That 'Palestra experience'

Even though the Palestra is just a four-block walk from the Daskalakis Athletic Center, visiting California State Northridge did not visit the hoops shrine during its two-day stay in Philadelphia. Coaches of several other Drexel opponents who travelled a distance have made the visit because they wanted their players to have a Palestra "experience" even if they didn't play there.

When Drexel eventually moves to the nearby National Guard armory as its new hoops home, the armory will have a mini-Palestra appearance. The armory will seat about 5,000 for basketball.

Most of Northridge's players are from California. But the team that is based 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles also has players from New Jersey (Irvington), Alabama, Arizona, New Mexico and Nanaimo, British Columbia.

WORTH NOTING

* Freshman Samme Givens, from the Academy of the New Church, had another strong game off the bench for Drexel: six rebounds and five points in 17 minutes. The 6-5 Givens was defending larger Northridge players.

* Last season, Drexel was last among Colonial Athletic Association teams in free-throwing shooting (.629 percent). Following its 18 of 26 performance vs. Northridge, the Dragons are now shooting .679 from the line.