BOSTON – Raise your hand if you thought Drexel would be in the middle of the pack in the CAA this season.
No hands? None at all?
It’s hard to blame anyone who would keep their hand down. There was just about every reason to think Drexel was the clear team to beat in the CAA this season, and we won’t go through those now. But as we are more than halfway home, the Dragons are mired in mediocrity with a 5-5 conference record after losing 59-52 at Northeastern on Saturday night.
Right from the outset this season, the Dragons had to battle through more than just opponents. Ask Bruiser Flint about it, and you understandably get a weary look before he answers in his usual friendly, matter-of-fact style. A lot of things that could go wrong have gone wrong for them, and it’s reflected in their record and some of the numbers. Injuries have seemingly been a constant, starting with Damion Lee missing two games early with a concussion and now Kazembe Abif being out of action. Early on, Chris Fouch was lost for the season once again to a fractured ankle.
“It’s been unfortunate because it seems like every week, we’ve got somebody missing two or three games,” said Flint.
It was pretty clear early on that Drexel wasn’t going to be a candidate for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Dragons lost their first two games and started out 1-4 before salvaging a game at the DirecTV Classic in Anaheim. They never quite got untracked in non-conference play, not once winning consecutive games.
Aside from injuries, the Dragons haven’t repeated what they did last year, especially at the offensive end. Drexel under Bruiser Flint has been known for being very physical and grinding you out with their defense. That remains the case, but whereas last year they became an excellent offensive team, this year that has not been the case. As a result, they have had less room for error, and they now stand 9-13 on the season.
Besides that, there’s another element that can come into play. Last year, a lot of things went right for Drexel and a lot came together. They were a pretty healthy team as far as their rotation went. Although a couple of players had to redshirt, but they had depth at the positions they played so the Dragons were fine with that. Lee came in and made an instant impact, while Massenat became much more than just a playmaker. Teams were sure to adjust to both this season, and that’s happened. Now, when they have a night like Saturday night, the Dragons are in trouble.
“At least one of them has to play well,” said Flint of his guard tandem. “They’ve got to play well and shoot the ball decently.”
Massenat and Lee combined to go 5-22 from the field for 17 points. That’s not the kind of night they need, especially when they average more than 32 points per game. On the other side, the senior backcourt of Jonathan Lee and Joel Smith had 31 points on 10-20 shooting for Northeastern.
Dartaye Ruffin had a double-double with 12 points and 11 boards, and it seemed like he could have had a better night. What didn’t help was that he had to sit for a few minutes due to cramps and was limited by them later. It was his first double-double of the season, and he’s a player the Dragons needed to be more than he has been with Samme Givens gone. He still hasn’t been able to get back to the level of his freshman year.
The Dragons could try to get a sixth year for Fouch, who redshirted his true freshman year due to a torn ACL. This season was the first year he was able to practice on the first day, and he started off very well before the injury. One would think he will get the extra year, and the Dragons would be fine with it, but the big question is if Fouch wants to go for another year. After all the injuries, one has to wonder if he isn’t of a mind to simply move on with life from playing basketball.
Drexel finished a tough stretch with four games in eight days on Saturday. Not only that, but they play their next four games at home, which gives them a chance to get some momentum going in time for three straight on the road right after it. There is plenty of talent still there after the injuries have taken their toll, and the Dragons are very capable of beating anyone. They have to make adjustments as teams adjust to them, and if the season to date is any indication, they may have to beat more than just their opponents the rest of the way.
