Drexel's defense key in beating Toledo

Following his team's loss to Cornell on Friday, Toledo coach Gene Cross predicted Drexel would "defend the heck out of" his Rockets.

During the first half of Drexel's 69-59 win over Toledo on the second day of the Legends Classic at the Daskalakis Center yesterday, the Dragons made the Rockets' coach look like Nostradamus.

Drexel (3-3) held Toledo (0-5) to six first-half field goals and created 11 turnovers. The resulting 22-point halftime lead was more than enough to carry Drexel into today's Classic finale against 4-2 Cornell, a 67-59 winner over Vermont (2-4) in yesterday's other game.

"I thought we played great defense in the first half," said Drexel coach Bruiser Flint, adding later that, "but in the second half, our guys thought they were in high school again."

Call that the effects of playing two games in 24 hours with a third on the horizon. If the Dragons hadn't dashed out to a commanding 14-2 lead against Toledo, the sloppy play might have cost them.

But it didn't.

"I thought we were in command the whole game," Flint said.

Despite some lackluster stretches, Drexel used a balanced attack to win its third straight game. Eight players registered 13 minutes or more and each scored at least one field goal. Junior guard Jamie Harris led the way with 19 points and four assists.

Coming off a career-high 28-point performance on Friday, Harris carried Drexel through the second half.

Any time a glimmer of hope arose for Toledo, he answered. When the Rockets got to within nine points with under six minutes remaining, Harris converted back-to-back field goals.

When the lead was cut to eight with three minutes left, he splashed in a floater over outstretched arms.

"With me being a veteran, when we're struggling to get a basket, I'm going to stay aggressive," Harris said, adding that making big shots "boosts my confidence. It lets me know that at any point in the game, I can get us the basket that we need."

Drexel freshman Chris Fouch chipped in 11 points, going 3 for 3 on three-point attempts. Sophomore forward Samme Givens pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.

Freshman point guard Jake Barnett scored 17 to lead Toledo.