Whatever the scoreboard and box score eventually would show, this was never going to be a game that could be judged by numbers. To understand this game, it had to be felt.
It was about a bunch of college kids who wanted to play some hoops, win a game, rule 33rd Street for a year.
Penn did not have Tyler Bernardini (injured foot) or Andreas Schreiber (shoulder). Drexel was without Leon Spencer (fractured wrist), who is out for 2 months.
Who did what will be little remembered. Nobody on that floor is going to the NBA. And none of it mattered.
These people were playing because it mattered to them.
Not diving for loose balls was not an option. This was a will game, not a skill game.
And that is a game Drexel is going to win on most nights. This was most nights. And the Dragons (1-3) got that precious first win, 58-49. Penn (0-4) is still searching.
When Drexel was opening a 10-point first-half lead, it actually made six straight baskets, which must be some sort of a school record. On their best days, the Dragons, under Bruiser Flint, will never be mistaken for the Phoenix Suns.
"Only for a short period of time," Flint said of his team's good shooting. "We get looks. We run good offense."
The Dragons led 26-20 at the break. It probably should have been more, what with Penn shooting just 31.8 percent and having more turnovers (10) than baskets (seven).
Drexel had lost in overtime at Saint Joseph's and at the buzzer at Rutgers. Penn had given up a big lead and lost in double overtime to Delaware. Somebody was going to finish a game. It wasn't Penn.
"I thought in the second half, we made a decent offensive adjustment and really started getting the ball inside a lot more," Quakers coach Glen Miller said."They're a tough team to beat off the dribble. They had more foot speed than us."
