The Drexel Dragons are on a four game winning streak...woah.
I Just don't know anymore.
I wish I had something to offer other than a shrug, but I'm still drunk from the Birds Super Bowl win and trying to figure out how the same Drexel team that lost four consecutive games a month ago has somehow won four in a row is just beyond my comprehension.
I really tried to figure out what this team did so differently. I am a firm believer that you win basketball games by playing defense, rebounding, and not turning the ball over.
In their four consecutive wins, the Dragons averaged 12 turnovers per game, had nine more rebounds then their opponents over that four game span, and allowed 74.75 points per game.
In their four game skid, the Dragons averaged 10 turnovers per game, were out rebounded by 34 (Towson out-rebounded them by 21) and allowed 84.5 points per game.
The numbers show something, and as someone who doesn't really care about numbers, I can see that they tightened their defense and a huge part of that is simply not allowing two-shot possessions.
I'm sure someone will crack an egg of stats on my head and show me how the four game losing streak and winning streak came down to one key stat or maybe they weren't that different at all, but I'm not as interested in numbers as I am by what I see, and what I see is a team that is just playing harder than their opponents.
It would be easy to say Drexel got some fortunate calls or caught a lucky break here and there or their opponent just missed a ton of open looks, but that's basketball, and that shit happens when you play your ass off.
Earlier this year Drexel beat some stiff competition and played some really good teams close, and it wasn't because Tramaine Isabell was hot or they got lucky, it's because they played tough, hard-nosed basketball, and that's how you create luck.
Most will look at the Northeastern win, and say we got lucky. I sent this tweet out following that game, and I stand by it.
You make your own luck, and if you want to talk about how this squad is catching breaks and getting lucky then you're doing a disservice to the team.
Also, how has #TheTramaineEvent not caught on yet? It's the thing I'm most proud. Seriously. It's sad. I know.
Winning Division I college basketball games is difficult, and you don't win four straight by getting lucky, and you don't lose four straight because of bad luck, but when you compete, good things will happen.
Good things are starting to happen for the Dragons.
Drexel takes on Towson tomorrow night at the DAC and then hits the road for three tough games. They haven't been good on the road, and I'll be watching those games with knots in my stomach, and not the garlicly kind, ok who am I kidding, they'll be in my stomach as well, but I have faith in the Dragons. I don't want to get ahead of myself to the road trip though.
Now more than ever, show up.
The Towson game tomorrow night is the biggest of the year. Drexel is currently 5-7 in the CAA while Towson sits at 6-6, so you don't need to be a mathematics major at Drexel to know this game is meaningful.
And if you are a numbers major, or any major for that matter, if you have a Drexel student ID, turn up for this game. The Dac Pack needs to be packed to rattle the Tigers, and me spewing vulgarities that would make Chris Rock blush at a 19-year-old kid is not gonna cut it. Show up, stand up and be loud.
Drexel is also running plenty of promotions in conjunction with the Eagles parade, so if you wear Birds gear, you get in for free. If you're near the DAC and want to cheer on the Dragons or are just looking for a place to get out of the cold, it's going to be a pretty good game.
If for some reason you're on this blog for my nonsense and haven't listened to the newest Dragonscast Podcast yet, I demand you do so now. The segment about the attendance issue at the DAC is some of the best stuff on that podcast thus far, Leon, Marshall, Bill and Nick really hit the nail on the head.
While I'm just typing in a manic state with no direction whatsoever at this point, I'm going to reiterate something that someone said on the Slack a few days back. I forget who said it, so I apologize, but the in game stuff at the DAC has become rote. Tickets to Drexel games are way more expensive than they need to be, and we still don't have a video board...but for the money a person has to pay to bring their family, the entertainment needs to be better.
Having the cheerleaders or dance team come out at every stoppage in play and then once a game have two kids dressed up like coffee cups dribble in between said cheerleaders and subsequently miss four layups is getting really, really old.
I digress.
Haircut Watch
I wrote a post a week or so ago about Tramaine Isabells haircut. That is how bad it was. I wrote that the haircut may have been that quirky, weird little thing that turns the season around for Drexel, and since that shape up, they have won four in a row.
Now, it has been reported that there was some sort of team meeting that may have something to do with the winning streak. I like to believe it's 100% about the hair cut, but have it your way.
The fact is the Dragons are playing team basketball, and whatever is going right will need to continue versus a Towson team who opened up a can of whoop ass on Drexel a few weeks back. The key will be rebounding the basketball. Stretch Williams and Tyshawn Miles need to stay in the game versus an extremely physical Towson team.
Drexel will need to match their physicality, but play smart basketball, as Towson scored 30 points from the charity stripe in their first meeting.
The football game last Sunday was all my heart can take, Drexel needn't turn Thursday nights contest into another one.
Coach Spiker said the team slogan could be "Sometimes me. Sometimes you. Always us." That has rung true for many games this season, but in the Dragons victory over William & Mary, it was balanced scoring and 20 assists that propelled the Dragons.
As was true in that game, the "Always Us" part of that mantra is the one that will need to ring true for Drexel to take down Towson.