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Drexel-VCU Preview

    by Marc Narducci
    Published 

CAA CHAMPIONSHIP

No. 2 seed VCU (27-6) at No. 1 seeded Drexel (27-5)

When: Monday, 7 p.m. Richmond Coliseum

TV: ESPN

At stake: CAA championship and automatic NCAA berth.

Last CAA title: VCU, 2009; Drexel (seeking its first title).

Current win streak: VCU 5; Drexel 19.

This season: Drexel won at home, 64-58 on Jan 8.

Most recent meeting in the CAA Tournament: Last year, VCU won 62-60 in the quarterfinals.

Coaches

VCU – Shaka Smart (3rd season, 82-27)

Drexel – Bruiser Flint (16th season, 283-211 overall, 197-139 in 11 seasons at Drexel).

Fast fact: In VCU's semifinal win over George Masion, Brandon Burgess set the all-time NCAA record for consecutive games started with his 143rd. That broke the mark of 142 set by Georgetown's Patrick Ewing.

Road to the final:

VCU - beat Northeastern, 75-65 in the quarterfinal and George Mason, 74-64 in the semifinal.

Drexel - Beat UNCW, 59-47 in the quarterfinal and Old Dominion, 68-51 in the semifinal.

Probable starters

VCU

10 Darius Theus 6-3 Jr. G - 8.4 ppg., 4.8 apg.

30 Troy Daniels 6-4 Jr. G – 10.0 ppg., 3.3 rpg.

20 Bradford Burgess 6-6 Sr. G - 13.5 ppg., 4.9 rpg.

15 Juvonte Reddic 6-9 So. F - 10.8 ppg., 6.9 rpg.

33 D.J. Haley 7-0 So. C – 3.3 ppg., 3.9 rpg.

DREXEL

3 Chris Fouch 6-2 Jr. G – 10.3 ppg., 2.4 rpg.

4 Frantz Massenat 6-4 So. G – 13.6 ppg., 4.5 apg.

14 Damion Lee 6-0 Fr. G – 12.4 ppg., 4.3 rpg.

44 Daryl McCoy 6-9 Jr. F – 4.5 ppg., 7.0 rpg.

45 Samme Givens 6-5 Sr. F – 11.7 ppg., 7.8 rpg.

Outlook: Both teams are playing their third game in three days and Drexel in particular isn't deep. The Dragons top player off the bench is 6-8 sophomore Dartaye Ruffin. VCU sophomore guard Rob Brandenberg, who had 14 points in the semifinal win over George Mason, is a key perimeter threat off the bench. The key will be staying out of foul trouble. Also Drexel must stop the Rams from beyond the arc. They hit 11 of 25 treys against George Mason. VCU must contain the dribble penetration of Frantz Massenat, who had 20 points in Drexel's semifinal win over Old Dominion. Massenat struggled from the perimeter but was effective taking it to the basket. This has the making of a defensive struggle where the first team to 60 could be the winner. Both teams will be playing with urgency since the losing team is far from assured of earning an NCAA bid.

-Marc Narducci