Philadelphia Inquirer 1/26/12: Drexel defeats Georgia State for eighth straight win
Drexel excels at both ends of court to win 8th straight
By Aaron Bracy
For The Inquirer
It is a scary combination for opponents.
A balanced team with weapons inside and out, Drexel can beat you in many ways on offense.
And defensively, the lock-down Dragons boast not just the stingiest unit in the Colonial Athletic Association but one of the best defenses in the country.
Drexel put it all on display on Wednesday night at the Daskalakis Athletic Center, brushing aside Georgia State, 68-46, to win its eighth straight game and 12th in a row at home, including all nine this season.
Chris Fouch had 15 points to lead the Dragons (16-5, 8-2), who broke free from a tie game by scoring 18 of the final 27 points before the intermission and then the first eight points of the second half during a backbreaking 11-minute stretch that sent the Panthers (14-7, 6-4) to just their fourth loss in 18 games.
“Us showing we can beat them like we did tonight, I think it kind of did make a statement,” said point guard Frantz Massenat, who had 13 points and six assists.
The statement not only was to the tough CAA, which knows preseason favorite Drexel will be formidable down the stretch and in the league tournament. But also the Dragons, perhaps feeling slighted by observers, may have been sending a message in their own city.
The Inquirer’s rankings Wednesday had Drexel, which has won 14 of its last 15, fourth of the six city teams.
“It’s a fuel for the fire a little bit. I like that,” Drexel coach Bruiser Flint said. “I respect all the Philly schools. They have great coaches, good players.”
But . . .
“Actually, I think we’re the best team in Philly,” Flint said. “I think we can beat anybody in the city.”
It’s easy to understand why after performances like the Dragons got against Georgia State.
In addition to Fouch, a guard, big man Samme Givens had 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Dragons’ leading scorer, Damion Lee (12.3 ppg), got in first-half foul trouble and finished with just five points.
And still Drexel won by 22 points while holding an opponent to 60 points or less for the 10th consecutive game, while keeping an opponent to 50 points or less for the eighth time this season. The Dragons entered the week sixth in the country, limiting opponents to 54.8 points per game.
