Drexel Dragons (29-7 overall, 16-2 conference)
Projected starting five:
Jr. G Frantz Massenat
So. G Damion Lee
Sr. G Derrick Thomas
Jr. F Dartaye Ruffin
Sr. F Daryl McCoy
Important departures:
F Samme Givens (11.6 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.8 apg) is the only player of any significance the Dragons lose.
Returning:
82.2 percent of scoring and 77.8 percent of rebounding
Additions:
Fr. F Tavon Allen (redshirt)
Fr. F Casey Carroll (redshirt)
Schedule Highlights:
The Dragons open the season at Kent State before hosting Missouri Valley contender Illinois State. They will play in the Anaheim Classic, starting with Saint Mary’s and then playing either Xavier or Pacific in the second game. The toughest road game the rest of the way is at Ivy League favorite Princeton, as they get Atlantic 10 favorite Saint Joseph’s at home to close out the non-conference slate. In CAA play, the Dragons have a four-game home stretch in February followed by the second three-game road stretch.
Projected finish and outlook:
There’s every reason to pick Drexel to win the CAA. The Dragons lose just one player of any significance, and while Givens is no small loss there is plenty coming back. The Dragons will have the conference’s best backcourt, best defense, a veteran cast and plenty of good candidates to take Givens’ place up front. If Ruffin is more like the player we saw as a freshman than the one we saw last year, Givens’ loss will be minimized, and while long known for their defense the Dragons have become a terrific offensive team with Massenat running the show. They led the conference in three-point shooting last season, among other things, and it helps that they bring high-scoring guard Chris Fouch off the bench. There is good leadership all the way around and the intangibles are off the charts, so the Dragons are going to be very difficult to beat this year.
