Drexel Opens Road Stretch Thursday At Hofstra
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It has been tough sledding so far this season for the Drexel Dragons. They are just 3-12 overall and 1-3 in Colonial Athletic Association action.
However, their lone conference win came in their last game, a 61-54 decision over the College of Charleston on Saturday at the DAC. The Dragons will now look to build on that victory on Thursday night when they visit Hempstead, New York, to play a very talented Hofstra team. This will be the first of three straight conference road games for the Dragons, who will also visit Towson and James Madison in the coming days.
Drexel head coach Bruiser Flint liked what he saw last time out against the Cougars.
"I just think we played with so much more consistency throughout the game," Flint tells KYW Newsradio. "Our problem all season long has been, we play a five minute period that really wipes us out. We usually come back and make a game of it, but that five or six minute period is really bad for us. I call it an avalanche. It comes down, boom, it almost kills us. It has killed us in a lot of games. I just thought we played with consistency. Wasn't perfect, but I just thought from beginning to end, we didn't have those moments in the game where we just totally fall apart."
Listen to the entire interview with Drexel's Bruiser Flint:
The Dragons got a big performance from Rodney Williams in the win over Charleston as he poured in a game high 19 points. Flint says that continued a run of strong performances for the junior forward.
"I think the thing he's been is patient," Flint says. "I think at the beginning of the year he was just trying to rush. Every time he caught the ball he was trying to score. One of the things I kept telling him was, 'Look man, you're going to get the ball on this team, so you don't have to rush. Take your time.' And the last three games, not just the Charleston game, but the Elon game and actually also William and Mary, he took his time and he's come up and played probably the three best games in a row he's played all season. And all because he's just had a lot more patience offensively."
For the season, Williams is averaging 9.6 points, which is third on the team. He is second on the squad in rebounding, pulling down 6.4 a contest.
Hofstra will present a big challenge for the Dragons. The Pride sit at 11-5 (2-1 in the CAA) after beating Elon on Saturday, on the road, 80-76. They have started the same five players in all 16 games and all five of those players average double figure points.
"They are arguably the best offensive team in our conference," Flint says. "Last year, they really blew our doors off up there (86-58 Hofstra win). They are a tough team to guard. They are really good. (Seniors) Juan'ya Green (Archbishop Carroll product) and Ameen Tanksley (Imhotep Charter product), Philly kids who play really well against us. We've got to be ready to defend."
Drexel also lost to Hofstra last season at the DAC, 81-57.
Thursday night's game will tip-off at 7:00.
