 attempts were more than they shot in any game last season. Their 8 makes was topped just once last season.
The offense is going to take a little while to figure out. The new additions to the team are certainly going to add a new dimension. For example, on one play, Austin Williams received the ball on the wing. Jonsson started to come towards him as if to receive the ball on the handoff, but then made an abrupt back door cut, something rarely seen in years prior. Austin looked a tad lost, but with some adjustment the team will be able to add this sort of play to their offensive arsenal.
So how did Spiker’s Dragons fair on their established goals for the night? Rebounding can be called a win as the team out-boarded their opponents 50-43. Possession was a slim victory for our opponents. Keiser made more of their time with the ball as evidenced by their shooting percentage victory with 40% compared to Drexel’s 33%. Turnovers were almost equal at 14 and 13 respectively, and Keiser also won in the steals column 8-6. Where the Dragons really lost the game though was on the free throw line. The Dragons went 19-29 (65.5), as compared to Keiser’s 20-28 (71%). A few more made free throws would have sealed up the game for the home team.
This game was played with less than two weeks until the season begins, and there is definitely a different, more positive air around the program. As one season ticket holder commented after the game, “We just lost, and I’m not even mad.” Things just feel different. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and this Drexel program won’t be rebuilt in a season, but more about that later this week. Until then, let’s just prepare ourselves for what is bound to be an interesting season, win or lose.
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Welcome to 2016-17 Drexel Hoops: Dig In
With one hell of a World Series in the rearview mirror baseball has cleared the stage and a vital season of Drexel Dragons basketball lies in front of us. With every build it is the foundation, the base that must be rock solid. For Coach Zach Spiker and his colleagues, this year will be that foundation. There are many more questions than answers, and how those questions are answered, what this programs base will be, seems as important as the wins and losses.
"Defense Wins Championships" is a mantra that all Dragon fans know as false. Teams win championships, and part of that is how they defend. In his career, Zach Spiker's Army teams have been in the top 200 of the country defensively just once. All of the usual caveat's apply, it was a service academy, recruiting et al. There's another side to that coin, those Army teams were playing weak Patriot League schedules and making those opposing offenses look good. The only year they were in the top 200 was his first year, which was also the only year he slowed down the tempo. That should be a predominant concern about the foundation to be built. This teams defensive effort was lacking under Bruiser last year, which makes one really question what is in front of them for this season.
On the offensive side of the court, we know they will run. Their exhibition game on October 27th would have been one of their top five most uptempo games last season. Fans may break their necks trying to keep up with the action when the team faces off against Elon or Wilmington. And with big men who haven't shown aggressiveness in the past, and a rookie point guard, there's only so many plays that can be drawn up. An emphasis on hitting the offensive glass makes sense. If they can take care of the ball and hit the offensive glass, they can only be so bad, and those things are in their control. These are pillars for every successful team that isn't coached by John Calipari. After that, for this season, it may well be the Mojica and Overton show, and a trip to a little place called jump shot city. With jump shots comes inconsistency. With a new offense to learn comes inconsistency. With freshman point guards comes inconsistency. With... the reader gets the point. And that is why Spiker will preach what he can control: rebounding and turnovers.
Coach Spiker also controls much more than just his team on the court. A Drexel fan linked to a video here, and towards the end of the interview Bruiser Flint notes, repeatedly, that some Athletic Directors are basketball guys and some are not. And the ones that are not use Search Firms. It's not hard to connect those dots and make an assumption to Bru's thoughts on Eric Zillmer. That may not be a shot at Flint's former AD, but more a statement of fact. Somewhere at the top of every Division I coaches job wishlist is autonomy: being given the job of running his team without interferance from above, or from boosters, or anyone else. Dr. Zillmer provides that. What that also means is that this program, from the bottom up, is in Zach Spiker's hands. It will take his image, which seems to point towards a rah rah, up tempo, exciting atmosphere. But when building this foundation it's the substance, not the style that will matter.
Welcome to another season of Drexel Dragons basketball. It's unlikely to be the best of seasons. It's unlikely to be the worst of seasons. It's quite likely to be one of the most interesting, thought provoking and exciting seasons. It's not a reload, it's a full rebuild. And together, team, department, and supporters, this build can be anything we make of it, nothing is off the table.
See you at the DAC.
"Defense Wins Championships" is a mantra that all Dragon fans know as false. Teams win championships, and part of that is how they defend. In his career, Zach Spiker's Army teams have been in the top 200 of the country defensively just once. All of the usual caveat's apply, it was a service academy, recruiting et al. There's another side to that coin, those Army teams were playing weak Patriot League schedules and making those opposing offenses look good. The only year they were in the top 200 was his first year, which was also the only year he slowed down the tempo. That should be a predominant concern about the foundation to be built. This teams defensive effort was lacking under Bruiser last year, which makes one really question what is in front of them for this season.
On the offensive side of the court, we know they will run. Their exhibition game on October 27th would have been one of their top five most uptempo games last season. Fans may break their necks trying to keep up with the action when the team faces off against Elon or Wilmington. And with big men who haven't shown aggressiveness in the past, and a rookie point guard, there's only so many plays that can be drawn up. An emphasis on hitting the offensive glass makes sense. If they can take care of the ball and hit the offensive glass, they can only be so bad, and those things are in their control. These are pillars for every successful team that isn't coached by John Calipari. After that, for this season, it may well be the Mojica and Overton show, and a trip to a little place called jump shot city. With jump shots comes inconsistency. With a new offense to learn comes inconsistency. With freshman point guards comes inconsistency. With... the reader gets the point. And that is why Spiker will preach what he can control: rebounding and turnovers.
Coach Spiker also controls much more than just his team on the court. A Drexel fan linked to a video here, and towards the end of the interview Bruiser Flint notes, repeatedly, that some Athletic Directors are basketball guys and some are not. And the ones that are not use Search Firms. It's not hard to connect those dots and make an assumption to Bru's thoughts on Eric Zillmer. That may not be a shot at Flint's former AD, but more a statement of fact. Somewhere at the top of every Division I coaches job wishlist is autonomy: being given the job of running his team without interferance from above, or from boosters, or anyone else. Dr. Zillmer provides that. What that also means is that this program, from the bottom up, is in Zach Spiker's hands. It will take his image, which seems to point towards a rah rah, up tempo, exciting atmosphere. But when building this foundation it's the substance, not the style that will matter.
Welcome to another season of Drexel Dragons basketball. It's unlikely to be the best of seasons. It's unlikely to be the worst of seasons. It's quite likely to be one of the most interesting, thought provoking and exciting seasons. It's not a reload, it's a full rebuild. And together, team, department, and supporters, this build can be anything we make of it, nothing is off the table.
See you at the DAC.
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Changes
Scott Kier is back with a rundown on the new faces of the Drexel Men's Basketball staff:
With the hiring of Zach Spiker, the Drexel Dragons set off in a new direction. The first task, of course, was filling out the rest of the coaching staff. Spiker comes from a different kind of program. Army does not recruit like more traditional Division 1 programs which can be a double edged sword. While it shows Spiker’s ability to in theory do more with less on the court, it could also handicap him when it comes to recruiting in the heavily competitive Mid-Atlantic region.
For most of his time with Drexel, now former head coach Bruiser Flint surrounded himself with guys who were overshadowed by their boss’s perceived ability. A large portion of the front court work fell on the shoulders of Associate Head Coach Mike Connors and while former walk-on Bobby Jordan did an admirable job with recruitment, the bench was largely made up of guys whose resumes either revolved around Bru or had coaching credits that had at least touched the now former head coach during their career.
One of the signs of a strong leader is the self-awareness to know one’s weaknesses and surrounding oneself with support staff that can offer something to address those weaknesses. This past week, Coach Spiker rounded out his coaching staff with the hirings of Associate Head Coach Rob O’Driscoll, and assistants Paul Fortier and Chris Clark. Each brings something unique to the table.
Rob O’Driscoll – The first Drexel staff member named by Coach Spiker was JMU mainstay Rob O’Driscoll who served in the same capacity for The Dukes. During his eight seasons on the JMU bench, the team made one NCAA appearance and posted four 20 win seasons. His real value, however, comes with his ability to recruit.
During his four years at Marist he served as the team’s recruitment coordinator and handled a large chunk of the scouting responsibilities. Digging a little deeper, O’Driscoll also has long standing Philadelphia ties having started his career with Villanova way back in 1994 as the team’s administrative assistant while working on his master’s degree in business administration.
The most interesting thing about O’Driscoll is unlike the rest of the coaching staff, he has no college basketball experience on the court. O’Driscoll instead was selected to the Big East All-Academic team in 1992-93. In Tennis.
Paul Fortier – Fortier comes to Drexel from Cal Polytech where he served for three years as an Associate Head Coach. Fortier, who himself was a power forward, was regarded as a key component in the success of the Stangs’ front court in the 2014-2015 season turning out a pair of juniors, one of whom led the team in scoring and the other who put up 1.3 blocks per game. He is the kind of guy that the likes of Rodney Williams could thrive under.
While Fortier lacks the Philadelphia and CAA ties that his colleagues possess, he has been a part of a few successful programs. He was a big part of some strong Cornell teams in the early 2000’s (which is where he met Coach Spiker), and during his eight seasons on the University of Washington bench, he helped coach four teams into the NCAA Tournament and was part of two that made appearances in the Sweet 16.
Chris Clark – Clark is an interesting addition to this coaching staff. Clark is a 2008 graduate and former captain of the Temple University Owls who served most recently as the team’s Video Coordinator, a position that he took at the beginning of the 2015 season. Clark also has coaching experience at first with a four year stint at St. Francis University followed by two years at Campbell University in North Carolina. He real benefit to the Drexel program, however, is in some of his off the court contributions.
A lot of people championed Bruiser Flint because of the positive light that he represented Drexel University and the basketball program in. Carter, like Flint, has a long standing history of volunteerism in and around the Philadelphia area. He is a guy who can guide Coach Spiker through the philanthropic channels of West Philadelphia and while this staff might not accomplish some of the things that Bruiser was able to, Clark could certainly be a key component in maintaining a connection with the community.
When Zach Spiker was named as the new head coach in March, some were quick to point out his weaknesses. His ability to recruit, specifically in Philadelphia, and his lack of ties to the area were two of the most frequently mentioned concerns. While Bruiser Flint chose to rely on his own coaching ability as well as the input of long-time confidant Mike Connors, Spiker has chosen to go in a different direction. With the hiring of O’Driscoll, Fortier, and Clark he has a guy with experience recruiting CAA caliber players, an assistant who has proven himself capable of effectively developing front court players, and a young up and comer with his finger on the pulse of Philadelphia.
Most importantly, Spiker has surrounded himself with a group that has collectively made eleven appearances in the NCAA Tournament, nearly twice as many as the previous staff. Connors and Flint made five of those in house that Calipari built at the University of Massachusetts almost two decades ago. The sixth belongs to John Linehan who danced during his junior year at Providence College in 2000-01.
With the hiring of Zach Spiker, the Drexel Dragons set off in a new direction. The first task, of course, was filling out the rest of the coaching staff. Spiker comes from a different kind of program. Army does not recruit like more traditional Division 1 programs which can be a double edged sword. While it shows Spiker’s ability to in theory do more with less on the court, it could also handicap him when it comes to recruiting in the heavily competitive Mid-Atlantic region.
For most of his time with Drexel, now former head coach Bruiser Flint surrounded himself with guys who were overshadowed by their boss’s perceived ability. A large portion of the front court work fell on the shoulders of Associate Head Coach Mike Connors and while former walk-on Bobby Jordan did an admirable job with recruitment, the bench was largely made up of guys whose resumes either revolved around Bru or had coaching credits that had at least touched the now former head coach during their career.
One of the signs of a strong leader is the self-awareness to know one’s weaknesses and surrounding oneself with support staff that can offer something to address those weaknesses. This past week, Coach Spiker rounded out his coaching staff with the hirings of Associate Head Coach Rob O’Driscoll, and assistants Paul Fortier and Chris Clark. Each brings something unique to the table.
Rob O’Driscoll – The first Drexel staff member named by Coach Spiker was JMU mainstay Rob O’Driscoll who served in the same capacity for The Dukes. During his eight seasons on the JMU bench, the team made one NCAA appearance and posted four 20 win seasons. His real value, however, comes with his ability to recruit.
During his four years at Marist he served as the team’s recruitment coordinator and handled a large chunk of the scouting responsibilities. Digging a little deeper, O’Driscoll also has long standing Philadelphia ties having started his career with Villanova way back in 1994 as the team’s administrative assistant while working on his master’s degree in business administration.
The most interesting thing about O’Driscoll is unlike the rest of the coaching staff, he has no college basketball experience on the court. O’Driscoll instead was selected to the Big East All-Academic team in 1992-93. In Tennis.
Paul Fortier – Fortier comes to Drexel from Cal Polytech where he served for three years as an Associate Head Coach. Fortier, who himself was a power forward, was regarded as a key component in the success of the Stangs’ front court in the 2014-2015 season turning out a pair of juniors, one of whom led the team in scoring and the other who put up 1.3 blocks per game. He is the kind of guy that the likes of Rodney Williams could thrive under.
While Fortier lacks the Philadelphia and CAA ties that his colleagues possess, he has been a part of a few successful programs. He was a big part of some strong Cornell teams in the early 2000’s (which is where he met Coach Spiker), and during his eight seasons on the University of Washington bench, he helped coach four teams into the NCAA Tournament and was part of two that made appearances in the Sweet 16.
Chris Clark – Clark is an interesting addition to this coaching staff. Clark is a 2008 graduate and former captain of the Temple University Owls who served most recently as the team’s Video Coordinator, a position that he took at the beginning of the 2015 season. Clark also has coaching experience at first with a four year stint at St. Francis University followed by two years at Campbell University in North Carolina. He real benefit to the Drexel program, however, is in some of his off the court contributions.
A lot of people championed Bruiser Flint because of the positive light that he represented Drexel University and the basketball program in. Carter, like Flint, has a long standing history of volunteerism in and around the Philadelphia area. He is a guy who can guide Coach Spiker through the philanthropic channels of West Philadelphia and while this staff might not accomplish some of the things that Bruiser was able to, Clark could certainly be a key component in maintaining a connection with the community.
When Zach Spiker was named as the new head coach in March, some were quick to point out his weaknesses. His ability to recruit, specifically in Philadelphia, and his lack of ties to the area were two of the most frequently mentioned concerns. While Bruiser Flint chose to rely on his own coaching ability as well as the input of long-time confidant Mike Connors, Spiker has chosen to go in a different direction. With the hiring of O’Driscoll, Fortier, and Clark he has a guy with experience recruiting CAA caliber players, an assistant who has proven himself capable of effectively developing front court players, and a young up and comer with his finger on the pulse of Philadelphia.
Most importantly, Spiker has surrounded himself with a group that has collectively made eleven appearances in the NCAA Tournament, nearly twice as many as the previous staff. Connors and Flint made five of those in house that Calipari built at the University of Massachusetts almost two decades ago. The sixth belongs to John Linehan who danced during his junior year at Providence College in 2000-01.
Friday, April 1, 2016
Post #281
On Wednesday, November 13, 2013 the blog kicked off. Three short, yet very very long seasons ago the topics of conversation were inbounding issues, lack of feeding the post, and how Bruiser & Co were holding Tavon Allen back and needed to play him more.
Two out of three ain't bad.
We've covered the team live from Baltimore to Madison Square Garden to Boulder, Colorado and points in between. The team we were covering was never particularly good, and without significant troublemakers off the court it'd seem hard to have material for 281 posts, yet material has always been there. When it did seem lean, friends and fellow Drexel supporters would always step up and would write on a message board, put up a facebook post, send an email or text at just the right moment to inspire the next post. When real life kept me from the keyboard, guys like Scott Kier, Mark Walush, Ryan Koechig, Eric Resnick, Nate Hemerly or Pamitha Weerasignhe were there in what started as support roles and has developed into much more. And very few words have gone up without at some point being bounced off of great friend and travel partner Bill Treichel.
The Drexel base is the reason this blog exists. But it's the friends that we've made on our travels that are responsible for the majority of the smart stuff you may read here. Sports journalism hasn't gotten easier over the last three years. Newspaper circulations are down. Media budgets are down as advertising dollars are spread thinly throughout the various mediums now available. Suddenly writers aren't being given opportunities to travel to games, radio has been long gone from Drexel, and writers are being asked to do much more with less resources. And when they don't meet the readers standards, they hear about it. Oh, and they also get to compete against bloggers who try to tell the same stories, many times for free. There are easier places to try and make a living.
Despite the challenge that the blogosphere presents, reporters across the CAA landscape have never, failed to respond to one of my emails or messages. When they have information, they share, and they've treated me like one of their own, even taking on a significantly uphill battle to try and make me smart. To those of you who are on the speed dial please know that I'm not just thankful, I genuinely admire you as well. I hope that I can assist other writers like you have for those of us that write for this site.
There are good relationships at the DAC as well. At least a couple of staff members don't even have Dragons Speak voodoo dolls on their desks. Those that do are welcome to keep denying fans a voice, but at some point I devoutly hope someone notes the empty seats that causes. This program deserves to have all voices heard and respected, and the players deserve for those seats to be filled. I still believe that that can happen. We won't always agree, but we can always do this together. While it's true the stands will be full once the program wins, there's no reason for them to be this empty when the program isn't winning.
This isn't just post #281. It's also post #100 for this basketball season. That's 100 posts in 143 days, along with multiple trips out of state and some great and supportive colleagues covering those late shifts at work for me. This kind of time commitment simply wasn't possible to do alone. Not even close. Those that rose up and assisted in any of a variety of ways are the people who allowed all of Drexel fans voices to still be heard on these pages. This year, as much as any other, that mattered.
What we receive in return for these hours, days and weeks of work are experiences and people that we will never forget. Thanks to everyone who has joined us on the trip: writers, readers, coaches and players alike. Thanks to my best friend for having a hot dinner waiting for me when I get home from work, and then disappear to spend the next few hours typing away in the cave. I'm excited for the Zach Spiker era and what this next year will bring here at the Blog, at the Drexel program and for myself personally. It's a great time to be covering Drexel, and it wouldn't be happening without all of you.
Two out of three ain't bad.
We've covered the team live from Baltimore to Madison Square Garden to Boulder, Colorado and points in between. The team we were covering was never particularly good, and without significant troublemakers off the court it'd seem hard to have material for 281 posts, yet material has always been there. When it did seem lean, friends and fellow Drexel supporters would always step up and would write on a message board, put up a facebook post, send an email or text at just the right moment to inspire the next post. When real life kept me from the keyboard, guys like Scott Kier, Mark Walush, Ryan Koechig, Eric Resnick, Nate Hemerly or Pamitha Weerasignhe were there in what started as support roles and has developed into much more. And very few words have gone up without at some point being bounced off of great friend and travel partner Bill Treichel.
The Drexel base is the reason this blog exists. But it's the friends that we've made on our travels that are responsible for the majority of the smart stuff you may read here. Sports journalism hasn't gotten easier over the last three years. Newspaper circulations are down. Media budgets are down as advertising dollars are spread thinly throughout the various mediums now available. Suddenly writers aren't being given opportunities to travel to games, radio has been long gone from Drexel, and writers are being asked to do much more with less resources. And when they don't meet the readers standards, they hear about it. Oh, and they also get to compete against bloggers who try to tell the same stories, many times for free. There are easier places to try and make a living.
Despite the challenge that the blogosphere presents, reporters across the CAA landscape have never, failed to respond to one of my emails or messages. When they have information, they share, and they've treated me like one of their own, even taking on a significantly uphill battle to try and make me smart. To those of you who are on the speed dial please know that I'm not just thankful, I genuinely admire you as well. I hope that I can assist other writers like you have for those of us that write for this site.
There are good relationships at the DAC as well. At least a couple of staff members don't even have Dragons Speak voodoo dolls on their desks. Those that do are welcome to keep denying fans a voice, but at some point I devoutly hope someone notes the empty seats that causes. This program deserves to have all voices heard and respected, and the players deserve for those seats to be filled. I still believe that that can happen. We won't always agree, but we can always do this together. While it's true the stands will be full once the program wins, there's no reason for them to be this empty when the program isn't winning.
This isn't just post #281. It's also post #100 for this basketball season. That's 100 posts in 143 days, along with multiple trips out of state and some great and supportive colleagues covering those late shifts at work for me. This kind of time commitment simply wasn't possible to do alone. Not even close. Those that rose up and assisted in any of a variety of ways are the people who allowed all of Drexel fans voices to still be heard on these pages. This year, as much as any other, that mattered.
What we receive in return for these hours, days and weeks of work are experiences and people that we will never forget. Thanks to everyone who has joined us on the trip: writers, readers, coaches and players alike. Thanks to my best friend for having a hot dinner waiting for me when I get home from work, and then disappear to spend the next few hours typing away in the cave. I'm excited for the Zach Spiker era and what this next year will bring here at the Blog, at the Drexel program and for myself personally. It's a great time to be covering Drexel, and it wouldn't be happening without all of you.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Next Steps
With the coaching search complete, and Zach Spiker having at least seen his office chair once it seems time to look forward to the nuts and bolts of what will certainly be a hectic offseason. The good news for Coach Spiker is that relative to his last job, he has an ocean of time in front of him to prepare. The bad news is he’s already behind the eight ball, noticeably more with the transfer announcement of Terrell Allen.
The first priority for this week and next is to assemble his staff. The men’s basketball staff, as it sits, seems a bit thin:
While those plans are certainly in motion already, look for them to get wrapped up in the coming days, likely while Coach Spiker and Dr. Zillmer join the rest of the coaching community at the Final Four in Houston.
Spiker had a relatively fresh staff at Army with the exception of Jimmy Allen, who just became Head Coach at Army. That Army wants to retain Spiker’s staff should be seen as a good sign by Drexel and Army fans alike, but it also takes Allen’s name out of consideration for the Drexel bench. Beyond Allen, we will see if Spiker can bring with him one of Justin Jennings, Brandon Linton or Drew Adams.
The rest of the staff will have to come from elsewhere. Once they do, it’ll be on to the very significant phase two: player retention and recruiting for this year and next. Before the recruiting begins the staff will need to know how many holes they have to fill. Once they do, it’ll be off to the races as local and national recruiting showcases (hello Donofrio Classc) are already underway. It’s these first two phases of this offseason that will likely shape the next 2-3 years of Drexel basketball, they are vitally important. And with the transfers being announced left and right, and the spring recruiting efforts off and running time is of the essence.
The importance of this time of year is why UNCW looked like a dumpster fire when they fired their coach midseason and didn’t have a new one signed immediately following the season. And it’s why every Dragon fan looks on and chuckles as the University of Delaware takes their sweet time hiring a new AD and only then will hire a new coach, knowingly losing this time in the process and watching their men’s basketball program meltdown around them.
While his staff, retention and recruiting efforts go on in this critical time period, Coach Spiker will also have the “minor” responsibility of relocating his family, helping his wife settle in their three children to a new environment and all of the logistics around that. This is all a way of saying that now that he has been introduced, fans may not see the coach for a bit. That is a good thing. April isn’t the time to be creating excitement in the fanbase, nor for dog and pony shows. The recruiting dead period in late May or July? Look for a gathering. When ticket sales start up in September, absolutely. But for today, lets just watch what he can do with a one month head start on Delaware.
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Compass
Zach Spiker was introduced as the new Drexel Men's Basketball Head Coach today, in front of a crowd of (in order of estimated quantity):
1) People paid by Drexel or on a Drexel Scholarship
2) Assorted media
3) Penn Athletics Staff
4a) Friends and Family
4b) Drexel Basketball Supporters
Generating support for the program is something that will be discussed throughout this offseason, beginning on these pages later this week. Prior to that will be a triage campaign to maintain the level of support that the program currently has going into the off-season. But if the reader is a donor, or a season ticket holder, or just a fan at large, and a Drexel Athletics staff member happens to cross your path over the next few weeks, here is a question to offer them:
What direction is the program going?
The Spiker hiring was an aggressive, and exciting move. Besides what Coach Spiker brings to the table on the court, the Athletics Department is saving - this is a technical term - oodles of money over the next five years. Most of that savings comes from paying Coach Spiker rather than Bruiser and his Associate Head Coach's sizable contract. Will there be an announcement of where that extra allocation will go?
In Dr. Zillmer's letter to fans, no goals were stated for Coach Spiker with the exception of "He will do great things for Drexel." Stating specific goals in an email before the new coach even meets his team would have been overly aggressive, but a head nod towards a broad goalpost would have been useful. And if this was such a significant day for the university, why wouldn't there be an effort made to ensure it was scheduled at a time that the University President could attend?
Perhaps more insight into the programs direction will be given once the Assistant Coaches are signed. It's worth remembering that the off-season is barely upon us and that there is plenty of time before next season begins. But at any time during the process it should be important to potential donors to know if and how the school is investing in its flagship athletics program. Is this program high on the President's agenda? If one donates, are they going to see the school do their part to ensure a return on that investment? Are there clear and public goals and standards that the money will go towards? And after a new coach was hired, and after a public speach by the Athletic Director, how are these questions now more relevant, and not less?
Donating to a program without a clear agenda or goals, or a program that is just stagnant... well, there's a belief that Drexel fans don't like lighting their money on fire. The hiring of Coach Spiker is an exciting move, but it can't be the final move of this offseason, rather it needs to be the first step in clear leadership. President Fry, Dr. Zillmer now need to execute a decisive "first hundred day" vision that shows leadership, direction, and an avenue for return on investment for potential donors. What they can't do is leave the current question out there floating for months.
What direction is the program going?
1) People paid by Drexel or on a Drexel Scholarship
2) Assorted media
3) Penn Athletics Staff
4a) Friends and Family
4b) Drexel Basketball Supporters
Generating support for the program is something that will be discussed throughout this offseason, beginning on these pages later this week. Prior to that will be a triage campaign to maintain the level of support that the program currently has going into the off-season. But if the reader is a donor, or a season ticket holder, or just a fan at large, and a Drexel Athletics staff member happens to cross your path over the next few weeks, here is a question to offer them:
What direction is the program going?
The Spiker hiring was an aggressive, and exciting move. Besides what Coach Spiker brings to the table on the court, the Athletics Department is saving - this is a technical term - oodles of money over the next five years. Most of that savings comes from paying Coach Spiker rather than Bruiser and his Associate Head Coach's sizable contract. Will there be an announcement of where that extra allocation will go?
In Dr. Zillmer's letter to fans, no goals were stated for Coach Spiker with the exception of "He will do great things for Drexel." Stating specific goals in an email before the new coach even meets his team would have been overly aggressive, but a head nod towards a broad goalpost would have been useful. And if this was such a significant day for the university, why wouldn't there be an effort made to ensure it was scheduled at a time that the University President could attend?
Perhaps more insight into the programs direction will be given once the Assistant Coaches are signed. It's worth remembering that the off-season is barely upon us and that there is plenty of time before next season begins. But at any time during the process it should be important to potential donors to know if and how the school is investing in its flagship athletics program. Is this program high on the President's agenda? If one donates, are they going to see the school do their part to ensure a return on that investment? Are there clear and public goals and standards that the money will go towards? And after a new coach was hired, and after a public speach by the Athletic Director, how are these questions now more relevant, and not less?
Donating to a program without a clear agenda or goals, or a program that is just stagnant... well, there's a belief that Drexel fans don't like lighting their money on fire. The hiring of Coach Spiker is an exciting move, but it can't be the final move of this offseason, rather it needs to be the first step in clear leadership. President Fry, Dr. Zillmer now need to execute a decisive "first hundred day" vision that shows leadership, direction, and an avenue for return on investment for potential donors. What they can't do is leave the current question out there floating for months.
What direction is the program going?
Friday, March 25, 2016
Just #SpikeIt
One of the great advantages of writing on the internet is the ability to reference through link, and in this case also attach additional documentation. Please see the bottom of the piece for some additional related documents.
I don't say this to be braggadocious but Drexel basketball is huge.
That's the clear message sent by the business-first President Fry and Drexel Board of Trustees. When businesses are unsuccessful and their failures would cause mass chaos for the American economic system, the government is forced to step in and protect the citizens. At Drexel, with the legitimate possibility of the DAC roof collapsing at any time because well, it's the DAC, they turned to America's muscle. On Thursday March 24, 2016 it was widely published (Adam Hermann of the Triangle had it first) that Army basketball coach Zach Spiker would be the next men's basketball coach of the Drexel Dragons.
A quick gauge of the online community shows the move appears to be met with mixed reviews. Coach Spiker wasn't one of the "hot" names coming into the offseason, he has an under .500 record and local recruiting connections may or may not exist. When that's whats on the label, it's easy to understand that some will question the move. The Drexel coaching job is a strong opportunity in a strong conference, a position which would be a significant stepping stone for hundreds of coaches - so why this one? The answers come just as easy as the question, and begin with a mea culpa.
While we at the blog did an exhaustive search for candidates before writing our now largely ironic 21 Guns piece, we missed a few names. It was within hours of posting the piece that Coach Spiker's name came up multiple times from sources. He was a hot name, we just whiffed. That's on us as a reporting entity.
With regards to Coach Spiker's under .500 record, Army went 25-35 (.417) in the two years prior to Coach Spiker taking the reins. Once he arrived on campus, on short notice he couldn't do the normal coaching shortcuts, flipping the team with transfers, dumping academic standards, or pouring cash into recruiting - this was Army. He had two options. Roll up his sleeves with the players he had available or roll up his damned sleeves with the players he had available. And while his career record at Army may be under .500, in the final 3 years of his 7 at West Point, when all of the players had spent four years playing for him, the teams record was 49-45 (.521). At West Point. This season, with a senior laden team and lofty goals that were enabled by his work at Army, may have been disappointing. Certainly the home blowout postseason loss to Holy Cross gives reason for pause. But for those pointing at his career win loss record at Army as a reason for concern, it might be worth a deeper look. There's no there, there.
To put it bluntly, the recruiting issue is a concern. Coming from 7 years on the Hudson, where recruiting is unlike 347 other NCAA D-I institutions, it has to be. The response to this is twofold. First, no judgement should be made until he fills out his staff (Associate Head Coach Ashley Howard would be as exciting as it would be unexpected and unrealistic). Second see this, from that rat bastard really good guy and really good coach who coaches at the hellhole down the block:
Sounds pretty similar to the last guy to coach at DU, doesn't it? And he wasn't such a bad recruiter himself.
For all of the great opportunity at Drexel there is an understanding that no potential hire will be a slam dunk. Gregg Marshall, Brad Stevens, Mark Few, those guys aren't walking through that door. The options available at a place like Drexel are a coach who has stubbed his toe at a higher level and is looking for an opportunity to reboot, a coach who has been moderately successful at a similar or lower institution, a coach without Head Coaching experience or... a gamble. And at this level, if you're going to gamble it better be an educated gamble. And that appears to be the best definition of what this hire is.
We know Coach Spiker has been reasonably successful in unusual and challenging circumstances. We can see his pedigree, which is an absolute murderers row. Gregg Marshall, John Beilein, Steven Donahue. And while Bru had Coach Cal at the top of his cell phone, if a recruit asks, Coach Spiker can get Coach K or Bobby Knight on the line, relationships he has seemed to have forged at West Point. We also have some numbers (we'll post another article down the road with more details on numbers and what to expect on the floor) that can tell a story. Keeping in mind the most predictive stats the public has available today are two point shooting percentage, two point defense and turnovers, all of which showed marked improvement from his first season at Army to his seventh:
This wasn't the safe choice. It wasn't the easy choice. But it's a high ceiling choice. It's an aggressive, go for it move, that yes, has a deep floor as well. Mixed reviews, especially if one doesn't look deeply into the choice, are understandable. But all of that is burying the lede. Drexel Athletics just went big. They got aggressive. They took a well informed gamble. Given the complacency that is so often spoken of, this is a stunning move. In his email (posted below) to season ticket holders, Dr. Zillmer spoke of Coach Spiker's energy, his uptempo style, and his "modern coaching" (we'll figure out what that means, promise). He even used this line:
In fact, Zach’s brand of basketball and personality perfectly fits the aspirations of our University as a creative, fast-paced, and innovative institution of higher learning.
It just got a little chillier in Hell, didn't it?
Lets make it a deep freeze.
President Fry, Dr. Zillmer and their staff should be lauded for taking a shot. The letter to fans brilliantly captures and responds to many of the frustrations that have been verbalized for the better part of a decade now. This move can be called a lot of things, but it can't be called safe, complacent, or asleep at the wheel. It's an aggressive shot across the bow to Drexel's CAA brethren, especially those 45 minutes down I-95. And it makes today a proud day to be a Dragon.
For reference:
Coach Spiker's West Point Contract
Coach Spiker's Army Bio
Letter from Dr. Eric Zillmer to fans:
Dear Drexel Basketball Season Ticket Holders,
I wanted to share the great news with you that Zach Spiker, who led Army West Point to its most wins in more than 30 years, has been named the new men’s basketball coach at Drexel University.
Coach Zach Spiker is an exceptional coach and person. He has unbelievable energy and he is a true CEO and modern coach of college basketball. I know you will come to love coach Spiker. His team plays a tactical, up-tempo pace and exceptionally creative basketball. Coach Spiker has a contagious energy and will bring a new excitement to the Drexel fan base, the CAA, and the City of Philadelphia.
In fact, Zach’s brand of basketball and personality perfectly fits the aspirations of our University as a creative, fast-paced, and innovative institution of higher learning.
Drexel’s new coach will be formally introduced to the Drexel community on Tuesday next week at noon outside the DAC. I would like to invite all of you to attend this event.
Zach also worked under well-respected coaches and administrators, all of who endorsed him enthusiastically as an ambassador of basketball and a “sure thing.”
John Beilein – Head Coach, University of Michigan
Gregg Marshall – Head Coach, Wichita State
Steve Donahue – Head Coach, University of Pennsylvania
Kevin Anderson – AD, University of Maryland
Mentored by Mike Kryzewski, Head Coach at Duke University and former West Point Coach.
They all told me the same thing, hire him; he will do great things for Drexel.
Spiker comes to the Dragons from Army West Point, where he spent the past seven seasons as the head coach of the Black Knights. He won 102 games during his time at West Point, tied with Naismith Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight for second all-time at the Academy. This season, Spiker led the Black Knights to a 19-14 record, tied for the best overall mark in the Patriot League. They earned Army’s first postseason appearance since another Hall of Famer, Mike Krzyzewski, led them to the National Invitation Tournament in 1978. The winner of the 2013 Patriot League Coach of the Year award, Spiker was also named a finalist for the 2013 Skip Prosser Man of the Year and the Hugh Durham Award, presented annually to the nation’s top mid-major coach. Spiker was one of only seven coaches in the country to receive at least one vote for the Associated Press National Coach of the Year honor that season.
In the near future and after he transitions from West Point to Drexel, I will personally introduce coach Zach Spiker to you.
Go Dragons!
Dr. Eric A. Zillmer
I don't say this to be braggadocious but Drexel basketball is huge.
That's the clear message sent by the business-first President Fry and Drexel Board of Trustees. When businesses are unsuccessful and their failures would cause mass chaos for the American economic system, the government is forced to step in and protect the citizens. At Drexel, with the legitimate possibility of the DAC roof collapsing at any time because well, it's the DAC, they turned to America's muscle. On Thursday March 24, 2016 it was widely published (Adam Hermann of the Triangle had it first) that Army basketball coach Zach Spiker would be the next men's basketball coach of the Drexel Dragons.
A quick gauge of the online community shows the move appears to be met with mixed reviews. Coach Spiker wasn't one of the "hot" names coming into the offseason, he has an under .500 record and local recruiting connections may or may not exist. When that's whats on the label, it's easy to understand that some will question the move. The Drexel coaching job is a strong opportunity in a strong conference, a position which would be a significant stepping stone for hundreds of coaches - so why this one? The answers come just as easy as the question, and begin with a mea culpa.
While we at the blog did an exhaustive search for candidates before writing our now largely ironic 21 Guns piece, we missed a few names. It was within hours of posting the piece that Coach Spiker's name came up multiple times from sources. He was a hot name, we just whiffed. That's on us as a reporting entity.
With regards to Coach Spiker's under .500 record, Army went 25-35 (.417) in the two years prior to Coach Spiker taking the reins. Once he arrived on campus, on short notice he couldn't do the normal coaching shortcuts, flipping the team with transfers, dumping academic standards, or pouring cash into recruiting - this was Army. He had two options. Roll up his sleeves with the players he had available or roll up his damned sleeves with the players he had available. And while his career record at Army may be under .500, in the final 3 years of his 7 at West Point, when all of the players had spent four years playing for him, the teams record was 49-45 (.521). At West Point. This season, with a senior laden team and lofty goals that were enabled by his work at Army, may have been disappointing. Certainly the home blowout postseason loss to Holy Cross gives reason for pause. But for those pointing at his career win loss record at Army as a reason for concern, it might be worth a deeper look. There's no there, there.
To put it bluntly, the recruiting issue is a concern. Coming from 7 years on the Hudson, where recruiting is unlike 347 other NCAA D-I institutions, it has to be. The response to this is twofold. First, no judgement should be made until he fills out his staff (Associate Head Coach Ashley Howard would be as exciting as it would be unexpected and unrealistic). Second see this, from that rat bastard really good guy and really good coach who coaches at the hellhole down the block:
"Zach has an incredible work ethic, he's willing to put in the time. I think a lot of guys in this business think recruiting is making a big splash and being dynamic in a setting. ... In reality it's the guy that's going to develop relationships over time through hard work, and really fulfilling all the things he talks about with the coaches and the families, and Zach does a great job of staying on top of kids and making them realize he's there for them. He did that for us time and again."
Sounds pretty similar to the last guy to coach at DU, doesn't it? And he wasn't such a bad recruiter himself.
For all of the great opportunity at Drexel there is an understanding that no potential hire will be a slam dunk. Gregg Marshall, Brad Stevens, Mark Few, those guys aren't walking through that door. The options available at a place like Drexel are a coach who has stubbed his toe at a higher level and is looking for an opportunity to reboot, a coach who has been moderately successful at a similar or lower institution, a coach without Head Coaching experience or... a gamble. And at this level, if you're going to gamble it better be an educated gamble. And that appears to be the best definition of what this hire is.
We know Coach Spiker has been reasonably successful in unusual and challenging circumstances. We can see his pedigree, which is an absolute murderers row. Gregg Marshall, John Beilein, Steven Donahue. And while Bru had Coach Cal at the top of his cell phone, if a recruit asks, Coach Spiker can get Coach K or Bobby Knight on the line, relationships he has seemed to have forged at West Point. We also have some numbers (we'll post another article down the road with more details on numbers and what to expect on the floor) that can tell a story. Keeping in mind the most predictive stats the public has available today are two point shooting percentage, two point defense and turnovers, all of which showed marked improvement from his first season at Army to his seventh:
 |
| Educated Gamble |
This wasn't the safe choice. It wasn't the easy choice. But it's a high ceiling choice. It's an aggressive, go for it move, that yes, has a deep floor as well. Mixed reviews, especially if one doesn't look deeply into the choice, are understandable. But all of that is burying the lede. Drexel Athletics just went big. They got aggressive. They took a well informed gamble. Given the complacency that is so often spoken of, this is a stunning move. In his email (posted below) to season ticket holders, Dr. Zillmer spoke of Coach Spiker's energy, his uptempo style, and his "modern coaching" (we'll figure out what that means, promise). He even used this line:
In fact, Zach’s brand of basketball and personality perfectly fits the aspirations of our University as a creative, fast-paced, and innovative institution of higher learning.
It just got a little chillier in Hell, didn't it?
Lets make it a deep freeze.
President Fry, Dr. Zillmer and their staff should be lauded for taking a shot. The letter to fans brilliantly captures and responds to many of the frustrations that have been verbalized for the better part of a decade now. This move can be called a lot of things, but it can't be called safe, complacent, or asleep at the wheel. It's an aggressive shot across the bow to Drexel's CAA brethren, especially those 45 minutes down I-95. And it makes today a proud day to be a Dragon.
For reference:
Coach Spiker's West Point Contract
Coach Spiker's Army Bio
Letter from Dr. Eric Zillmer to fans:
Dear Drexel Basketball Season Ticket Holders,
I wanted to share the great news with you that Zach Spiker, who led Army West Point to its most wins in more than 30 years, has been named the new men’s basketball coach at Drexel University.
Coach Zach Spiker is an exceptional coach and person. He has unbelievable energy and he is a true CEO and modern coach of college basketball. I know you will come to love coach Spiker. His team plays a tactical, up-tempo pace and exceptionally creative basketball. Coach Spiker has a contagious energy and will bring a new excitement to the Drexel fan base, the CAA, and the City of Philadelphia.
In fact, Zach’s brand of basketball and personality perfectly fits the aspirations of our University as a creative, fast-paced, and innovative institution of higher learning.
Drexel’s new coach will be formally introduced to the Drexel community on Tuesday next week at noon outside the DAC. I would like to invite all of you to attend this event.
Zach also worked under well-respected coaches and administrators, all of who endorsed him enthusiastically as an ambassador of basketball and a “sure thing.”
John Beilein – Head Coach, University of Michigan
Gregg Marshall – Head Coach, Wichita State
Steve Donahue – Head Coach, University of Pennsylvania
Kevin Anderson – AD, University of Maryland
Mentored by Mike Kryzewski, Head Coach at Duke University and former West Point Coach.
They all told me the same thing, hire him; he will do great things for Drexel.
Spiker comes to the Dragons from Army West Point, where he spent the past seven seasons as the head coach of the Black Knights. He won 102 games during his time at West Point, tied with Naismith Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight for second all-time at the Academy. This season, Spiker led the Black Knights to a 19-14 record, tied for the best overall mark in the Patriot League. They earned Army’s first postseason appearance since another Hall of Famer, Mike Krzyzewski, led them to the National Invitation Tournament in 1978. The winner of the 2013 Patriot League Coach of the Year award, Spiker was also named a finalist for the 2013 Skip Prosser Man of the Year and the Hugh Durham Award, presented annually to the nation’s top mid-major coach. Spiker was one of only seven coaches in the country to receive at least one vote for the Associated Press National Coach of the Year honor that season.
In the near future and after he transitions from West Point to Drexel, I will personally introduce coach Zach Spiker to you.
Go Dragons!
Dr. Eric A. Zillmer
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Quicksand
One can lead while advancing. Contrary to popular belief, one can lead
while in retreat. It’s standing still
that makes a leader hard to find.
President Fry and the Board of Trustees have led Drexel into a
sprawling, competitive future throughout the prior six years. While still a work in progress, the business
minded pursuit of excellence was most recently shown in the announcement of Schuylkill Yards, the 3.5 billion dollar expansion plan announced earlier this
month. The leadership and quest for
better is also what led to the dismissal of Drexel Men’s Basketball Head Coach
Bruiser Flint just a week later.
That Drexel Athletics has not kept up with the growth of the
rest of the university is not question, it is fact. From the Armory debacle of the early ought’s
to the significant empty seats at all athletic competitions this year, things at the
NCAA level in the department have been at a relative standstill when compared to
the overwhelming growth and construction seen throughout the rest of the
University. Some of
that can be accredited to Coach Flint’s lack of success, as a rising tide in
basketball would certainly rise all boats.
There are more challenges in today’s NCAA atmosphere than there were
when Coach Flint was hired, and as Drexel looks to hire their next Men’s
Basketball Coach it’s not the coach, but rather the leadership and symbolism
shown by the administration that should
be the main concern of Drexel supporters and donors.
The newest, largest burden for the school is the NCAA’s
admission of the Cost of Attendance stipend for athletes. Some CAA schools are going to pay this
stipend, it appears others will not.
Both Athletic Director Eric Zillmer and President Fry have been outspokenat a national level about the concerns that the COA will bring and the rise in
spending within college athletics departments – many of which are a cost center
and not a profit center for the school.
That they have been so outspoken about cost control in athletics while
the rest of the university grows at impressive rates seems telling. There appears to be a clear belief that
Drexel Athletics will remain a cost center for the broader University. It almost begs for a new slogan - Drexel Athletics:
DragOn Growth.
While these statements by Dr. Zillmer and President Fry were
recently spoken , it’s also worth noting that Eric Zillmer brought Drexel
Athletics forward by taking the leap from the America East Conference to the CAA
in 2001. And when President Fry hit
campus, one of his first major moves was to give Bruiser Flint the
longest and most expensive contract extension a coach has received at Drexel. DAC renovations are continuing. Money is being poured into the squash
program. These are all signs of investment
and a desire to grow.
If the reader is confused by all of this, please note that
the writer shares your company. On the
one hand their words and outspoken criticisms of the finances of college
athletics seem to make Drexel primed for a step backwards to the comforts of
the America East Conference, Patriot League or even down a Division. On the other hand the growth of
the university, the contract that Coach Flint was working under and his recent release lead to the belief that the university would like to push forward and
become a prominent name on the Athletics scene in a Philadelphia market. There may be
financial opportunity in becoming a local, conference or national leader.
Perhaps the largest reason for the confusion is the lack of
clear and concise standards shown by either Dr. Zillmer or President Fry. In a letter to season ticket holders the dismissal of Coach Flint was said as “[Taking] the men’s basketball program in a different direction” without
stating what direction the department is looking to go in. Are they looking for a surge in spending to
catch up to the rest of the university?
Is it time to acknowledge the rampant spending in D-I and take a step
back? What are the standards that Drexel
Athletics ascribes to that Bruiser Flint didn’t meet? All of those are unknown, and with them being
unknown comes significant challenges towards advancing ticket sales, donations
and other development.
What program donors, ticket holders and other stakeholders
do have to look towards is this next coaching hire. It may be the most clear statement they
receive as to the aspirations of President Fry and Dr. Zillmer. A rising young assistant from a high major
school is a clear nod towards future growth.
A more seasoned coach from a lower, academically focused league presents
a less clear message. A D-II coach may
present a clear message in the other direction.
That is generalizing and it’s important not to do that here – each name
brings its own opportunity to the table, but the point remains. This hire is a message. The message of this hire can, and should,
determine development efforts within the department for years to come.
When Oklahoma State hired a coach, the school's goal was known. Similarly, when Dartmouth hires a coach later
this month, their goal will be known as well.
At Drexel, there is a unique situation.
A turning point, and there are arguments to be made for transition in
either direction, let it be acknowledging the challenging climate of D-I and
the CAA today or playing catchup with the rest of the University. The one thing, and the only thing, that fans
should find unacceptable is doing neither.
As Ryan Koechig acknowledged in yesterday’s post on prospective hire Zach Spiker, this athletics
department has stood still while their peers, both internal and external have
moved.
The one thing that stakeholders
should find unacceptable with the next hire is a parallel move. The school needs to show decisiveness, in
either direction, or else they will continue to pay large dollars for very few
returns. As the empty seats of the last
few years have shown, including that sad scene in the game against James Madison where President Fry sat alone in the President's Suite, a lateral move is not a profitable move. One can lead while in retreat. One can lead while advancing. It’s standing still that makes a leader hard
to find.
Monday, March 21, 2016
Spiking The Punch During the Dance
With Zach Spiker's name regularly being mentioned as part of Drexel's coaching search, Ryan Koechig took to some research on the candidate. Here is some back story on one of the members of Drexel's "Short List":
There would be no arguing if you were to think of the current state of the Drexel men’s basketball program as being the same as the Black Knight in Monty Python’s Holy Grail after his fight with King Arthur.
There would be no arguing if you were to think of the current state of the Drexel men’s basketball program as being the same as the Black Knight in Monty Python’s Holy Grail after his fight with King Arthur.
I will find any reason to make a Monty Python reference
Conference defections, losses, injuries and a plunge in attendance seem to have the program limbless on the ground and watching as all of the other programs in the CAA pass us by. New arenas, new practice facilities, new coaches or even new conferences have greeted rivals both new and old in recent years, while Drexel has remained relatively unchanged. So, if you’re Drexel Director of Athletics Eric Zillmer, who do you look towards to help put your Black Knight back together?
How about another Black Knight?
A few weeks ago, as the proverbial writing seemed to be on the wall pointing towards a change, a group made the leap to analyze the staffs of a number of schools searching for potential replacements. You can go back and read the list of 21 potentials here. Every name that is on that list is from a school that has played in the NCAA tournament at some point in their history. So it would seem an odd choice to turn the sites for candidate 22 to one of the five original programs to have never made it to the NCAA Tournament. Those five are The Citadel, St. Francis (NY), Northwestern, our friends the pantsless Griffins of William and Mary and The United States Military Academy at West Point. One of those schools happens to be the Black Knights, and I’m writing this to introduce you to their head coach.
When you think of a head coach producing program, the first one to come to mind is probably not Army (it’s probably not in the top fifty). However, two coaches you’ve probably heard of have roamed the sidelines as coach of the then Cadets: Bob Knight and Mike Krzyzewski. With that in mind, let’s take a look at their current coach, Zach Spiker. If you’ve been paying attention online, you would have seen his name pop up as a potential candidate to succeed Bruiser Flint over the weekend. He has just completed his seventh season at the helm in West Point after taking over from recently dismissed St. Louis coach Jim Crews after he was dismissed at Army and found a landing spot on Rick Majerus’ Billiken staff. Over those seven years, Spiker has amassed an overall record of 102-111 and a Patriot League record of 45-65, while never finishing the regular season higher than fourth and with no postseason appearances of any kind. You are now probably a bit upset that I’ve made you read about 450 words leading up to a coach who has a losing record, but let's dig a little deeper.
The final season of Coach K’s stint as Army’s head coach was the 1979-80 season. He finished his fifth season with a record of 9-17. Since that year, Army has finished .500 or better only four times. Zach Spiker has been the coach for three of them, and they’ve all occurred in the last four years. Army has had only three seasons where they finished the Patriot League regular season with a .500 or better record since joining the league for the 1990-91 season. Zach Spiker is the coach that has accomplished that as well. Three coaches in Army history have won 65 or more games in their first five seasons as coach, Bob Knight, Mike Krzyzewski and Zach Spiker. Spiker has led the Black Knights to 15 or more wins four years in a row. That’s the first time that’s happened for the program since a run from 1920-1924. He’s done this at a school that holds its athletes to standards that are even higher than what they would be here at Drexel while also dealing with the Academic Index of the Patriot League. So while the overall and conference records may not be as impressive as you may want, the success he’s had in a very difficult location for coaches is impressive.
Spiker, 39 (he’ll be 40 by the time next season starts), is a 2000 graduate of Ithaca College where he was a member of the basketball team. After graduation, he immediately began his coaching career as a graduate assistant under current Wichita St. coach Gregg Marshall at Winthrop University. He spent two seasons in Rock Hill, S.C. with each one ending in a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Spiker then moved on to West Virginia University where he was an administrative assistant under current Michigan coach John Beilein. His responsibilities with the Mountaineers included on-campus recruiting visits, postgame film development and opposition scouting. WVU was invited to the NIT in his second and final year there, in which he also was awarded his master’s degree in sport management. Spiker returned to Ithaca, New York in 2004 joining the staff at Cornell under the leadership of current Penn coach Steve Donahue. His time as an assistant saw a huge turnaround of the Cornell program. As one of the lead recruiters, the Big Red would win three consecutive Ivy League titles (the third was after Spiker left to coach Army) and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament that came with them. Cornell became the first school that wasn’t Penn or Princeton to accomplish a three-peat. Cornell would also set season program marks for wins, points, three point field goals and blocks during his time there. Spiker would leave Ithaca for West Point after five seasons and Cornell posting a 50-20 Ivy League record in that time frame.
Spiker’s hiring at Army did not follow the conventional former "Coach is fired at end of year and a new guy is brought in shortly after" timeline. Jim Crews had just signed a contract over the summer to remain the Black Knights’ coach. However, a confrontation with a player led to Crews being removed on September 24, just a few weeks before the beginning of the 2009-10 season. A phone call from Steve Donahue to Army AD Kevin Anderson to recommend his top assistant for the Army position ultimately led to Spiker signing a six-year deal for his first head coaching gig. From his now former boss:
"Zach has an incredible work ethic," Donahue said. "He's willing to put in the time. I think a lot of guys in this business think recruiting is making a big splash and being dynamic in a setting. ... In reality it's the guy that's going to develop relationships over time through hard work, and really fulfilling all the things he talks about with the coaches and the families, and Zach does a great job of staying on top of kids and making them realize he's there for them. He did that for us time and again."
The question that really matters most is what could Drexel expect from a Coach Spiker led squad? That limbless Black Knight used as a metaphor for the Drexel program would need to regenerate some legs, because it’s going to run. Army has run at a top 75 Tempo in the country every year, save his first, that Coach Spiker has been in charge, reaching as high as 10th for the 2014-15 season. The Dragons will also need to regenerate their arms as stats show they will be jacking up a lot more three point attempts. Army has finished in the top 60 in the nation in terms of percentage of shots taken behind the arc every year, again, except for Spiker’s first year. All of this has resulted in a program that ranked 317th in offensive scoring per game his first season, to one that has now ranked in the top 100 for three of the last four seasons. The increase in scoring has been accomplished by an effective field goal percentage that has generally ranked in the top half of the country helped by ball movement that has seen the Black Knights with an assist rate consistently in the mid to upper 50's. That's important. It's a big piece that DU has been missing, and it's a key indicator of a well run offense.
There are some concerns with Coach Spiker, which is to be expected when looking for a replacement at Drexel’s level. It will be very important for Dr. Zillmer to decide whether these concerns are a function of the school and conference that Spiker coaches in or whether these are defects that will need to be addressed in the hiring of a potential staff of assistants. Chief among these concerns is that of the Black Knights’ defensive play. Jim Crews had gotten Army to being a top 100 defensive efficiency program while the offense lagged far behind. The top 100 ranking held during Spiker’s first season, but then saw it fall to where it bounced between the low to higher 200s. Perhaps this was a function of the aforementioned school/conference, however, looking at the same stat adjusted for only Patriot League play shows that Army has finished an average of 6th during the Spiker regime. That would seem to imply that the issue is with either the players that can be brought into Army being limited, or this being a deficiency in his coaching ability. This most recent season saw the team’s defensive efficiency settle at 197, the second season in a row that this metric has improved. Should Spiker end up the hire, there would be no way of knowing whether these last two years were the makings of a trend or just a couple year blip.
Another concern is on the offensive end. While it is true that the Black Knights have been one of the better scoring teams since Coach Spiker took over, the efficiency at which they have scored has not been all that great. Five of his seven years have seen Army’s offensive efficiency rank between 245-335 nationally. The two better years were 2012-13 and 2013-14 where they ranked 120th and 175th respectively. Again, looking at this metric adjusted for only Patriot League play, Army has an average offensive efficiency rank of 6.6. The main reason for this disconnect would appear to be due to the Black Knights turning the ball over on roughly 20% of their possessions. Another potential issue is their very low free throw rate not allowing them to pick up free points, which is likely correlated to the abundance of three point attempts his teams take. They haven't gone inside enough to be fouled at a regular clip, which may be coach, but is just as likely due to the normally undersized Army squads.
All in all, Zach Spiker is a very intriguing candidate for head coach of the Drexel Men’s Basketball program. He would definitely appear to be a complete 180 from the Bruiser Flint Era in terms of tempo and defensive prowess. A contract extension he signed with Army prior to the 2013-14 season and lasting through the 2017-18 season would need to be addressed, but if he has emerged as one of the lead candidates, it would appear to be a minor issue. While he has definitely had some success in a difficult coaching situation, there would be a risk in assuming that some of the red flags that were discussed would be mitigated by his moving to a conference that should be able to attract more talented players. Depending on who would round out his coaching staff, it could be a risk very much worth taking. If anything, his hire would add another level of intrigue in the Battle of 33rd Street as Spiker would be going up versus his mentor and former boss in Steve Donahue.
He’s also undefeated against Delaware.
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Rumblings From the Search
Below are some assorted nuggets from the grapevine commingled with some internal thoughts that will answer some frequently asked questions, and perhaps create others:
--Yes, Bashir Mason and Geoff Arnold are likely picking up interviews. There are many reasons for both the school and the individuals to go through this process, both practical and political, but don't expect much to come of it.
--The Hoop Dirt piece from 3/10 jibes with what I have been hearing. The standards that Bruiser Flint maintained are expected to be, well, maintained, on the academic and compliance side. That makes a long look at Ivy and Patriot League coaches worth doing, but don't forget some high majors like Notre Dame. On those lines, I think the link to the Pitino family may damage Kimani Young's (asst coach, Minnesota) chances.
--The two names that have come across my desk the most this week? Zach Spiker of Army and Will Brown of Albany. Neither screams instant turnaround, recruiting mastermind or excitement, but both are coaches worthy of this level and known as good people. Spiker in particular has run good offense at Army, which is tough to do, and is on the younger/up-and-coming side. And the track record of Army coaches... is not bad.
--I have not heard the names Brian Earl, Niko Medved or Kevin Kuwik at all. Really hope those names get the consideration that they deserve, if they are interested. They fit the bill and are remarkable individuals.
--The two top names from the earlier piece looking at coaches around the country continue to show up. I believe Caputo's sites are higher, but Inglesby feels about right for this level.
--The Doug Overton rumors haven't died, and there appears to be interest with Scott Cherry.
--Yes, Bashir Mason and Geoff Arnold are likely picking up interviews. There are many reasons for both the school and the individuals to go through this process, both practical and political, but don't expect much to come of it.
--The Hoop Dirt piece from 3/10 jibes with what I have been hearing. The standards that Bruiser Flint maintained are expected to be, well, maintained, on the academic and compliance side. That makes a long look at Ivy and Patriot League coaches worth doing, but don't forget some high majors like Notre Dame. On those lines, I think the link to the Pitino family may damage Kimani Young's (asst coach, Minnesota) chances.
--The two names that have come across my desk the most this week? Zach Spiker of Army and Will Brown of Albany. Neither screams instant turnaround, recruiting mastermind or excitement, but both are coaches worthy of this level and known as good people. Spiker in particular has run good offense at Army, which is tough to do, and is on the younger/up-and-coming side. And the track record of Army coaches... is not bad.
--I have not heard the names Brian Earl, Niko Medved or Kevin Kuwik at all. Really hope those names get the consideration that they deserve, if they are interested. They fit the bill and are remarkable individuals.
--The two top names from the earlier piece looking at coaches around the country continue to show up. I believe Caputo's sites are higher, but Inglesby feels about right for this level.
--The Doug Overton rumors haven't died, and there appears to be interest with Scott Cherry.
--The name that was a bad miss on the perspective candidates piece was Joe Jones. He's a complete fit to the profile and if the price is right I think he would take the gig. Head coaching experience at elite academic schools (Columbia, BU) with assistant experience at Villanova and Hofstra, providing a local and CAA connection. He has some Philly/NJ kids on the BU roster, he can recruit the area if you're into that. His name hasn't come across my desk, and he may be slightly older than they are targeting, but he makes too much sense and he's too good of a coach not to take a long look at.
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Bracket Tips from the Analytics Department
A big thank you to everyone who took the time to reach out yesterday, your generosity is very much appreciated.
Today we borrow from last years bracket tips article to offer some bracket advice for this season. Here is some guidance for your 2016 NCAA Tournament:
Location Matters
Studies have shown over and over again that referees calls are influenced by fan behavior. This is a fact of life. In arenas where there is a strong rooting interest, there will be an advantage at play for the well supported team. In the NCAA tournament, those fans will also root for a live underdog in the other game at the same arena, hoping their team will get an easier draw. Here are some teams with large followings who will see some type of home court draw:
Temple & Villanova, rounds 1&2 (Brooklyn)
Yale, rounds 1&2 (Providence)
Oklahoma, Texas & Texas A&M, rounds 1&2 (Oklahoma City)
North Carolina, rounds 1&2 (Raleigh)
Purdue, rounds 3&4 (Chicago)
Look for Balance
In the last two seasons, 19 of the 24 Elite 8 teams were in the top 50 in the country in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Here are a list of contenders that people are picking this year, but will not end the year in the top 50 in both categories. Don't expect a deep run from:
Team (Seed)
Kentucky (4)
Iowa St (4)
Duke (4)
Indiana (5)
Baylor (5)
Notre Dame (6)
Dayton (7)
Oregon St (7)
So Yale/Baylor...
Winning Streaks Lead to Winning It All
In the past decade, 5 of the 10 NCAA Tournament winners were "major conference" teams that also won their conference tournament. Since only 7 of the teams in the field were major conference winners (6 before the American Athletic Conference came around), a 50% hit rate from those 7 of 64 teams is extremely impressive. The sample is small, but it seems to point to the idea that no one "needs a loss" to go into the tournament hungry. Here are your major conference tourney winners this year:
Kansas
Oregon
North Carolina
Michigan St
Seton Hall
Kentucky
Connecticut
Defense Wins Championships
In the past 6 years, every national champion has been in the top 15 nationally in defensive efficiency and done that against top 20 offensive strength of schedules. Here are the teams that could do that this year:
Virginia
Kansas
Michigan St
West Virginia
Villanova
Oklahoma
North Carolina
Seton Hall
Wisconsin
One and Done, but not Done Done
In this season we've seen a lack of impact from "1 and done" freshman similar to those that have propelled Kentucky, Duke and others in years past. This provides an opportunity to fall back on the old standby that experience brings wins come tourney time. While mid majors such as Tulsa, Arkansas Little Rock and Chattanooga lead the field in experience, Iowa St, Miami, and Oklahoma are in the top 50 nationally as well. Congrats to those programs for developing talent at the major conference level, and maybe passing out a degree or two as well.
One Last Note
I've never won a bracket pool in my life. The greatness of March is that it supersedes number, every game is one small sample size after the next, and we will cheer like hell for Cinderella the entire way. So after you're done with this and carefully made your picks... rip it up and just flip a coin for each game.
March is here. Enjoy the holiday.
Today we borrow from last years bracket tips article to offer some bracket advice for this season. Here is some guidance for your 2016 NCAA Tournament:
Location Matters
Studies have shown over and over again that referees calls are influenced by fan behavior. This is a fact of life. In arenas where there is a strong rooting interest, there will be an advantage at play for the well supported team. In the NCAA tournament, those fans will also root for a live underdog in the other game at the same arena, hoping their team will get an easier draw. Here are some teams with large followings who will see some type of home court draw:
Temple & Villanova, rounds 1&2 (Brooklyn)
Yale, rounds 1&2 (Providence)
Oklahoma, Texas & Texas A&M, rounds 1&2 (Oklahoma City)
North Carolina, rounds 1&2 (Raleigh)
Purdue, rounds 3&4 (Chicago)
Look for Balance
In the last two seasons, 19 of the 24 Elite 8 teams were in the top 50 in the country in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Here are a list of contenders that people are picking this year, but will not end the year in the top 50 in both categories. Don't expect a deep run from:
Team (Seed)
Kentucky (4)
Iowa St (4)
Duke (4)
Indiana (5)
Baylor (5)
Notre Dame (6)
Dayton (7)
Oregon St (7)
So Yale/Baylor...
Winning Streaks Lead to Winning It All
In the past decade, 5 of the 10 NCAA Tournament winners were "major conference" teams that also won their conference tournament. Since only 7 of the teams in the field were major conference winners (6 before the American Athletic Conference came around), a 50% hit rate from those 7 of 64 teams is extremely impressive. The sample is small, but it seems to point to the idea that no one "needs a loss" to go into the tournament hungry. Here are your major conference tourney winners this year:
Kansas
Oregon
North Carolina
Michigan St
Seton Hall
Kentucky
Connecticut
Defense Wins Championships
In the past 6 years, every national champion has been in the top 15 nationally in defensive efficiency and done that against top 20 offensive strength of schedules. Here are the teams that could do that this year:
Virginia
Kansas
Michigan St
West Virginia
Villanova
Oklahoma
North Carolina
Seton Hall
Wisconsin
One and Done, but not Done Done
In this season we've seen a lack of impact from "1 and done" freshman similar to those that have propelled Kentucky, Duke and others in years past. This provides an opportunity to fall back on the old standby that experience brings wins come tourney time. While mid majors such as Tulsa, Arkansas Little Rock and Chattanooga lead the field in experience, Iowa St, Miami, and Oklahoma are in the top 50 nationally as well. Congrats to those programs for developing talent at the major conference level, and maybe passing out a degree or two as well.
One Last Note
I've never won a bracket pool in my life. The greatness of March is that it supersedes number, every game is one small sample size after the next, and we will cheer like hell for Cinderella the entire way. So after you're done with this and carefully made your picks... rip it up and just flip a coin for each game.
March is here. Enjoy the holiday.
Monday, March 14, 2016
In Darkness There is Light
Robert L Crain passed away this weekend. To many, he was a brilliant man, an Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins University and then a Professor at Columbia University. To others, he was less than perfect, as are we all. To me, he was simply Grandpa Bob.
It took some time for word of this passing to find me. Families, as it turns out, can be hard. I've been reminded today - often - that this passing was not sudden. After eight years of intense care, it was simply the end of a long, painful and unhappy road. I choose not to be angry about that. There are lessons to be learned for all of us, but I chose to take the day, with the very helpful and strong support of many around me, to look at his passions. While he had many, there were two that very much stood out to me on a personal level: Equality, and College Basketball.
Professor Crain spent a career studying, testifying, and teaching the joys of desegregation in education, a somewhat obscure choice for a Kentucky raised child of the 1930's. I choose not to bastardize his career on these pages, as my scant study can't speak towards decades of work. I do feel comfortable saying this: He was outspoken. He knew the difference between right and wrong. He wanted to see us, as a society, do better. While there are a number of themes to his research, the thread that I choose to pull on is this: We do better as a society when we interact. Mix the wealthy with the poor and as a nation we see more success. Mix cultures and we may see less hate. It's not easy. No one is pretending anything. But it is also there for the taking. Regardless of what separates us, age, race, education, or just opinion, when we come together, especially in an organized setting, we more often than not move forward.
While I know he was a college basketball fan because in Kentucky it's illegal not to be, I'd like to think that he also enjoyed the game because of the way the game has evolved. This weekend, on national TV, a melting pot of the inner city, the country, and the immigrant will take the floor when the tournament tips off. Many writers will take the easy way out and talk about the joke that is the NCAA. Others will write about the players as exploited labor. Still more stories will flow once the first player gets suspended due to on or off the court actions. All of those will be fair to write, and low hanging fruit for those that write about them. The harder story, but the much, much greater story, is about how kids from 13 different backgrounds came together, bonded, and will very likely live a better life because they had this experience. College basketball allows kids to cross the railroad tracks, to cross the country and to cross the world. To some of the players that exposure alone is worth even more than the scholarship and degree. My grandfather spent a lifetime observing just that. As his journey comes to an end, that spirit will not. His legacy will continue in thousands of children. Because he was outspoken. And he was right. And he got to see basketball make us all just a little bit better.
It took some time for word of this passing to find me. Families, as it turns out, can be hard. I've been reminded today - often - that this passing was not sudden. After eight years of intense care, it was simply the end of a long, painful and unhappy road. I choose not to be angry about that. There are lessons to be learned for all of us, but I chose to take the day, with the very helpful and strong support of many around me, to look at his passions. While he had many, there were two that very much stood out to me on a personal level: Equality, and College Basketball.
Professor Crain spent a career studying, testifying, and teaching the joys of desegregation in education, a somewhat obscure choice for a Kentucky raised child of the 1930's. I choose not to bastardize his career on these pages, as my scant study can't speak towards decades of work. I do feel comfortable saying this: He was outspoken. He knew the difference between right and wrong. He wanted to see us, as a society, do better. While there are a number of themes to his research, the thread that I choose to pull on is this: We do better as a society when we interact. Mix the wealthy with the poor and as a nation we see more success. Mix cultures and we may see less hate. It's not easy. No one is pretending anything. But it is also there for the taking. Regardless of what separates us, age, race, education, or just opinion, when we come together, especially in an organized setting, we more often than not move forward.
While I know he was a college basketball fan because in Kentucky it's illegal not to be, I'd like to think that he also enjoyed the game because of the way the game has evolved. This weekend, on national TV, a melting pot of the inner city, the country, and the immigrant will take the floor when the tournament tips off. Many writers will take the easy way out and talk about the joke that is the NCAA. Others will write about the players as exploited labor. Still more stories will flow once the first player gets suspended due to on or off the court actions. All of those will be fair to write, and low hanging fruit for those that write about them. The harder story, but the much, much greater story, is about how kids from 13 different backgrounds came together, bonded, and will very likely live a better life because they had this experience. College basketball allows kids to cross the railroad tracks, to cross the country and to cross the world. To some of the players that exposure alone is worth even more than the scholarship and degree. My grandfather spent a lifetime observing just that. As his journey comes to an end, that spirit will not. His legacy will continue in thousands of children. Because he was outspoken. And he was right. And he got to see basketball make us all just a little bit better.
 |
| Almost 20 years ago... |
Looking Back to Look Ahead
The below is contributed by Scott Kier, who looks to the past in order to see the potential of Drexel's future.
Editor's note: This post has been updated with bdragon's much appreciated history refresher.
Twenty years ago I was a high school junior with a front row seat from the end of the bench of my school's varsity basketball team watching one of the most exciting players in New Jersey ball that season. His name was John Tice, and he was a year ahead of me and bound for Fairfield. A year later, he would play and lose in the round of 64 to the North Carolina Tar Heels in what would be Dean Smith's last season on the UNC bench.
I was disenchanted with my high school sporting experience. I was never good enough to get much farther than the 10th or 9th guy off the bench at the varsity level, and with a bum knee slowing me down I decided that it was time for me to move on. My off days from practice and games were spent watching what I considered to be a much more exciting brand of basketball that was taking place about 80 miles to the southwest in West Philadelphia. Drexel University was enjoying the best season in the history of the school.
Coached by Bill Herrion, and led on the court by junior guard Jeff Myers (who came to University City by way of St. Francis), freshman sniper Mike Derocckis, and the legendary Malik Rose, the team strung together impressive winning streaks of 8 and later 15 games, and put up a near perfect NAC conference record of 17-1. The next closest team in the standings was Boston University with a record of 13-5.
The team was dominant in regular season play. While their schedule could have been more challenging they put up a 23-3 record as they entered the Northeast Athletic Conference tournament with loses to Murray State, Oklahoma, and BU. Rose averaged a double-double putting up 20.2 points and 13.2 rebounds per game for the season. He carried the front court as a three guard contribution by Myers, Derocckis, and Cornelius Overby provided the majority of the remaining scoring.
The fifth starter on the team was 6'9" Chuck Guittar, playing in his first of two seasons at Drexel after transferring from Division II school New Haven. Guittar was Herrion's second transfer capture after Brian Holden, who was recruited by Herrion at BU before joining him at Drexel for three successful years as a Dragon. While he was not as much of an outside threat as Holden was, Guittar's outside shooting ability coupled with his height made him an important weapon to this team. His capture, along with that of Holden, showed Herrion's ability to build a well balanced, competitive team.
On March 14, 1996 just one week after the team secured their third consecutive NCAA tournament bid, Drexel took to the court as the 12th seed against the 5th seeded Memphis Tigers who were led by sophomore center Lorenzen Wright. For the next 40 minutes, the Tiger bigs would battle with Malik Rose, who put up 21 points and 15 rebounds. The other four Drexel starters, Overby, Derocckis, Myers, and Guittar added 10, 15, 14, and 10 respectively and on that day nearly 2,000 miles away from the home court in West Philadelphia, Drexel did the unthinkable and walked away with their first tournament victory in school history. And they did not just win, but they won big with a 12 point edge in the final 75-63 score.
Malik Rose, who fittingly scored the 2,000th point in the biggest victory of his college career, injured his ankle in that game which took a bit of his edge away when the team took on Syracuse just two days later. Despite being injured, Rose played all 40 minutes in his final college game against the Orangemen and put up a very respectable 11 points and 15 rebounds. His injury, and presumably playing with a short bench on short rest meant that despite their best effort, the Dragons just could not keep up with the higher ranked Syracuse. Drexel hung with them though, as they went to the locker room with the game tied at 24 but the second half told a different story as Syracuse pulled away to a 69-58 victory.
That was the last NCAA tournament game that the Dragons' Men's Basketball team played, and the only time in the team's history that they made it out of the first round. Malik Rose would go on to play a solid NBA career followed by what will surely be a storied career in the front office. While he might not be the team's winningest coach, Bill Herrion still stands as their most successful coach, steering the Dragons to three tournament appearances and five regular season conference titles in 8 seasons.
Herrion's departure after the 98-99 campaign spelled the end of what many consider to be the golden years of Drexel basketball. While Bruiser Flint had his share of success in his tenure at Drexel, he was never able to achieve what Herrion and his team did now twenty years ago.
With the 2016 NCAA Tournament about to begin, and on the anniversary of that big win against the Memphis Tigers, it is important for us as Drexel fans to remember where our team has been. It is important for us also to take a look at what heights we want this team to once again reach. It is obtainable, and with a the team taking a new direction starting in the 2016-2017 season, the sky is the limit for what this team will be able to accomplish.
Now it is time to sit back and watch as the women take to the court in the WNIT in their effort to try and raise another banner to the DAC rafters and set our sights forward with the prize of dancing again for the first time in two decades. With each day that ticks by, I am more and more excited about what is to come for the 2016-2017 season. 20 years later, my front row basketball seats are now about four rows off the floor at center court of the DAC, and I could not be more excited about it.
Editor's note: This post has been updated with bdragon's much appreciated history refresher.
Twenty years ago I was a high school junior with a front row seat from the end of the bench of my school's varsity basketball team watching one of the most exciting players in New Jersey ball that season. His name was John Tice, and he was a year ahead of me and bound for Fairfield. A year later, he would play and lose in the round of 64 to the North Carolina Tar Heels in what would be Dean Smith's last season on the UNC bench.
I was disenchanted with my high school sporting experience. I was never good enough to get much farther than the 10th or 9th guy off the bench at the varsity level, and with a bum knee slowing me down I decided that it was time for me to move on. My off days from practice and games were spent watching what I considered to be a much more exciting brand of basketball that was taking place about 80 miles to the southwest in West Philadelphia. Drexel University was enjoying the best season in the history of the school.
Coached by Bill Herrion, and led on the court by junior guard Jeff Myers (who came to University City by way of St. Francis), freshman sniper Mike Derocckis, and the legendary Malik Rose, the team strung together impressive winning streaks of 8 and later 15 games, and put up a near perfect NAC conference record of 17-1. The next closest team in the standings was Boston University with a record of 13-5.
The team was dominant in regular season play. While their schedule could have been more challenging they put up a 23-3 record as they entered the Northeast Athletic Conference tournament with loses to Murray State, Oklahoma, and BU. Rose averaged a double-double putting up 20.2 points and 13.2 rebounds per game for the season. He carried the front court as a three guard contribution by Myers, Derocckis, and Cornelius Overby provided the majority of the remaining scoring.
The fifth starter on the team was 6'9" Chuck Guittar, playing in his first of two seasons at Drexel after transferring from Division II school New Haven. Guittar was Herrion's second transfer capture after Brian Holden, who was recruited by Herrion at BU before joining him at Drexel for three successful years as a Dragon. While he was not as much of an outside threat as Holden was, Guittar's outside shooting ability coupled with his height made him an important weapon to this team. His capture, along with that of Holden, showed Herrion's ability to build a well balanced, competitive team.
On March 14, 1996 just one week after the team secured their third consecutive NCAA tournament bid, Drexel took to the court as the 12th seed against the 5th seeded Memphis Tigers who were led by sophomore center Lorenzen Wright. For the next 40 minutes, the Tiger bigs would battle with Malik Rose, who put up 21 points and 15 rebounds. The other four Drexel starters, Overby, Derocckis, Myers, and Guittar added 10, 15, 14, and 10 respectively and on that day nearly 2,000 miles away from the home court in West Philadelphia, Drexel did the unthinkable and walked away with their first tournament victory in school history. And they did not just win, but they won big with a 12 point edge in the final 75-63 score.
Malik Rose, who fittingly scored the 2,000th point in the biggest victory of his college career, injured his ankle in that game which took a bit of his edge away when the team took on Syracuse just two days later. Despite being injured, Rose played all 40 minutes in his final college game against the Orangemen and put up a very respectable 11 points and 15 rebounds. His injury, and presumably playing with a short bench on short rest meant that despite their best effort, the Dragons just could not keep up with the higher ranked Syracuse. Drexel hung with them though, as they went to the locker room with the game tied at 24 but the second half told a different story as Syracuse pulled away to a 69-58 victory.
That was the last NCAA tournament game that the Dragons' Men's Basketball team played, and the only time in the team's history that they made it out of the first round. Malik Rose would go on to play a solid NBA career followed by what will surely be a storied career in the front office. While he might not be the team's winningest coach, Bill Herrion still stands as their most successful coach, steering the Dragons to three tournament appearances and five regular season conference titles in 8 seasons.
Herrion's departure after the 98-99 campaign spelled the end of what many consider to be the golden years of Drexel basketball. While Bruiser Flint had his share of success in his tenure at Drexel, he was never able to achieve what Herrion and his team did now twenty years ago.
With the 2016 NCAA Tournament about to begin, and on the anniversary of that big win against the Memphis Tigers, it is important for us as Drexel fans to remember where our team has been. It is important for us also to take a look at what heights we want this team to once again reach. It is obtainable, and with a the team taking a new direction starting in the 2016-2017 season, the sky is the limit for what this team will be able to accomplish.
Now it is time to sit back and watch as the women take to the court in the WNIT in their effort to try and raise another banner to the DAC rafters and set our sights forward with the prize of dancing again for the first time in two decades. With each day that ticks by, I am more and more excited about what is to come for the 2016-2017 season. 20 years later, my front row basketball seats are now about four rows off the floor at center court of the DAC, and I could not be more excited about it.
Saturday, March 12, 2016
Women's CAA Tournament - Day 3
The Dragons defeated the Northeastern Huskies on Friday, March 11th to advance to the CAA Finals on Saturday against the James Madison University Dukes. As expected, the Huskies played Drexel tough, keeping the game within 6 at the half while making the Dragons uncomfortable and pushing them to the perimeter on offense.
While most will look to the lopsided 16-8 4th quarter advantage for the Dragons to tell the story of the game, there were hints of what was to come midway through the third. Once the Huskies had crept within a point of DU on a Jess Genco three pointer, the Dragons decided that they had had about enough of Northeastern's freshman point guard for the afternoon. After trading empty possessions, Alexis Smith pulled down a defensive rebound, then came down to the other end and made a layup. On the ensuing inbound, she tipped the pass, deflecting the ball off of a Northeastern player and out of bounds, bringing the ball back to the Dragons. After a missed Drexel shot, it was Kelsi Lidge's turn to pick Claudia Ortiz's pocket during a frontcourt battle. And once the turnovers started, they simply did not stop.
In the fourth quarter Denise Dillon through the kitchen sink at the young Northeastern team, showing 1-2-2 pressure at times, man to man, 1-3-1, and 2-3 zones. In a period in which the Huskies only scored 6 points the Dragons had 9 points off of turnovers alone. After having to absolutely battle Northeastern for every minute of two and three quarter games (and an overtime) Drexel had finally cracked the code and broken past the tired legs of Kelly Cole's Northeastern team.
With that victory, Drexel turns to a much tougher test on Saturday. Championship Saturday. At 4pm, Drexel and JMU will face off with a chance to dance on the line. RPI #32 James Madison will be in their home whites against the #79 Dragons in their road blues. It was this same matchup that played out in the 2008-2009 sesaon's championship game when the Drexel players and coaches walked onto the court in Harrisonburg and walked out champions. This time, in the slightly friendlier confines of the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD, the Dragons may be larger underdogs.
The Dukes are led by Senior Jazmon Gwathmey, the CAA Player of the Year. She didn't just lead the conference in points per game in conference play, she LED the conference. Jazmon put up 22.4 points per game, in second place was Drexel's Sarah Curran with 15.4, leaving a significant gap. Between Gwathmey and fellow senior Angela Mickens averging double digits scoring and Kayla Cooper-Williams 10.1 rebounds per game, the Dragons come in looking outgunned. They can draw inspiration from the men's championship game where Hofstra walked in with three players on the CAA first or second all conference teams, but UNCW won behind coaching and having a team that was much better than the sum of its parts. Yes, the Dragons junior stars Sarah Curran and Meghan Creighton will have pressure on their shoulders, they will need to hit their shots, but the story of this years tourney win hasn't been either one of them. The story has begun and ended with diversity. It's been names like Lidge, Pellechio, and Smith that have stepped up in the second halves of games to help their team gain the advantage. It has been a variety of defensive looks thrown at their opponents. It's been uptempo and down geared and it's been poking opponents until they find their holes, and then exploiting them.
On paper, this matchup may seem like Denise vs Goliath. And that may be just what it is. But in the third game in three days, depth matters. Coaching matters (and with Kenny Brooks opposite Denise Dillon, it's a battle of the heavyweights in the coaches boxes). Picking one another up matters. These Dragons have a shot. On the first day of practice, this was the game everyone was hoping for. It's here. This team earned this shot, now it's their chance to take it.
Lets go Drexel.
Friday, March 11, 2016
Women's CAA Tournament - Day Two
The Dragons began CAA Tournament play yesterday in a game against Towson where all of the caveats (or clichés) applied. It’s tough to beat a team three times, and the Dragons had already drilled them twice in just the past month. It’s tough to start play in a tournament against a team that has already been playing: they are used to the background, the rims and the feel of the facility and the fresh team needs time to adjust. And last year, as the two seed, the Dragons were upset by seventh seeded Delaware.
The clichés, and the first half score of DU 33 – Towson 31, may have told you that the Dragons could have been given a run for their money. In the halftime locker room, Denise Dillon wasn’t hearing that talk. While she asked her team to slow the game down and present a defensive focus, tenth seeded Towson was unlikely to shoot 57% from distance in the second half whether the Dragons cranked up the intensity or not. Where the brilliance really showed through was on the offensive side. In the first half, the Dragons ran an offense that most college teams would kill for: 50% shooting with only 3 turnovers. As it turns out, they had been going easy on the Tigers.
Breaking down the shooting further revealed the hidden win of the first half. Drexel was a perfectly acceptable 5/14 (36%) from behind the arc before the break. They were also 8/12 (67%) from inside it. Coming out of the half, there was no messing around. While Towson extended out their defense to withstand an anticipated barrage of three point attempts, Drexel ran their offense the other direction. Drexel’s shot selection from behind the arc was much more restrained, and Kelsi Lidge became an impact player with cuts through the paint. Lidge, who didn’t put up a shot from the field in the first half, was an efficiency monster in the second, going 4/5 from the field (4/4 from two point range) and getting to the line and going 3/4 from the charity stripe without a turnover to her name.
Lidge, along with team leaders Sarah Curran and Meghan Creighton, combined to go 12/14 from the field in the second half, and there was simply no way the Towson team could keep up with the breakneck pace of the Drexel offense. In fact, the Drexel defense also clamped down, holding -Towson to 39% from the field after the half.
Not only did Drexel pickup the 71-54 win, taking care of their own business, they also got help across the bracket after their game concluded. Six seed Northeastern took down three seed Hofstra. Hofstra was one of four CAA teams in the top 100 in the RPI, along with Drexel, JMU and Elon, and would have been Drexel’s second round opponent. Now it’ll be a Northeastern team next up for the Dragons, and while on paper that looks like a preferred matchup, in reality it’s a program the Dragons have struggled to beat in recent seasons, losing twice to the Huskies in the past three seasons, including a split with Northeastern this year.
In both games against NU during the current campaign the theme has been simple: It has been very tough to get inside. Everything that worked so well in the second half against Towson has been a brick wall against the Northeastern defenders. That has led to an uptempo pace that the Dragons are uncomfortable playing and an emphasis on the three point field goal to a point that is hard to believe. In the two games this season, DU has taken 69 three point attempts, which is a staggering number. While the team shoots a healthy percentage, and rebounding hasn’t been as much of an issue in these games as one might expect, there is still a certain risk putting all of the teams hopes into the most unpredictable shot in the game, especially on short rest.
As an underdog, teams should want to push the game to be as unpredictable as possible. A game that ends predictably is not a good thing when your team is expected to lose. With Northeastern being a healthy underdog in this contest, expect them to throw plenty of zone and challenge the Drexel team to take another barrage of shots from downtown. Add to that NU forcing the tempo in a quick turnaround game, and the Dragons could be looking at tired legs needing to shoot well to win. That’s a dangerous combination. Denise Dillon will look to slow things down and emulate the second half of Thursday’s game against Towson, and try to bring this game right into the envelope of predictability that will bring comfort to the coaching staff. At the end of the day, Drexel fans should take solace in a strong team with an even stronger staff.
Prediction: Drexel 66, Northeastern 60
The clichés, and the first half score of DU 33 – Towson 31, may have told you that the Dragons could have been given a run for their money. In the halftime locker room, Denise Dillon wasn’t hearing that talk. While she asked her team to slow the game down and present a defensive focus, tenth seeded Towson was unlikely to shoot 57% from distance in the second half whether the Dragons cranked up the intensity or not. Where the brilliance really showed through was on the offensive side. In the first half, the Dragons ran an offense that most college teams would kill for: 50% shooting with only 3 turnovers. As it turns out, they had been going easy on the Tigers.
Breaking down the shooting further revealed the hidden win of the first half. Drexel was a perfectly acceptable 5/14 (36%) from behind the arc before the break. They were also 8/12 (67%) from inside it. Coming out of the half, there was no messing around. While Towson extended out their defense to withstand an anticipated barrage of three point attempts, Drexel ran their offense the other direction. Drexel’s shot selection from behind the arc was much more restrained, and Kelsi Lidge became an impact player with cuts through the paint. Lidge, who didn’t put up a shot from the field in the first half, was an efficiency monster in the second, going 4/5 from the field (4/4 from two point range) and getting to the line and going 3/4 from the charity stripe without a turnover to her name.
Lidge, along with team leaders Sarah Curran and Meghan Creighton, combined to go 12/14 from the field in the second half, and there was simply no way the Towson team could keep up with the breakneck pace of the Drexel offense. In fact, the Drexel defense also clamped down, holding -Towson to 39% from the field after the half.
Not only did Drexel pickup the 71-54 win, taking care of their own business, they also got help across the bracket after their game concluded. Six seed Northeastern took down three seed Hofstra. Hofstra was one of four CAA teams in the top 100 in the RPI, along with Drexel, JMU and Elon, and would have been Drexel’s second round opponent. Now it’ll be a Northeastern team next up for the Dragons, and while on paper that looks like a preferred matchup, in reality it’s a program the Dragons have struggled to beat in recent seasons, losing twice to the Huskies in the past three seasons, including a split with Northeastern this year.
In both games against NU during the current campaign the theme has been simple: It has been very tough to get inside. Everything that worked so well in the second half against Towson has been a brick wall against the Northeastern defenders. That has led to an uptempo pace that the Dragons are uncomfortable playing and an emphasis on the three point field goal to a point that is hard to believe. In the two games this season, DU has taken 69 three point attempts, which is a staggering number. While the team shoots a healthy percentage, and rebounding hasn’t been as much of an issue in these games as one might expect, there is still a certain risk putting all of the teams hopes into the most unpredictable shot in the game, especially on short rest.
As an underdog, teams should want to push the game to be as unpredictable as possible. A game that ends predictably is not a good thing when your team is expected to lose. With Northeastern being a healthy underdog in this contest, expect them to throw plenty of zone and challenge the Drexel team to take another barrage of shots from downtown. Add to that NU forcing the tempo in a quick turnaround game, and the Dragons could be looking at tired legs needing to shoot well to win. That’s a dangerous combination. Denise Dillon will look to slow things down and emulate the second half of Thursday’s game against Towson, and try to bring this game right into the envelope of predictability that will bring comfort to the coaching staff. At the end of the day, Drexel fans should take solace in a strong team with an even stronger staff.
Prediction: Drexel 66, Northeastern 60
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