Drexel passes first test

Although VCU is the top seed and Drexel (23-7) is No. 4, both teams are in similar boats, needing a win today to feel really confident about their chances of hearing good news on Selection Sunday.

But this game is in VCU's hometown.

"We're going into another hostile environment," said center Frank Elegar, who led Drexel with 23 points. "We've been on the road a lot. All we've got to do is face the pressure, come out there, and do what we've got to do, like we've done before. Me personally, I like to go into other people's houses and get a win."

Playing in a more tepid environment - most of the VCU fans left after seeing their school beat Georgia State, 73-60 - it didn't take Drexel long to establish itself yesterday. After the Northeastern Huskies (13-19), the No. 5 seed, got a tip-in basket on their first possession, they got only one more hoop on their next 12 trips. Almost 12 minutes into the game, Elegar had 12 points and Northeastern had seven, as Drexel took a 35-18 halftime lead. At that point, Northeastern had seven baskets and eight turnovers.

"We shot a lot of foul shots in the second half," said Drexel coach Bruiser Flint. "We got it where we wanted it, they fouled us. We're never going to be a prolific offensive team. But we did some things. We missed some easy ones in the second half. But I thought we did what we needed to do. We started the second half a little bit crazy. But once we settled down, we got it where we needed to be."

Nobody on Drexel's bench talked about looking ahead to the VCU game.

"Actually, this is my first win, so it feels good to just win and advance," said senior point guard Bashir Mason, referring to this being the first postseason victory for anybody on Drexel's current roster.

Flint said that he didn't believe that today's game was an elimination game, that the CAA deserved three bids off its accomplishments already. That's a hope more than a statement of fact. After winning at Villanova, Syracuse and Creighton, the Dragons probably need another win to come up with an NCAA tournament bid.

In other quarterfinal action, Gerald Lee's jumper broke a tie with 3:46 to play and sparked a 6-0 run that lifted Old Dominion to a 58-55 victory over Towson. Old Dominion (24-7) will face George Mason (17-14), a 64-61 winner over Hofstra.