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WEB SITE SPECIAL: Wildcats dash Dragons NIT hopes
Wildcats' second-half run too much for Dragons
Shawn Sweeney
Issue date: 3/12/04 Section: News
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March Madness came to an abrupt end on the Main Line for the Drexel men's
basketball team as they lost to Villanova, 85-70, in the first round of
the National Invitation Tournament March 17. Although they led for almost the entire first half, the Dragons were met with an 18-0 Wildcat run.
After Drexel's Bashir Mason picked Jason Fraser's pocket with 17 minutes to
play in the second half, he fed Kenell Sanchez for a lay-up that was blocked
by 'Nova's Curtis Sumpter. Drexel forward Tim Whitworth grabbed the ball
and made a lay-up, pushing the score to 43-35. After another Fraser
turnover, Sanchez leapt to aggressively put back an offensive rebound, and
the momentum was in the Dragon's court.
That's when the tide turned.
With Drexel leading by 10, Randy Foye's lay-up and ensuing three-point play
ignited Villanova's run, as they scored 18 consecutive points in under five
minutes. After a couple shots, Allan Ray stole the ball from Mason for a
fast-break dunk.
"When Allen got the steal and got the dunk, he got everyone going," Foye
said.
Foye and Ray each scored 20 points to lead the Wildcats.
Drexel coach Bruiser Flint received a technical foul during the run, in
what appeared to be an attempt to pump his team up. The technical did
little to light a fire under the Dragons, as they let up six more points
before center Sean Brooks broke Drexel's slump with a free throw and a
basket, bringing the score to 55-48.
Brooks finished with a career-high 24 points, 15 of which came in the first
half. He struggled late after getting leg cramps.
"Sean got cramps, and that killed us a little bit," Flint said. "I think
that changed the game a lot because they actually started rebounding the
ball."
The Dragon's problem at center after Brooks' injury was compounded by the
fact that backup Chaz Crawford fouled out, playing only five minutes.
There was little Drexel could do to catch the Wildcats. It didn't help that
basketball team as they lost to Villanova, 85-70, in the first round of
the National Invitation Tournament March 17. Although they led for almost the entire first half, the Dragons were met with an 18-0 Wildcat run.
After Drexel's Bashir Mason picked Jason Fraser's pocket with 17 minutes to
play in the second half, he fed Kenell Sanchez for a lay-up that was blocked
by 'Nova's Curtis Sumpter. Drexel forward Tim Whitworth grabbed the ball
and made a lay-up, pushing the score to 43-35. After another Fraser
turnover, Sanchez leapt to aggressively put back an offensive rebound, and
the momentum was in the Dragon's court.
That's when the tide turned.
With Drexel leading by 10, Randy Foye's lay-up and ensuing three-point play
ignited Villanova's run, as they scored 18 consecutive points in under five
minutes. After a couple shots, Allan Ray stole the ball from Mason for a
fast-break dunk.
"When Allen got the steal and got the dunk, he got everyone going," Foye
said.
Foye and Ray each scored 20 points to lead the Wildcats.
Drexel coach Bruiser Flint received a technical foul during the run, in
what appeared to be an attempt to pump his team up. The technical did
little to light a fire under the Dragons, as they let up six more points
before center Sean Brooks broke Drexel's slump with a free throw and a
basket, bringing the score to 55-48.
Brooks finished with a career-high 24 points, 15 of which came in the first
half. He struggled late after getting leg cramps.
"Sean got cramps, and that killed us a little bit," Flint said. "I think
that changed the game a lot because they actually started rebounding the
ball."
The Dragon's problem at center after Brooks' injury was compounded by the
fact that backup Chaz Crawford fouled out, playing only five minutes.
There was little Drexel could do to catch the Wildcats. It didn't help that
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